Cut points in some connected topological spaces (Q2268651)

A point \(x\) in a connected topological space \(X\) is said to separate \(a,b\in X\) if \(a\) and \(b\) lie in disjoint clopen subsets of \(X\setminus\{x\}\); the set of all points which separate \(a\) and \(b\) is denoted by \(S(a,b)\). A space \(X\) is called a space with end points if for some \(a,b\in X\), \(X=S(a,b)\cup\{a,b\}\) and \(X\) is said to be an \(H(i)\)-space if every open cover contains a finite subfamily whose union is dense in \(X\) (this is the \(H\)-closed property for spaces which are not necessarily Hausdorff). In this paper no separation axioms are assumed and the theorems generalize known results concerning cut points in Hausdorff continua. The main results are as follows: {\parindent5mm \begin{itemize}\item[1)] Every connected topological space with endpoints has exactly two points which are not cut points and every cut point is a strong cut point; it follows that such a space is a COTS (as defined by \textit{E. Khalimsky, R. Kopperman} and \textit{P. R. Meyer} in [Topology Appl. 36, No.1, 1--17 (1990; Zbl 0709.54017)]); \item[2)] A connected topological space which is not indiscrete with exactly two points which are not cut points and a finite number of closed points is a finite interval of the Khalimsky line, and \item[3)] A connected and locally connected \(H(i)\)-space with exactly two points which are not cut points is a compact COTS with end points. \end{itemize}}