§ Simplicial approxmation of maps (TODO)
§ What we want:
every map f:K→L is homotopic to a simplicial map f△:K→L: ie, a map that sends vertices to vertices, and sends other points through an extension of linearity. such that f(st(v))⊆st(f△(v)) where f△ is the simplicial approximation of f.
Recall that st(v) is the intersection of interiors of all simplices that
contain the vertex v. So on a graph, it's going to be a "star shaped" region
around the vertex of all the edges around the vertex.
§ Why this can't happpen
Consider a triangle as a simplex of a circle. We want to represent rotations of
the circle. I can rotate around a circle once, twice, thrice, ... As many
times as I want. However, if all I have is a triangle, I can represent rotating
once as the map 1↦2,2↦3,3↦1 and rotating twice as
maybe 1↦3,3↦2,2↦1, but that's it. I've run out of
room! So I need to subdivide the simplex to get "more points" to represent
this map.
§ The correct statement