What is the proof of the Taylor Theorem in n variables?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the proof of the Taylor Theorem for functions of n variables, specifically focusing on a lemma that involves differentiability and the Mean Value Theorem in multiple dimensions. Participants are seeking clarification on specific steps in the proof, particularly regarding the inference of limits and the behavior of partial derivatives.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the lemma and its proof, highlighting the conditions for differentiability and the application of the Mean Value Theorem.
  • Another participant expresses confusion regarding the inference made in the proof, particularly how certain limits are derived.
  • A different participant attempts to clarify the limit involving the partial derivatives and provides a justification for a change of variables used in the proof.
  • Further questions arise about the necessity of certain limits and the nature of the variable θ in the context of the Mean Value Theorem.
  • Some participants acknowledge uncertainty about the correctness of their reasoning and seek further clarification on the relationships between the limits discussed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the clarity of the proof or the validity of the inferences made. Multiple viewpoints and interpretations of the mathematical steps remain present, indicating ongoing debate and exploration of the topic.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the implications of certain limits and the role of the variable θ, which is described as dependent rather than constant. There are also discussions about the necessity of specific limits in the proof, suggesting that some assumptions or definitions may not be fully resolved.

Castilla
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Hello, guys. I am studying the Taylor Theorem for functions of n variables and in one book I've found a proof based on the lemma that I am copying here. I am having some trouble in following its proof so I seek your kind assistance.

The lemma rests on two items: the definition of a function of n variables differentiable in a point "a" and the Mean Value Theorem for functions of n variables.

I. A function [tex]f:U\rightarrow{R},[/tex] defined in an open set [tex]U \subset R^n,[/tex] is said to be differentiable in a point [tex](a_1,...,a_n) \in U[/tex] when it fulfills these conditions:

1. There exist the partial derivatives [tex]\frac{\partial}{\partial x_1}f(a_1,...,a_n),..., \frac{\partial}{\partial x_n}f(a_1,...,a_n)[/tex].

2. For every [tex]v = (v_1,...,v_n)[/tex] such that [tex]a + v \in U[/tex] we got
[tex]f(a+v) - f(a) = \sum_{i=1}^{n} v_i \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}f(a) + r(v),[/tex] where [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert}=0[/tex].

II. The Mean Value Theorem.

Let the function [tex]f:U\rightarrow{R}[/tex] be differentiable in the open set [tex]U \subset R^n,[/tex] and the line [tex][a, a+v] \subset U[/tex]; then we can find a [tex]\theta \in (0,1)[/tex] such that
[tex]f(a+v) - f(a) = \sum_{i=1}^{n} v_i \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}f(a+ \theta v)[/tex].

Now I state the

Lemma.- Let be the function [tex]r:B\rightarrow{R}[/tex] of class [tex]C^2[/tex] in the open ball [tex]B \subset R^n[/tex] of center [tex](0,...,0).[/tex] If for every [tex]i = 1,..., n[/tex] we got [tex]r(0,...,0) = \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(0,...,0) = \frac{\partial^2}{\partial x_j \partial x_i}r(0,...,0) = 0,[/tex] then [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert^2}=0[/tex].

And here I copy literally the proof of the author:

"Proof.-

1. "Being [tex]r:B\rightarrow{R}[/tex] a function of class [tex]C^1[/tex] (therefore differentiable) that gets null in the point [tex](0,...,0)[/tex] (and the same for its derivatives [tex]\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r[/tex]), it follows from the definition of differentiable function that [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert}=0[/tex]". (My note: OK, this is fine).

2. "By the Mean Value Theorem, for each [tex]v = (v_1,..., v_n) \in B[/tex] exists [tex]\theta \in (0,1)[/tex] such that [tex]r(v) = \sum_{i=1}^{n} v_i \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v).[/tex] Therefore [tex]\frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert^2}= \sum_{i=1}^{n} {\frac {1}{\Vert{v}\Vert}v_i \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v)[/tex]." (OK, this is fine also).

3. "Every partial derivative [tex]\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r[/tex]
and its derivatives [tex]\frac{\partial^2}{\partial x_j \partial x_i}r,[/tex] gets null in the point [tex](0,...,0)[/tex]. Hence, from our initial observation (I suppose he refers to paragraph 1? ) it follows that (I do not understand this) [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} {\frac {1}{\Vert{v}\Vert}}{\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v)} = 0[/tex] for all [tex]i = 1,...,n.[/tex]"

4. "Furthermore, each quocient [tex]\frac {v_i}{\Vert{v}\Vert}[/tex]has absolute value [tex]\leqq 1[/tex]. Therefore [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert^2}=0[/tex]".

End of proof.

As I've said, the results of paragraphs 1 and 2 are OK. My trouble is the inference of paragraph 3. I know that each partial derivative [tex]\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r[/tex] is on its own right a function differentiable in [tex](0,...,0)[/tex], so applying the definition we've seen before the lemma we got for every [tex]i = 1,...,n[/tex] that [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} {\frac {1}{\Vert{v}\Vert} \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v) = 0[/tex]. But I don't catch up how this fact leads to the result of paragraph 3. Or maybe he gets that result in another way which escapes me.

