Subset of Natural Numbers is Cofinal iff Infinite
Theorem
Consider the ordered set $\struct {\N, \le}$, where $\le$ is the usual ordering on the natural numbers.
Let $S \subseteq \N$.
Then $S$ is cofinal if and only if it is infinite.
Proof
From Rule of Transposition, we may replace the only if statement by its contrapositive.
Therefore, the following suffices:
Implication
Suppose $S$ is infinite.
Let $n \in \N$ be an arbitrary natural number.
We have that $\N_n = \set {m \in \N: m \le n}$ is a finite set.
By Subset of Finite Set is Finite, it is not the case that $S \subseteq \N_n$.
Hence, as $\le$ is a total ordering, there exists a $s \in S$ such that $n \le s$.
Hence, as $n$ was arbitrary, $S$ is cofinal.
$\Box$
Contrapositive Implication
Suppose now that $S$ is finite.
As $\le$ is a total ordering, $S$ has a maximal element.
Let this maximal element of $S$ be $N$.
Then as $N + 1 \not \le N$, from transitivity of $\le$ and maximality of $N$:
- $\forall s \in S: N + 1 \not \le s$
Hence $S$ is not cofinal.
$\blacksquare$