is the value off at x, or the Image of x under f, and we say that f assigns the valuef(x)

to x, or carries x intof(x). A function f is on X 1ff X is its domain and it is onto Y iff

Y is its range (the set of second coordinates of members of f, sometimes called the set
of values). If the range off is a subset of Y, then! is to Y, or Into Y. In general a
function is many to one, in the sense that there are many pairs with the same second
coordinate or, equivalently, many points at which the function has the same value. A
function / is one to one 1ff distinct points have distinct images; that is, if the inverse
relation,f, is also a function.
A function is a set, and consequently two functions, I and g, are identical iff they have
the same members. It is clear that this is the case 1ff the domain off is identical with
the domain of g and 1(x) = g(x) for each x in this domain. Consequently, we may
define a function by specifying its domain and the value of the function at each
member of the domain. If f is a function onXto YanddisasubsetofX,thenffl(4X
Y)isalsoa function. It is called the restriction of f to 4, denotedfl 4, its domain is 4, and
(1 I 4)(x) = f(x) for x in 4. A function g is the restriction of / to some subset ill the
domain of g is a subset of the domain of f, and g(x) = f(x) for x in the domain of g;
that is, 1ff g cf. The function / is called an extension of g ill g cf. Thus / is an
extension of g ill g is the restriction of f to some subset of the domain of f.
If 4 is a set andf is a function, then, following the definition given for arbitrary
relations, f[4j = ly: for some x in 4, (xe) ef 1; equivalently, f[J] is ly: for some x in 4,,
= f(x) . The setf[4] is called the image of 4 underf. If 4 and B are sets, then, by
theorem O.5,f[4 U B] =f(4] U f[B] and f[4 fl B] c f[4] fl f[B], and similar formulae
hold for arbitrary unions and intersections. It is not true in general thatf[4 fl B] = f[4]
11 f[B], for disjoint sets may have intersecting images. 1ff is a function, then the set /
1(4] is called the Inverse (Inverse h’i’ge, counter Image) of A underf. The inverse
satisfies the following algebraic rules.
7 THEOREM If f is a function and 4 and B are sets then (a) f_1[4 B] = f-’[4]
‘%‘f’(BJ,
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
AMERICAN MAThEMATICAL SOCIETY
Volume 33, Number I, May 1972

CONDITIONS IMPLYING CONTINUITY

OF OPEN AND CLOSED FUNCTIONS
IVAN BAGGS

ABSTRACT It is shown that every open and closed real valued function of a real
variable is continuous. This result is then extended to the case where the domain space
is first countable and regular for a special class of open and closed functions.
I. Introduction. Let X and Y be topological spaces and let R denote the real line with
the usual topology. A function f:X- Y is open (closed) if for every open (closed)
subset U of X,J(U) is open (closed) in Y.
It is well known that an open (closed) function f: X—. Y may not be continuous. This
still holds when X= Y=R. It was shown by S. Marcus (see [5]) that an open real
valued function of a real variable may be everywhere discontinuous. In fact, by
modifying Example 6.1 of [1], it follows that given any nonvoid set A c R, there
exists a functionf: R—’R such that f(B)=A, for every uncountable Borel set, B. As
was pointed out to me by the referee, by taking A=R in this example, we have a
function which maps every open set onto R and takes every uncountable closed set to
a closed set. Yet, this function is everywhere discontinuous.
The purpose of this paper is to show that functions which are open and, in addition,
take countable closed sets to closed sets are much better behaved. It will follow from
Theorem 3 that every open and closed function from R into R is homeomorphisin.
Theorem 4 and Theorem 5 will extend this result to more general spaces.
If G is a set, cl G will denote the closure of G, F(G) will denote the boundary of G and
Ge will denote the complement of G. The notation x—÷x is used for a sequence (x}
converging to x. A regular space is also assumed to be HausdortT.
Part of this paper is an extract uroni the author’s doctoral dissertation written at the
University of Alberta under the supervision of Professor S. Willard. The suggestions
of Professor S. Willard, A. Wilansky and the referee are gratefully acknowledged.

Received by the editors December 3, 1970.

AMS 1970 subject c!assficarions. Primary 54C10; Secondary 26A15.
Key words and phrases. Open functions, closed functions, peripherally continuous
functions, continuous functions, first countable regular spaces.
ci AmerIcan Mathematical Sociei 1972