1. Introduction
Mathematical models have been widely used in real-world data-based concerns in fields such as economics, engineering, computer science, medicine, and social sciences, among others. It is common to use mathematical tools to analyze a system’s behavior and various properties, which leads to coping with uncertainties and incomplete data in various settings. Although some well-known mathematical methods, such as probability theory, fuzzy set theory, and rough set theory, are beneficial for understanding ambiguity, each has its inherent issues, as demonstrated in [
1]. Soft sets were introduced in 1999 [
1] as a new mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainties that are free of difficulties faced with pre-existing techniques. The authors of [
2,
3] then used soft sets in a decision-making problem and defined numerous soft set operators, including a soft subset, a soft equality relation, a soft intersection, and a union. The concept of a bijective soft set was presented and discussed in the context of a decision-making problem [
4]. After comparing rough and fuzzy sets, the authors of [
5] concluded that every rough and fuzzy set is a soft set. The authors in [
6] improved on the results obtained in [
3] by changing the necessary operators. It should be highlighted that the high potential for soft set theory applications in a variety of areas encourages rapid research progress (see, for example, [
7,
8,
9]).
The concept of soft sets was used to define soft topological spaces in [
10]. One established and explored fundamental concepts in soft topological spaces such as soft open sets, soft subspaces, and soft separation axioms. In [
11], the author identified and corrected certain gaps in [
10]. Many traditional topological concepts have been explored and expanded in soft set situations (see, [
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26]), but substantial additions remain possible. Thus, among topological scholars, the study of soft topology is a contemporary topic.
By defining a new class of soft sets in soft topological spaces, we hope to pave the way for multiple forthcoming research articles on the subject of soft topological spaces. In this paper, we define and investigate soft -open sets as a novel type of soft set. We characterize them and demonstrate that they form a soft topology that lies strictly between the soft topologies of soft -open sets and soft -open sets. Moreover, we show that soft -open sets and soft -open sets are equivalent to soft regular spaces. Furthermore, we investigate the connections between particular types of soft sets in a given soft anti-locally countable space and the soft topological space of soft -open sets generated by it. In addition to these, we define soft -sets and soft -sets as two classes of sets, and via these sets, we introduce two decompositions of soft -open sets and soft -open sets, respectively. Finally, the relationships between these three new classes of soft sets and their analogs in general topology are examined.
The arrangement of this article is as follows:
In
Section 2, we recall several notions that will be employed in this paper.
In
Section 3, we display the concept of “soft
-open sets”, which is the main idea of this paper. We show that the family of soft
-open sets form a soft topology that lies between the soft topologies of soft
-open sets and soft
-open sets. We provide some interesting results regarding soft
-open sets in soft regular spaces, soft locally countable spaces, and soft anti-locally countable spaces. In addition to these, we examine the relationships between soft
-open sets and their analogs in general topology.
In
Section 4, we display the concepts of “soft
-sets” and “soft
-sets” as two new classes of soft sets, and via them, we introduce decompositions of soft
-open sets and soft
-open sets. Moreover, we examine the relationships between these classes and their analogs in general topology.
In
Section 5, we summarize the main contributions and suggest some future work.
3. Soft -Open Sets
Herein, we display the concept of “soft -open sets”, which is the main idea of this paper. We show that the family of soft -open sets form a soft topology that lies between the soft topologies of soft -open sets and soft -open sets. We provide some interesting results regarding soft -open sets in soft regular spaces, soft locally countable spaces, and soft anti-locally countable spaces. In addition to these, we examine the relationships between soft -open sets and their analogs in general topology.
Definition 18. Let be a STS and let . Then
- (a)
G is called a soft -open set in if for any , there is such that and . The collection of all soft -open set in will be denoted by .
- (b)
G is called a soft -closed set in if .
Theorem 4. Let be a STS and let . Then if and only if for each , there are and such that and .
Proof. Necessity. Suppose that . Let . Then there is such that and . Let . Then and .
Sufficiency. Suppose that for each , there is and such that and . Let . Then by assumption, there are and such that and . Since , then and thus, . Therefore, . □
Theorem 5. For any STS , .
Proof. To see that , let and let . Since , then . Thus, we have such that , and hence .
To see that , let and let . Then there is such that and . Since , then and so . Hence, . □
Theorem 6. For any STS , is a STS.
Proof. Since by Proposition 5.7 of [
36],
is a STS, then
. Thus, by Theorem 5,
.
Let
and let
. Then
and
. So, there are
such that
and
. Since by Proposition 5.4 of [
36],
, then
Hence, .
Let and let . Then there exists such that . Then by Theorem 4, there are and such that and . Hence, . □
Theorem 7. If is a soft locally countable STS, then .
