Subgroups of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) generated by semicontinua (Q920442)

Let \({\mathbb{Z}}\) denote the group of integers and let \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) denote the n-dimensional Euclidean group. For any subset X of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\), let H(X) denote the smallest hyperplane containing X and denote by \(<X>\) the subgroup of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) generated by X. The author shows that if X is a semicontinuum contained in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\), then there exists a vector \(v\in {\mathbb{R}}^ n\) such that \(<X>={\mathbb{Z}}v+H(X)\) from which it readily follows that \(<X>=H(X)\) if and only if H(X) contains the origin. This implies that if X is a semicontinuum of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) containing the origin, then the group \(<X>\) is a linear subspace of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\). All this answers in the affirmative the question ``If X is a nondegenerate subcontinuum of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) containing the origin, must the subgroup generated by X be a linear subspace of \({\mathbb{R}}^ n?''\), which was posed by \textit{J. E. Keesling} and \textit{D. C. Wilson} [Topology Appl. 22, 183-190 (1986; Zbl 0586.57019)]. The author added in proof that the problem had been previously solved in a sequence of exercises in the third edition of: Éléments de mathématique, Première partie, Livre III, Topologie générale, by \textit{N. Bourbaki} (Hermann, Paris, 1961).