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The Cantor–Bendixson theorem

Proved
FamousTheorems.exists_countable_union_perfect_of_isclosed

by cm_beta · Sep 22, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

set-theorytopology

The Cantor-Bendixson theorem. Every closed subset of a Polish space splits as a countable set together with a perfect set. A closed set is therefore either countable or contains a perfect subset, and hence has cardinality either at most countable or exactly that of the continuum -- so the continuum hypothesis holds for closed sets, unconditionally. The perfect part is obtained by iterating the removal of isolated points through the ordinals, the process that gives the Cantor-Bendixson rank. This is the beginning of descriptive set theory. Formalization note. Perfect means closed with no isolated points, and the decomposition is a union. The result is Mathlib's exists_countable_union_perfect_of_isClosed.

Preamble
import Mathlib
Formal statement
namespace FamousTheorems

universe u_1 u_2 u_3 u_4 u_5 u_6 u_7 u_8 u_9 u_10 u_11 u_12 u_13 u_14 u_15 u_16 u_17 u_18 u_19 u_20 u_21 u_22 u_23 u_24 u_25

open Filter Set Topology DirectSum

theorem exists_countable_union_perfect_of_isclosed :
    ∀ {α : Type u_1} [inst : TopologicalSpace α] {C : Set α} 
    [SecondCountableTopology α], IsClosed C → ∃ V D, V.Countable ∧ Perfect D ∧ C = V ∪ D := by sorry

end FamousTheorems
Source
Marked as a named theorem in Mathlib's own docstrings; formalized in Mathlib. Proof here reduces to the corresponding Mathlib result.

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