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For the cardinality of integer-periodic function spaces, fix a positive period $n$ first. A periodic function $\mathbb{Z}\to \mathbb{Z}$ with that period is completely and uniquely determined by its $n$ values at $0,\dots ,n-1$, so this class is in bijection with ${\mathbb{Z}}^n$. The integers are a countable set, and repeated pairing shows that a finite Cartesian product of countable sets is countable. Taking the union over positive $n$ and using the countable union of countable sets proves that the integer-domain periodic functions form a countable set.

For the rational domain, even period one leaves infinitely many independent choices. Let $q_k=1/(k+2)$ for $k\in {\mathbb{N}}_0$; these are distinct members of $\mathbb{Q}\cap [0,1)$. For every subset $A\subseteq {\mathbb{N}}_0$, defineThe fractional part is unchanged by adding one, so $f_A$ is an integer-valued periodic function on $\mathbb{Q}$. Distinct subsets give distinct functions because $f_A(q_k)$ records whether $k\in A$. Thus the uncountable power set of ${\mathbb{N}}_0$ injects into these functions. The rational-domain periodic functions form an uncountable set. The difference is that $\mathbb{Z}$ has only finitely many residue classes modulo a fixed integer period, whereas $\mathbb{Q}$ has infinitely many.

Use “countable” to include finite and empty sets: a countable set admits an injection into ${\mathbb{N}}_0$. If $B\subseteq A$ and $j:A\to {\mathbb{N}}_0$ is injective, restricting $j$ to $B$ proves that $B$ is a countable set.

For a countable union of countable sets, index the family as $A_0,A_1,\dots$ and choose an injection $j_i:A_i\to {\mathbb{N}}_0$ for each member. For an element $a$ of the union, let $i(a)$ be the least index containing it, and assignThis is injective: equality of the pair gives the same set index and then the same element. Finally the Cantor pairing functioninjects ${\mathbb{N}}_0^2$ into ${\mathbb{N}}_0$. The union is therefore countable. The proof uses chosen injections for the family, as in the usual set-theoretic framework with axiom of countable choice.

Use uncountability by interleaving prescribed binary coordinates. For each arbitrary binary sequence $b=(b_k{)}_{k\ge 1}$, define another binary sequence byThere are infinitely many zero coordinates, namely $3k-2$, so $x\in X$. There are also infinitely many coordinates agreeing with the prescribed binary expansion, namely $3k-1$, so $x\in Y$. The coordinates $3k$ recover $b$, making this map an injection of the uncountable set of all binary sequences into $Y$. If $Y$ were a countable set, composing with an injection into $\mathbb{N}$ would make all binary sequences countable, contrary to part (i). Therefore $\boxed{Y\text{ is uncountable}.}$ The construction works for every prescribed binary sequence $(a_n)$; no special distribution property of the digits of $\sqrt{2}$ is needed.

A set is a countable set if it admits an injective function into the natural numbers; this includes finite sets and countably infinite sets. A countably infinite set can be listed by a bijection from $\mathbb{N}$.

Let $Z$ be the set of infinite binary sequences. Suppose it were countable and list all its members as $s^{(1)},s^{(2)},\dots$, writing $s_n^{(j)}$ for the $n$th entry of row $j$. A finite listing could be repeated to make such a list as well. Define the binary sequence $y$ by $y_n=1-s_n^{(n)}$. It differs from the $n$th row in coordinate $n$, for every $n$. Thus it belongs to $Z$ but is missing from the list, a contradiction. The set $Z$ is uncountable, by Cantor's diagonal argument.

A countable set means here a finite set or a countably infinite set, equivalently a set admitting an injection into $\mathbb{N}$. This convention includes the empty set. An infinite set is countably infinite precisely when it can be put in bijection with $\mathbb{N}$.

Let $j:B\to \mathbb{N}$ be an injection witnessing that $B$ is a countable set. The composition $j\circ f:A\to \mathbb{N}$ is an injection, so $A$ is a countable set. This proof includes finite and empty sets.

The integers are countable: $j(z)=2z+1$ for $z\ge 0$ and $j(z)=-2z$ for $z<0$ is an injection $\mathbb{Z}\to \mathbb{N}$. Hence $\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{N}$ is a countable set. The map $(a,b)\mapsto a/b$ is a surjection onto the rational numbers, so the image result already proved gives $\mathbb{Q}$ is countable. Unique reduced fractions are not required for this surjection argument.

For the final unheaded geometry request, suppose for contradiction that no two distinct circles in the collection intersect. Restrict to the subcollection ${\mathcal{C}}_0$ of circles tangent to the $x$-axis. Each such nondegenerate circle has a unique tangency point, and the tangency-point map ${\mathcal{C}}_0\to \mathbb{R}$ is a surjection by the hypothesis.

The closed disk of a circle tangent at $(a,0)$ meets the $x$-axis only at $(a,0)$. Two distinct members of ${\mathcal{C}}_0$ cannot have nested disks: if one disk were inside the other, its tangency point would belong to the larger disk, so both tangency points would be equal and both circle boundaries would pass through it. That already contradicts nonintersection. Circles with disjoint boundaries and no nesting have disjoint disks. Thus their open disks are pairwise disjoint.

