For a connective spectrum with , an -homology isomorphism of simply connected spaces is a weak homotopy equivalence. Its simply connected homotopy mapping cone is -acyclic. If it had a first nonzero integral homology group, the Hurewicz theorem and the bottom-degree generalized Hurewicz isomorphism would produce a nonzero -homology group. Thus the cone is integrally acyclic and the homological Whitehead theorem applies.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 22 4 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Take a based CW complex model for . Since it is -connected and , its reduced ordinary homology vanishes below degree , with arbitrary constant coefficients. This also follows from a CW complex model with no non-basepoint cells below degree . The connective spectrum has for .
Filter by its skeleta. The quotients of consecutive stages are wedges of spheres, so the exact sequences in represented homology theory give the homological Atiyah-Hirzebruch spectral sequenceIt is first quadrant because is a connective spectrum. In a fixed total degree it converges with a finite filtration: cells of sufficiently high dimension cannot contribute in that degree or affect it through a boundary, by the same connectivity bound.
In total degree , every term with is zero, and terms with are zero. The only possible term isNo differential can leave it: the target has spatial degree . No differential can enter it: its source would be , whose coefficient degree is negative for every . Thus it survives unchanged and is the only filtration quotient of ; there is no extension problem. The ordinary Hurewicz theorem now yieldsThe isomorphism uses the stated identification and is natural in . This is the bottom-degree generalized Hurewicz isomorphism.