Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / iii / Paper 220 / 1 / e / Solution

For nonempty compact subsets $A,B$ of a metric space $(Z,d)$, the Hausdorff distance isFor compact metric spaces $X,Y$, the Gromov-Hausdorff distance iswhere $\phi$ and $\psi$ range over isometric embeddings into a common metric space $Z$.

The collection of compact real trees is not compact in the Gromov-Hausdorff topology. Indeed, the intervals $T_n=[0,n]$ are compact real trees andTheir diameters are unbounded, so $(T_n)$ has no convergent subsequence in the Gromov-Hausdorff topology.