On rings of sets associated with characteristic functions (Q1093755)

Let S be a set and let \({\mathcal C}\) be a family of subsets of S which is closed under finite intersections. Denote by \({\mathcal R}({\mathcal C})\) the ring of sets generated by \({\mathcal C}\) and by \({\mathcal V}({\mathcal C})\) the linear subspace of \(R^ S\) generated by \(\{1_ C:C\in {\mathcal C}\}.\) Theorem: For every \(X\subset S\) we have \(1_ X\in {\mathcal V}({\mathcal C})\) if and only if \(X\in {\mathcal R}({\mathcal C}).\) \{Reviewer's remark: The theorem is a folk result. Its ``if'' part is straightforward and it implies that \({\mathcal V}({\mathcal C})={\mathcal V}({\mathcal R}({\mathcal C})),\) which yields the ``only if'' part. The author's proof of that part is unnecessarily complicated. For a generalization see \textit{C. Constantinescu} and \textit{K. Weber}: Integration theory. Vol. 1: Measure and integral (1985; Zbl 0565.28001), Exercise 2.3.8.\}