By the density of the rational numbers, every nonempty open disk contains a point of ${\mathbb{Q}}^2$, which is a countable set. Fix an enumeration of ${\mathbb{Q}}^2$ and assign to each disk the first enumerated point inside it. Disjointness makes this assignment an injection. This is the countability of pairwise disjoint open disks, and proves that ${\mathcal{C}}_0$ is a countable set. Its surjection onto $\mathbb{R}$ would make the real numbers countable, contrary to the Cantor diagonal argument. ThereforeThe proof allows circles on either side of the axis and counts tangential contact as intersection; it does not assume that all circles in the original collection are tangent to the axis.

Choose injections $a:X\to \mathbb{N}$ and $b:Y\to \mathbb{N}$. The map $(x,y)\mapsto (a(x),b(y))$ is an injection into the countable set $\mathbb{N}\times \mathbb{N}$. Composing with the Cantor pairing function gives an injection into $\mathbb{N}$. Thus the Cartesian product of two countable sets is countable, including the case of an empty factor.

Choose an injection $j:A\to \mathbb{N}$. For each $b\in B$, its fiber under the surjection $f$ is nonempty, so defineTwo distinct fibers cannot contain the same label $j(a)$, because $j$ is an injection and $f(a)$ has a single value. Thus $h:B\to \mathbb{N}$ is an injection, proving that $B$ is a countable set. Taking the least label avoids any need for a separate choice of one element from each fiber. If $A$ is empty, surjectivity makes $B$ empty as well.

For the unheaded enumeration request, list pairs of positive natural numbers by their sum. An explicit Cantor pairing function isFor $d=m+n-2\ge 0$, the positive integers $n=1,\dots ,d+1$ give the consecutive labels $d(d+1)/2+1,\dots ,(d+1)(d+2)/2$. These blocks are disjoint, consecutive and cover $\mathbb{N}$. Consequently $\pi$ is a bijection from $\mathbb{N}\times \mathbb{N}$ to $\mathbb{N}$, so $\mathbb{N}\times \mathbb{N}$ is countable.

A set $A$ is a countable set if there exists an injective function $A\to \mathbb{N}$, with $\mathbb{N}=\{0,1,2,\dots \}$. Equivalently, it is a finite set or has a bijection with $\mathbb{N}$. An infinite countable set is called a countably infinite set.

The empty set is included: the empty function into $\mathbb{N}$ is injective. This convention distinguishes “countable” from “countably infinite” and will also cover the finite threshold sets in the last part.

Let $a,b\in {\mathbb{R}}^2\setminus T$. If $a=b$, use the constant path. Otherwise consider the countably many lines through $a$ and a point of $T$, and through $b$ and a point of $T$. Choose a line $L$ whose direction is not parallel to any of these lines; such a direction exists because there are uncountably many directions but only a countable set of forbidden ones. Every forbidden line meets $L$ in at most one point. Choose $c\in L$ outside those countably many intersections and outside $\{a,b\}$.

Neither segment $[a,c]$ nor $[c,b]$ meets $T$: a forbidden point on either segment would put $c$ on the corresponding forbidden line. The piecewise linear pathlies in the complement. This proves that the plane minus a countable set is path connected.

If a homeomorphism $h:{\mathbb{R}}^2\to \mathbb{R}$ existed, its restriction after removing a point $a$ would give a homeomorphism between ${\mathbb{R}}^2\setminus \{a\}$ and $\mathbb{R}\setminus \{h(a)\}$. The first is a path-connected space and therefore connected; the second consists of two separated intervals. Since homeomorphisms preserve connectedness, $\boxed{{\mathbb{R}}^2\ncong \mathbb{R}}$.

For $x>0$, $N(x)=\lfloor 1/x\rfloor$ and $T(x)=1/x-\lfloor 1/x\rfloor$. Iterating this Gauss continued-fraction map on an irrational number never reaches zero, and its continued fraction isThe branches $T:(1/(n+1),1/n)\to (0,1)$ have inverse $x_n(y)=1/(n+y)$, for $n\ge 1$. The change of variables formula for a probability density function gives, almost everywhere,The endpoints of these branches are a countable set of probability zero. Thus $T(X)$ and $X$ have the same distribution; this Gauss measure is an invariant measure for the Gauss continued-fraction map.

A set is countable if it is finite or bijects with a subset of $\mathbb{N}$. For any $f:X\to \mathcal{P}(X)$, the Cantor diagonal argument set $D=\{x:x\notin f(x)\}$ differs from every $f(y)$ at $y$. Hence no such map is surjective. Binary sequences are indicator functions of subsets of $\mathbb{N}$, so $\{0,1{\}}^{\mathbb{N}}\cong \mathcal{P}(\mathbb{N})$ is uncountable.

Every member of $L$ corresponds to a unique permutation $(a_0,a_1,\dots )$ of $\mathbb{N}$, with $F_n=\{a_0,\dots ,a_{n-1}\}$. Let $p(j)$ be the position of $j$.

For $L_0$, $p(n)<n$ eventually. Choose $N$ after which this holds and then $m$ larger than all $p(0),\dots ,p(N-1)$. The $m$ positions $0,\dots ,m-1$ would contain all $m+1$ values $0,\dots ,m$, a contradiction. Thus $L_0$ is empty, hence countable.

For $L_1$, $p(n)\le n$ eventually. For every sufficiently large $m$, all values $0,\dots ,m$ occur in positions $0,\dots ,m$, so this initial segment is invariant. Comparing consecutive invariant initial segments gives $p(m)=m$ eventually. These are the finite-support permutations, of which there are countably many. Hence $L_1$ is countable.