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countably infinite union of countably infinite sets is countable

How to prove the union of two disjoint denumerable sets is denumerable?

I want a direct proof

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Katlus
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By hypothesis you have disjoint sets $A=\{a_n:n\in\Bbb N\}$ and $B=\{b_n:n\in\Bbb N\}$. You want a bijection $f:\Bbb N\to A\cup B$.

HINT: There is an easy way to define $f$ so that it maps the set of even integers in $\Bbb N$ bijectively to $A$ and the odd ones bijectively to $B$. Where do you think that $f$ should send $2n$? What about $2n+1$?

Added: There are at least a couple of ways to write down such a function. You can say:

For each $n\in\Bbb N$ let $f(2n)=\text{thing}_1$ and $f(2n+1)=\text{thing}_2$.

Alternatively, you can give a two-case definition of $f$ like this:

Let $$f:\Bbb N\to A\cup B:n\mapsto\begin{cases}\text{formula}_1,&\text{if }n\text{ is even}\\\text{formula}_2,&\text{if }n\text{ is odd}\;.\end{cases}$$

The formulas might involve division by $2$, among other things.

Brian M. Scott
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  • Yeah i thought about that already but i havent learned how to define even&odd numbers.. – Katlus May 10 '12 at 06:50
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    @Katlus: I pretty much did it at the end of my answer: the even numbers are the numbers $2n$ such that $n\in\Bbb N$, and the odd numbers are the numbers $2n+1$ such that $n\in\Bbb N$. Or try $$f:\Bbb N\to A\cup B:n\mapsto\begin{cases}\text{something},&\text{if }n\text{ is even}\\text{something else},&\text{if }n\text{ is odd};.\end{cases}$$ – Brian M. Scott May 10 '12 at 06:53