Maximum and Minimum

🅟 Feb 22, 2026

  🅤 Feb 22, 2026

Set Theory > Orders

DEF-MAX.

Let $(X,\leq)$ be a partially ordered set.

  • If $X$ has a top, then it is unique and is called the greatest element / maximum of $X$, denoted by $\max X$.

  • If $X$ has a bottom, then it is unique and is called the least element / minimum of $X$, denoted by $\min X$.

Proof.Let $a$ and $b$ both be tops of $X$. By definition, we have $b\leq a$ and $a\leq b$. By partial order’s antisymmetry, we have $a=b$. Analogously, if $a$ and $b$ are both bottoms of $X$, we also have $a=b$.$\square$