Contents Preface vii Chapter I Introduction 1. Euler's theorem 1 2. Topological equivalence 4 3. Surfaces 8 4. Abstract spaces 12 5. A classification theorem 16 6. Topological invariants 19 Chapter 2 Continuity 1. Open and closed sets 27 2. Continuous functions 32 3. A space-filling curve 36 4. The Tietze extension theorem 38 Chapter 3 Compactness and connectedness 1. Closed bounded subsets of E' 43 2. The Heine-Borel theorem 44 3. Properties of compact spaces 47 4. Product spaces 51 5. Connectedness 56 6. Joining points by paths 61 Chapter 4 Identification spaces I . Constructing a Moebius strip 65 2. The identification topology 66 3. Topological groups 73 4. Orbit spaces 78 Chapter 5 The fundamental group 1. Homotopic maps 87 2. Construction of the fundamental group 92 3. Calculations 96 4. Homotopy type 103 5. The Brouwer fixed-point theorem 110 6. Separation of the plane 112 7. The boundary of a surface 115 xi