The limit of a sequence of squares in an algebra need not be a square (Q1122107)

Inverse-limit systems built on the unit circle or a sequence of closed disks are used to produce examples of the following phenomenon: \(H_ n\) are compact spaces, \(A_ n\) denotes the continuous complex-valued functions on \(H_ n\), \(H_ n\uparrow H\) and H is topologized so that the set A of continuous functions on it coincides with those complex- valued functions f on H such that \(f| H_ n\in A_ n\) for every n. In one example, A contains a function f which for no n is an n-th power (of a function in A), although for every n, \(f| H_ n\) is the n-th power of a function in A. In the other example, A contains a function f which is not an exponential (of any function in A), although for every n, \(f| H_ n\) is an exponential of some function in \(A_ n\).