Proof. Suppose that is soft locally countable. Let G∈ and let . By soft local countability of , there is such that . Thus, we have , and . Hence, G∈. □
Lemma 1. Let be a STS and let . Then for every , .
Proof. Let
. Then
and so, there is
such that
. Since by Proposition 7 of [
10],
. Therefore, we have
and
. Hence,
. □
Theorem 8. Let be a STS. Then for each , .
Proof. Let . Let and let . Choose such that . Since , then by Theorem 4, there is and R such that and . Thus, we have , is a countable set, and . But by Lemma 1, . It follows that . □
Corollary 1. Let be a STS and let . Then for every , .
Proof. Let .Since , then . Thus, by Theorem 8, . □
Lemma 2. Let . Then for every and , .
Proof. Let and . Let where . Since , then there exists such that . So, we have , and . Hence, . □
Theorem 9. For any collection of TSs , we have .
Proof. By Theorem 3.7 and Theorem 3.8 of [
31],
for all
. Thus,
. To show that
, by Theorem 3.6 of [
31], it is sufficient to show that
. Let
and
. Let
. Then
. So, there are
and a countable subset
such that
and
. Thus, we have
,
and
. But by Lemma 2,
. Therefore,
. Hence,
. □
Corollary 2. For any TS and any set of parameters S, .
Proof. Let
for every
. Then
. Thus, by Theorem 9,
The examples below show that none of the two soft inclusions in Theorem 5 can be substituted by equality: □
Example 1. Let , , . Since is soft locally countable, then . Therefore, .
Example 2. Let , , . Suppose that . Then there exists and so there is such that . Since , then and which is impossible. Therefore, . If , then there are and such that and . Thus, and hence . On the other hand, since , then either or and in both cases . It follows that . On the other hand, since , then by Theorem 3, .
Example 2, shows also that need not be a subset of in general.
Theorem 10. For any soft regular STS , .
Proof. By Theorem 5, . To see that , let and let . Then there are and N such that and . We are going to show that . Let . Since is soft regular and , then there exists such that . Thus, . This ends the proof. □
Corollary 3. For any soft regular STS , .
Proof. Follows from Theorem 3 and Theorem 10. □
Theorem 11. Let be a STS. If , then .
Proof. Let and let . There exists such that . As , then . So, there are and N such that and . Thus, we have , , and . □
Corollary 4. Let be a STS. If , then .
As can be shown by the following example, the condition ‘’ is essential in Theorem 11.
Example 3. Let , , , μ be the usual topology on K, and . Since is soft regular and , then by Corollary 3.15, . So, . If , then there are and such that and . Therefore, , and so . Hence, V is a countable set. This is impossible.
Theorem 12. If is soft Lindelof, then for each , .
Proof. Let be soft Lindelof and let . Since , then for every , there exists such that and . Since , then G is a soft Lindelof subset of . Put . Since , then there is a countable subcollection such that . Since is countable, then . Since , then . □
Theorem 13. Let be a STS and let . Then there are and such that .
Proof. If , then with and . If , then there exists . So, there are and such that and and hence . Let . Then and . □
Theorem 14. A STS is soft anti-locally countable if and only if is soft anti-locally countable.
Proof. Necessity. Suppose that is soft anti-locally countable and suppose to the contrary that there exists . Choose . Since , then there are and such that and . Thus, and hence . Since , then . Since is soft anti-locally countable, then , a contradiction. Sufficiency. Obvious. □
Theorem 15. Let be soft anti-locally countable and let , then .
Proof. By Theorem 5, we have
and so
. Since
is soft anti-locally countable and
, then by Theorem 21 of [
37],
. Therefore,
. We will show that
. Let
. Then there are
G and
such that
and
. Thus,
and hence
. Since
and by Theorem 18 of [
37],
is soft anti-locally countable, then
. Therefore, we have
such that
, and hence
. □
Corollary 5. Let be soft anti-locally countable and let , then .
In Theorem 15, the condition “soft anti-locally countable” is necessary, as the following example shows:
Example 4. Let , and . Since is soft locally countable, then by Theorem 7, . Thus, and while .
Theorem 16. If is a soft anti-locally countable STS such that , then .
Proof. Let . Then . Since by assumption , then . On the other hand, since , then by Theorem 14, . Therefore, and hence . □
Corollary 6. If is soft regular and soft anti-locally countable, then .
Proof. Follows from Corollary 3 and Theorem 16. □
The inclusion in Theorem 16 cannot be replaced by equality in general, as will be shown in the following example:
Example 5. Let μ be the usual topology on . Consider the STS . Then is soft anti-locally countable. On the other hand, .
