Prove the Uniqueness of a Contraction's Fixed Point on [a,b]

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In summary, a function f :[a, b] → [a, b] is a contraction on [a, b] if there exists a constant k. (0, 1) such that |f(y) - f(x)| <k|y - x| for all x, y in [a, b]. Given that f is a contraction, it is shown that f is uniformly continuous on [a, b]. This can be proven by setting δ = ε/k and showing that |f(x) - f(y)| < ε for all x, y in [a, b]. Additionally, it is shown that since f is a continuous function, it must have at least one fixed point. The fixed point of
  • #1
nickolas2730
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Homework Statement



A function f :[a, b] → [a, b] is said to be a contraction on [a, b] if there exists a constant k. (0, 1) such that |f(y) - f(x)| <k|y - x| for all x, y in [a, b]. Let f be a contraction. Show that f is uniformly continuous on [a, b].

Let f : [a, b] → [a, b] be a contraction. Since it is a continuous
function by one of the previous exercises f has at least one fixed point. Prove that the fixed
point of a contraction is unique.

thank you so much

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


i tried the first question as following:

Let [tex]\epsilon[/tex]>0 and set [tex]\delta[/tex]=[tex]\epsilon[/tex]/k,│y-x│< [tex]\delta[/tex] , which implies
│f(x)-f(y)│<k*│y-x│<k*[tex]\delta[/tex]=]=[tex]\epsilon[/tex]

but i have no idea with the second question, since i couldn't even find the word contration in my entire textbook
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
nickolas2730 said:

Homework Statement



A function f :[a, b] → [a, b] is said to be a contraction on [a, b] if there exists a constant k. (0, 1) such that |f(y) - f(x)| <k|y - x| for all x, y in [a, b]. Let f be a contraction. Show that f is uniformly continuous on [a, b].

Let f : [a, b] → [a, b] be a contraction. Since it is a continuous
function by one of the previous exercises f has at least one fixed point. Prove that the fixed
point of a contraction is unique.

thank you so much

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


As you are a new member (welcome!) you probably haven't had a chance to see the Rules here. Click Rules in the menu bar to see them. Here's an except from the rules, in the section on Homework Help.

NOTE: You MUST show that you have attempted to answer your question in order to receive help. You MUST make use of the homework template, which automatically appears when a new topic is created in the homework help forums. Once your question or problem has been responded to, do not go back and delete (or edit) your original post.

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  • #3
oh..thank you so much..
so, do i need to type out what i have done for the question now??
can i just type it here instead of the homework template?
or do i need to edit my post and type the work in "The attempt at a solution"?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Yes, put in what you've done. I don't think you need to start all over again, but keep the template in mind when you post another problem.
 

1. What is a contraction?

A contraction is a function that maps a set to itself, where the distance between any two points in the set decreases after applying the function. In other words, a contraction narrows the gap between points in a set.

2. How do you prove the uniqueness of a contraction's fixed point on [a,b]?

To prove the uniqueness of a contraction's fixed point on [a,b], we use the Banach fixed point theorem. This theorem states that if a contraction is applied to a complete metric space, it will have a unique fixed point. In this case, the complete metric space is the interval [a,b].

3. Why is it important to prove the uniqueness of a contraction's fixed point?

Proving the uniqueness of a contraction's fixed point is important because it guarantees the existence of a solution to a problem. It also allows us to use numerical methods to approximate the fixed point and find a solution.

4. Can there be more than one fixed point for a contraction on [a,b]?

No, there cannot be more than one fixed point for a contraction on [a,b]. The Banach fixed point theorem ensures the uniqueness of the fixed point in a complete metric space.

5. How is the uniqueness of a contraction's fixed point related to the convergence of an iterative process?

The uniqueness of a contraction's fixed point is directly related to the convergence of an iterative process. This is because the iterative process involves repeatedly applying the contraction, and the uniqueness of the fixed point guarantees that the process will converge to the fixed point as the number of iterations increases.

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