Isolated point

A point of a set that has a neighborhood containing no other points of the set.
Isolated point

Let (X,d)(X,d) be a metric space and let AXA\subseteq X. A point xAx\in A is an isolated point of AA if there exists r>0r>0 such that

B(x,r)A={x}.B(x,r)\cap A=\{x\}.

Isolated points are the opposite of limit points: near an isolated point there are no other points of the set. Sets can have both isolated points and limit points.

Examples:

  • In R\mathbb{R}, every integer nZn\in\mathbb{Z} is an isolated point of Z\mathbb{Z} (take r=1/2r=1/2).
  • In R\mathbb{R}, 11 is an isolated point of {1}{1/n:nN}\{1\}\cup\{1/n:n\in\mathbb{N}\}.
  • In R\mathbb{R}, no point of (0,1)(0,1) is isolated in (0,1)(0,1).