 Solution

The implicit function theorem states that if $F(x_0,y_0)=0$ and the partial derivative $D_{y}F(x_0,y_0)$ is an invertible linear map, then near $(x_0,y_0)$ the zero set of $F$ is uniquely the graph $y=g(x)$ of a continuously differentiable function.

If $f$ is a differentiable bijection with differentiable inverse $g$, the chain rule applied to $g\circ f$ and $f\circ g$ givesThus $D{f}_x$ is an isomorphism with inverse $D{g}_{f(x)}$.

If a continuously differentiable map $F:{\mathbb{R}}^n\to {\mathbb{R}}^n$ has invertible derivative everywhere, the inverse function theorem makes it a local diffeomorphism. In particular it is an open map, so its image is open. Its image need not be closed: $x\mapsto \arctan x$ has nonzero derivative everywhere and image $(-\pi /2,\pi /2)$.

For the given map of elementary symmetric polynomials,and direct evaluation of the determinant givesHence the critical set isIts complement is the Zariski-open set on which the three coordinates are pairwise distinct. Each point has one of the six possible strict coordinate orderings, and each ordering defines a nonempty convex open region. A continuous path cannot change an ordering without crossing $C$. Therefore ${\mathbb{R}}^3\setminus C$ has exactlyconnected components.