Integrability and Lipschitz continuity

In summary, the conversation revolves around the question of whether the integral \int_{-\infty}^\infty f^2(x) e^{-\frac{x^2}{2t}}dx is finite if f is Lipschitz on all of \mathbb R. Different approaches, such as boundedness of the derivative and integration by parts, have been attempted but none have been successful. It is noted that just because f is Lipschitz does not mean f^2 is Lipschitz, as demonstrated by the example f(x) = x. The conversation ends with the suggestion to go back to definitions and possibly rewrite the integral in a way that is known to be finite.
  • #1
AxiomOfChoice
533
1
(I've been lighting this board up recently; sorry about that. I've been thinking about a lot of things, and my professors all generally have better things to do or are out of town.)

Is there an easy way to show that if [itex]f[/itex] is Lipschitz (on all of [itex]\mathbb R[/itex]), then

[tex]
\int_{-\infty}^\infty f^2(x) e^{-\frac{x^2}{2t}}dx < \infty \quad ?
[/tex]

I've tried a number of different approaches - boundedness of the derivative and integration by parts, bounded/dominated/monotone convergence theorem, approximation of [itex]f^2[/itex] by polynomials - but I haven't gotten any of them to work. Apparently, just because [itex]f[/itex] is Lipschitz doesn't mean [itex]f^2[/itex] is Lipschitz. (Just look at [itex]f(x) = x[/itex].)

Can anyone think of a Lipschitz function for which the integral above is infinite?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
They only thing I can think of that you haven't tried yet is going back to definitions.
For example, when you write out the integral as the limit of a Riemann sum, you will probably get summands like
[tex]|f^2(x + \Delta x) e^{-(x + \Delta x)^2 / 2t} - f^2(x) e^{-x^2/2t}| \le \cdots \le |f(x + \Delta x)|^2 e^{-x^2/2t} \le (K {\Delta x})^2 e^{-x^2/2t}[/tex]
and eventually, maybe, rewrite it to
[tex]\cdots \le C \int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-x^2/2t} \, dx[/tex]
or something else for which you know it is finite.
 

1. What is integrability?

Integrability is a mathematical concept that refers to the ability to compute the definite integral of a function over a given interval. It is closely related to the concept of area under a curve and is an important tool in calculus and analysis.

2. How is integrability different from continuity?

Integrability and continuity are related concepts, but they are not the same. Continuity refers to the smoothness of a function at a point, while integrability refers to the ability to compute the area under a curve. A function can be continuous but not integrable, or vice versa.

3. What is the difference between Riemann integrability and Lebesgue integrability?

Riemann and Lebesgue are two different approaches to integrability. Riemann integrability is based on dividing the integration interval into smaller subintervals and taking the limit as the size of the subintervals approaches zero. Lebesgue integration, on the other hand, is based on approximating the function with simpler functions and taking the limit as the approximations become more refined.

4. What is the role of Lipschitz continuity in integrability?

Lipschitz continuity is a type of function continuity that places a bound on the rate of change of the function. This property is important in integrability because it ensures that the function does not have any sharp or sudden changes, which can cause problems when computing the integral.

5. How does integrability relate to the fundamental theorem of calculus?

The fundamental theorem of calculus states that the definite integral of a function can be calculated by evaluating the antiderivative of the function at the upper and lower bounds of the integration interval. This theorem is closely related to integrability as it provides a way to compute the integral of a function without using the limit definition of the integral.

Similar threads

  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
22
Views
339
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
743
Replies
1
Views
931
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
21
Views
814
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • Calculus
Replies
9
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
932
Back
Top