Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ii Paper 3 16F iv Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
This class is not axiomatisable. If axiomatized it, add constants and for , requiring the to be distinct maximal elements and the to be distinct minimal elements. Every finite fragment has a model of : make one of the two sets infinite and make the other finite but large enough to interpret the finitely many constants mentioned. Compactness would then give a model of having both infinitely many maximal and infinitely many minimal elements, contrary to the exclusive condition. This is the compactness obstruction to an exclusive disjunction of infinitude.