Everything can be defined using sets. Functions and ordered pairs can be defined as sets. For example, the ordered pair $(a, b)$ can be defined as:

$$ (a, b) := \{ \{a \}, \{a, b\}\} $$

We don't have to think of these things in terms of sets (and most mathematicians don't), but we do define them as such.

Is there a simpler or more intuitive proof that the least upper bound property is equivalent to the greatest lower bound property?

A linear continuum in topology is any set along with an order relation such that

(i) the order relation has the least upper bound property

(ii) if $x < y$ there exists an element $z$ such that $x < z$ and $z < y$.

Construction of integers:

A subset $A$ of $\mathbb{R}$ is inductive if

(i) $1 \in A$

(ii) given $x \in A$, we have $x + 1 \in A$

Define $\mathbb{Z}_+$(the set of positive integers) is the intersection of all inductive subsets of $\mathbb{R}$.

$\mathbb{Z}$ (all integers) is the union of $\mathbb{Z}+$, the element $0$, and the negatives of $\mathbb{Z}+$

Inductive principle: if $A$ is an inductive set of positive integers, then $A = ℤ+$. This is pretty easy to prove using the construction above.

Definition of real numbers:

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/96c80a8a-be8d-4f49-8d92-e0022b2125fa/Untitled.png

Definition of integers:

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/8d0219a5-8f18-41ba-aa95-fe03e3b34c00/Untitled.png

Well-ordering principle

Every nonempty subset of $\mathbb{Z}_+$has a smallest element.

Finite Sets

A set $A$ is finite if there is a bijective correspondence of $A$ with some section of the integers. That is, $A$ is finite if it is empty or if there is a bijection $f : A \rightarrow \{ 1, \ldots, n \}$ for some $n$. In the former case we say $A$ has cardinality $0$; in the latter we say it has cardinality $n$.

Countable Sets