 Solution

For an open cover $X=U\cup V$, the Mayer–Vietoris theorem gives the long exact sequenceIt ends in $H_0(U\cap V)\to H_0(U)\oplus H_0(V)\to H_0(X)\to 0$. To prove it, let $C_{\ast }^{U,V}(X)$ be the subcomplex generated by singular simplices lying wholly in $U$ or wholly in $V$. There is a short exact sequence of chain complexesExactness follows from the singular-simplex bases: the intersection of the two chain subgroups consists exactly of simplices lying in both sets. The small-chain locality theorem for singular homology says the inclusion of this small-chain complex into $C_{\ast }(X)$ induces an isomorphism on homology; barycentric subdivision is its standard justification. The long exact sequence of a short exact sequence of chain complexes now proves the theorem. For a homological cycle represented as $a+b$, the connecting map is $[a+b]\mapsto [\partial a]$, since $\partial a=-\partial b$ lies in the intersection. This also identifies the displayed maps and their signs.

For the glued solid tori, use open collar enlargements of the two halves. Each retracts to a circle; the overlap retracts to their boundary torus. Thus the halves have $H_0=H_1=\mathbb{Z}$ and higher homology zero, while the overlap has $H_0=H_2=\mathbb{Z}$ and $H_1={\mathbb{Z}}^2$. In the overlap choose longitude and meridian generators. The meridian bounds a disk in each solid torus and the longitude generates each first homology, so the map on $H_1$ isIts kernel is the meridian copy of $\mathbb{Z}$ and its cokernel is $\mathbb{Z}$. The map on $H_0$ is the injective map $z\mapsto (z,-z)$. Exactness therefore gives $H_2(X)=\mathbb{Z}$ and $H_1(X)=\mathbb{Z}$. The preceding segment is $0\to H_3(X)\to H_2(U\cap V)\to 0$, giving $H_3(X)=\mathbb{Z}$. Connectedness gives $H_0(X)=\mathbb{Z}$, and all higher groups vanish. HenceAs a geometric check, the identity boundary gluing identifies the product with $S^1\times (D^2{\cup }_{S^1}{D}^2)=S^1\times S^2$.