Overspill lemma 2026-09-28
If a definable property in a Nonstandard model of Peano arithmetic holds of every standard natural number, then it holds of some nonstandard element. Equivalently, a definable set containing the entire standard cut of a nonstandard model of arithmetic must overspill beyond it.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 120 2 a Solution 2026-09-28
The overspill lemma says that if is a Nonstandard model of Peano arithmetic and a definable property , possibly with parameters from , holds for every standard natural number, then it also holds for some nonstandard element of .
LetIf had no nonstandard member, its complement would be nonempty. The least-number principle in Peano arithmetic would give a least . Because every standard number belongs to , the element would be nonstandard and nonzero. Its predecessor would also be nonstandard, so the supposition gives , whereas the minimality of gives . This contradiction proves that contains a nonstandard element.