Theorem 17. If is a soft anti-locally countable STS such that , then .
Proof. To see that , let . Then . Since , then by Theorem 15, , and thus . Also, since , then by Corollary 5, . Hence, .
To see that , let . Then . Since , then by Corollary 5, . Also, since , then by Theorem 15, . Thus, . Hence, . □
Corollary 7. If is soft regular and soft anti-locally countable, then .
Proof. Follows from Corollary 3 and Theorem 17. □
In Theorem 17, the condition in ‘soft anti-locally countable’ cannot be dropped:
Example 6. Let , . Consider the STS . Then but .
Theorem 18. If is a soft anti-locally countable STS such that , then .
Proof. Let . Then . Since , then by Corollary 5, and thus . Also, since , then , , and . Therefore, . Hence, . □
Theorem 19. If is soft anti-locally countable and soft Urysohn such that , then is soft Urysohn.
Proof. Let such that . Since is soft Urysohn, then there are such that , , and . Since , then and by Theorem 15, and . Thus, . Hence, is soft Urysohn. □
Theorem 20. If is soft anti-locally countable and soft regular, then is soft Urysohn.
Proof. Follows from Corollary 3 and Theorem 19. □
4. Decompositions of -Openness -Openness
Herein, we display the concepts of “soft -sets” and “soft -sets” as two new classes of soft sets, and via them, we introduce decompositions of soft -open sets and soft -open sets. Moreover, we examine the relationships between these classes and their analogs in general topology.
Definition 19. Let be a STS and let . Then G is called
- (a)
a soft -set in if . The collection of all soft -sets in will be denoted by .
- (b)
a soft -set in if . The collection of all soft -sets in will be denoted by .
Theorem 21. Let be a collection of TSs and let . Then if and only if for all .
Proof. Necessity. Suppose that
and let
. Then
and
. Since by Theorem 9,
and by Theorem 8 of [
34],
, then we have
. But by Lemma 4.9 of [
26],
and
. Therefore,
and hence
.
Sufficiency. Suppose that
for all
. Then for each
we have
. But, by Lemma 4.9 of [
26],
and
for all
. Thus,
for all
and hence
. Since by Theorem 9,
and by Theorem 8 of [
34],
. Then we have
. Hence,
. □
Corollary 8. Let be a TS and let S be a set of parameters. Then if and only if for all .
Proof. Let for every . Then . Thus, by Theorem 21 we get the result. □
Theorem 22. Let be a collection of TSs and let . Then if and only if for all .
Proof. Necessity. Suppose that
and let
. Then
and
. Since by Theorem 9,
and by Theorem 2.21 of [
13],
, then we have
. But by Lemma 4.9 of [
26],
and
. Therefore,
and hence
.
Sufficiency. Suppose that
for all
. Then for each
we have
. But, by Lemma 4.9 of [
26],
and
for all
. Thus,
for all
and hence
. Since by Theorem 9,
and by Theorem 2.21 of [
13],
. Thus, we have
. Hence,
. □
Corollary 9. Let be a TS and let S be a set of parameters. Then if and only if for all .
Proof. Let for every . Then . Thus, by Theorem 21 we get the result. □
Theorem 23. For any STS , .
Proof. Let . Then . On the other hand, since by Theorem 5 and Theorem 3, , then . Therefore, and hence . □
Theorem 24. For any STS , .
Proof. Let . Then . On the other hand, since by Theorem 5, , then . Therefore, and hence . □
The following two examples show that Theorems 23 and 24 are not reversible in general:
Example 7. Let , and . Let . Since is soft anti-locally countable and , then by Theorem 14 of [34], . Also, since by Theorem 5 and Theorem 3, , then . Thus, and hence . Suppose that . Then there exists and so there is such that . Since , then and which is impossible. Therefore, . If , then there are and such that and . Thus, and hence . On the other hand, since , then either or and in both cases . It follows that . Example 8. Let , and . Let . Since and , then . Again since , then . Suppose that . Then there exists and so there are and such that and . Thus, and hence . On the other hand, since , then either or and in both cases . Therefore, and hence, .
Theorem 25. For any STS , .
Proof. By Theorem 5 and Theorem 3, we have . Also, by Theorem 23, we have . Hence, . To see that , let . Then and . Since , then . Since , then . Thus, we have , and hence . □
Theorem 26. For any STS , .
Proof. By Theorem 5, we have . Also, by Theorem 24, we have . Hence, . To see that , let . Then and . Since , then . Since , then . Thus, we have , and hence . □
We expect Theorems 25 and 26 to play an important role in specific types of soft continuity that can be defined by the classes of soft sets introduced in this paper. In particular, they will give decomposition theorems for such soft continuity types.