Can I ask for your assistance?

P Castilla.
 
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Perhaps it's just me but the LaTeX doesn't appear at the bottom, from 4.
 
In a moment I will copy again from 4 onwards.

P Castilla.
 
OK, don't mind the last part of mi initial post. Here I repeat it from paragraph 4 onwards (making some correction).

4. "Furthermore, each quocient [tex]\frac {v_i}{\Vert{v}\Vert}[/tex] has absolute value [tex]\leqq 1.[/tex] Therefore
[tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert^2}=0.[/tex]". End of the proof of the Lemma.

As I have said, the results of paragraphs 1 and 2 are OK. My problem is the inference of paragraph 3. How does he got it?

Let'see... I know that each partial derivative [tex]\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r[/tex] is, on its own right, a function of n variables differentiable in [tex](0,...,0)[/tex], so if I apply the definition of "differentiable function" I got for every [tex]i=1,...,n[/tex] that [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{v}\Vert} \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(v)}=0[/tex].

Does this statement, combined with [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert}=0,[/tex] lead to

[tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{v}\Vert}}{\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v)}=0[/tex]?? I don't catch how (see the [tex]\theta[/tex]). Or maybe he gets it in other way which escapes me.

Can you help me?

P Castilla.
 
[tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{v}\Vert}}{\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v)}=\lim_{\Vert{y/\theta}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{y/\theta}\Vert}}{\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(y)} = \theta \lim_{\Vert{y/\theta}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{y}\Vert}}{\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(y)}=\theta \lim_{\Vert{y}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{y}\Vert}}{\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(y)}=0[/tex]
 
AKG:

Thanks for your time and answer. Yet let me bother with some aditionals:

1. You do not use lim r(v)/lvl = 0. What would be the author's reason to deduce that partial result if it was unnecesary?

2. May I request you to clarify the change of variable in your first and third equality?

(Apologies for my english).

Thanks in advance,

P Castilla.
 
The truth is I'm not entirely sure about all this. My first thought was to look at:

[tex]r(v) = \sum_{i=1}^{n} v_i \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(\theta v)[/tex]

and

[tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert}=0[/tex]

and do some substitution, but I wasn't able to make that work. In your last post, you asked whether:

[tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac{1}{\Vert{v}\Vert} \frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}r(v)}=0[/tex]

combined with

[tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac{r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert}=0[/tex]

leads to the desired result, and appeared to me that it did, and that's what I posted. I realize what I posted seems a little questionable (which is why you're asking me to explain the changes of variables in the first and third equalities) so I will try to justify it.

The first change of variables is simply [itex]v = \theta ^{-1}y[/itex]. Note that [itex]\theta ^{-1}[/itex] is a constant, and v and y are vectors. The next change of variables is not really a change of variables. Let [itex]K = \theta ^{-1}[/itex] be a constant. Then I'm basically just arguing that:

[tex]\lim _{|Ky| \to 0} f(y) = \lim _{|y| \to 0} f(y)[/tex]

If for every E > 0, there is a D > 0 such that |f(y) - L| < E for all |y| < D, then for every E > 0, there is a D' > 0 such that |f(y) - L| < E for all |Ky| < D', simply chosing D' = KD. So both limits are the same.
 
AKG:

1. In the last equality of the post of 9.44 am you used [tex]\lim_{\Vert {v}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac {1}{\Vert{v}\Vert} \frac{ \partial}{\partial x_i} r(v)} = 0.[/tex] But I still do not see in which equality you used [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac {r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert} = 0[/tex].

2. I am afraid [tex]\theta[/tex] is not more constant than [tex]v.[/tex]The TVM says that for every [tex]v[/tex] we have a [tex]\theta_v[/tex]. Hence[tex]\theta[/tex] is a dependent variable... I don't know if this is harmless for your equalities.

Thanks for your patience.

Castilla.
 
Hm, please don't forget this thread. Is only a question of Analysis 1. :frown:
 
  • #10
Castilla said:
AKG:

1. In the last equality of the post of 9.44 am you used [tex]\lim_{\Vert {v}\Vert\rightarrow 0}{\frac {1}{\Vert{v}\Vert} \frac{ \partial}{\partial x_i} r(v)} = 0.[/tex] But I still do not see in which equality you used [tex]\lim_{\Vert{v}\Vert\rightarrow 0} \frac {r(v)}{\Vert{v}\Vert} = 0[/tex].

2. I am afraid [tex]\theta[/tex] is not more constant than [tex]v.[/tex]The TVM says that for every [tex]v[/tex] we have a [tex]\theta_v[/tex]. Hence[tex]\theta[/tex] is a dependent variable... I don't know if this is harmless for your equalities.

Thanks for your patience.

Castilla.

AKG:

Finally I have understood your equalities, so I take back "objection" Nr. 2. But the Nr. 1 keeps bothering me. Shall I suppose that the author included an unnecesary result in his proof of the lemma?

Castilla.
 

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