Let be the directed set of compact elements below , with least upper bound , and put . A compact element belongs to : a directed set whose least upper bound is at least also has least upper bound at least , so the definition of supplies an element above . Hence .
If , apply the way-below relation to to find above them. Since is directed, it contains a common upper bound for . This belongs to , proving that is directed. Every member of is below , while has least upper bound . Therefore is the least upper bound of , which is the defining property of a continuous poset.
Give the real interval its usual total order. Every nonempty directed set has a least upper bound in the real interval, so it is a directed-complete partial order. If , some exceeds ; otherwise would be an upper bound for . Also , since every member of a nonempty is at least zero. For , the increasing sequence , , has least upper bound but never reaches it, so . Together with , this proves the displayed way-below relation.
For each , the elements way-below form , a directed set with least upper bound ; for they form . Thus this is a continuous poset. Its only compact element is zero, so it is not an algebraic partially ordered set.
Take two increasing countable chains sharing a least element and a greatest element , with interiors and and no comparisons between branches. Each entire interior chain has as its least upper bound. A directed set meeting both interiors must contain . Otherwise it lies within one branch, where it has either a greatest member or least upper bound . This proves that the partially ordered set is a directed-complete partial order.
The only element way-below is . Indeed, an element way-below must be below , but every positive fails the way-below relation when tested against : its least upper bound is , yet it has no member above . Nonempty directed sets always contain an element above , so . Thus the elements way-below have least upper bound , and this is not a continuous poset.