Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Assignment #7
Solution
3. Let f : [a, b] R be a continuous function such that f (x) > 0 for each
x [a, b]. Show that there exists a number > 0 such that f (x)
for all x [a, b].
Proof: Since f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b], then there
exists x0 [a, b] such that f (x0 ) f (x) for all x [a, b]. So if we let
= f (x0 ) > 0, then f (x) for all x [a, b].
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4. Let f : [a, b] R be a continuous function such that for each x [a, b],
there exists y [a, b] such that |f (y)| 21 |f (x)|. Prove that there
exists a point c [a, b] such that f (c) = 0.
Proof: Let us first fix a point x1 [a, b]. Then by the hypothesis,
there exists x2 [a, b] such that |f (x2 )| 21 |f (x1 )|. Apply the hy-
pothesis again, there exists x3 [a, b] such that |f (x3 )| 21 |f (x2 )|
1
22
|f (x1 )|.....
Inductively, we can obtain a sequence of xn [a, b] such that
1 1
|f (xn )| |f (xn1 )| n1 |f (x1 )|.
2 2
Therefore, lim f (xn ) = 0.
On the other hand, since xn is a bounded sequence contained in the
closed interval [a, b], there exists a convergent subsequence (xnk ) such
that xnk c for some c [a, b]. Then by the continuity of f at c, we
have
f (c) = lim f (xnk ) = 0.
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5. Show that the function f (x) = 1+x2
is uniformly continuous on R.
Proof: Let > 0 be given. q
Without loss of generality, we may assume
that < 2. Then for M := 2 1 we have
1 1
< .
1 + x2 1 + M 2 2
Hence, for all |x|, |y| > M , we have
1 1 1 1 2
1 + x2 1 + y 2 1 + x2 + 1 + y 2 < 1 + M 2 < .
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Extra Problems for 4 Hours Credit Students