Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / ii / Paper 4 / 21H / b

Represent a class in $H_k(K)$ by a chain cycle $z\in Z_k(K)$. Since every simplex of $K=M\cup N$ belongs to at least one of the two simplicial subcomplexes, split the chain in the simplicial chain complex asBecause $\partial z=0$, we haveThe left side lies in $C_{k-1}(M)$ and the right side in $C_{k-1}(N)$, so this common chain is supported in $L=M\cap N$. It is a cycle because ${\partial }^2=0$. The connecting homomorphism is thereforeChanging the decomposition or the representative changes $\partial m$ only by a boundary in $L$, which is why the construction descends to homology classes.