Metrics on continuous functions question

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around properties of continuous functions, specifically examining inequalities and relationships between functions defined on a closed interval. Participants are exploring the implications of continuity in proving certain inequalities related to the functions involved.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to apply the definition of continuity to derive inequalities involving the functions F(t) and F(t_0). There is a focus on how to manipulate these inequalities to show specific relationships, such as F(t) being greater than or equal to a fraction of F(t_0).

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on using continuity to establish bounds on the function values. There is an ongoing exploration of different approaches to reach the desired inequalities, with various interpretations of the steps involved in the reasoning process.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of proving properties of continuous functions without providing complete solutions. The discussion includes questioning the validity of certain assumptions and the implications of continuity on the function values.

linda300
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Hey guys,

I have been working on the following question:

http://imageshack.us/a/img407/4890/81345604.jpg

For part a

f and g are continuous on I

=> there exists e > 0 and t_0 s.t.

0<|{f(t) - g(t)} - {f(t_0) - g(t_0)}| < e

using |a-b| >= |a| - |b|,

|{f(t) - g(t)} - {f(t_0) - g(t_0)}| >= |{f(t) - g(t)}| - |{f(t_0) - g(t_0)}|

and

|{f(t) - g(t)}| - |{f(t_0) - g(t_0)}| >= |{f(t) - g(t)}| - |f(t_0)| + |g(t_0)|

but I'm not sure where to go from here, I have tried a lot of different steps but I end up going in circles or getting back to the triangle inequality haha.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this? Is there some simple trick that I am just missing?

For part b,

Proving σ>=τ is pretty straight forward, just applying the Schwarz inequality but I'm having trouble showing that ρ>σ

How can you relate that sup to the integral expression σ?

Thanks in advance
 
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For part (a): can you show that if [itex]F:[0,1]\rightarrow \mathbb{R}[/itex] is continuous and if [itex]F(t_0)>0[/itex] then there [itex]F(t)\geq \frac{1}{2} F(t_0)[/itex] for all t in some neighborhood of [itex]t_0[/itex].

Use continuity.

For (b): apply that [itex]|f(t)-g(t)|\leq \rho(f,g)[/itex] and use that inequality in the integral.
 
Hey micromass, thanks for replying!

So the continuity of F(t) gives you that (t_0 in [0,1])

For every ε>0 there exists a δ>0 such that |F(t) - F(t_0)|<ε for 0<|t-t_0|<δ

|F(t) - F(t_0)|≥|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥0

|F(t)|≥|F(t_0)|

I havn't been able to figure out how the 1/2 comes into it,

Is |F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥0 not correct?

Is it just a matter of saying, then for t in [t_0 - d, t_0 + d] for some d it is possible that
|F(t)|-(1/2)|F(t_0)|≥0
 
linda300 said:
Hey micromass, thanks for replying!

So the continuity of F(t) gives you that (t_0 in [0,1])

For every ε>0 there exists a δ>0 such that |F(t) - F(t_0)|<ε for 0<|t-t_0|<δ

|F(t) - F(t_0)|≥|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥0

|F(t)|≥|F(t_0)|

I havn't been able to figure out how the 1/2 comes into it,

Is |F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥0 not correct?

It's not correct. Why should [itex]|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|\geq 0[/itex] hold? I agree that [itex]|F(t)-F(t_0)|\geq |F(t)|-|F(t_0)|[/itex] and that [itex]|F(t)-F(t_0)|\geq 0[/itex]. But I don't see how that follows.
 
Ah right

I'm really have trouble getting past this step

|F(t) - F(t_0)|≥|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|

Today I have been trying things like this,

|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥|F(t)|-2|F(t_0)|

|F(t)|-2|F(t_0)|≥(1/2)|F(t)|-2|F(t_0)|

|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥(1/2)|F(t)|-2|F(t_0)|

(1/2)|F(t)|-|F(t_0)|≥-2|F(t_0)|

|F(t)|≥-2|F(t_0)|

But keep getting unhelpful things like ^ haha

Is the next step something like what I did above?
 
You need to use continuity of F. Because F is continuous you know that: for each [itex]\varepsilon>0[/itex], there exists an interval I such that [itex]t_0\in I[/itex] and such that if [itex]t\in I[/itex], then [itex]|F(t)-F(t_0)|<\varepsilon[/itex].

Now, choose a special value for [itex]\varepsilon[/itex].
 
I tried picking different ε before but I couldn't see how having

|F(t)| - |F(t_0)|≤|F(t) - F(t_0)|<ε

Could get to F(t)≥(1/2)F(t_0)

By saying F(t_0)>0 were you hinting that ε=F(t_0)?
 
linda300 said:
I tried picking different ε before but I couldn't see how having

|F(t)| - |F(t_0)|≤|F(t) - F(t_0)|<ε

It will be easier if you start with

[tex]|F(t_0)|-|F(t)|\leq |F(t_0)-F(t)|<\varepsilon[/tex]
[/QUOTE]

Could get to F(t)≥(1/2)F(t_0)

By saying F(t_0)>0 were you hinting that ε=F(t_0)?[/QUOTE]

Something like that. What if you try [itex]\varepsilon=|F(t_0)|/2[/itex] ?
 
Ohhhhhhhh

|F(t_0)| - |F(t)|<F(t_0)/2

Which is only true if

|F(t)|≥(1/2)|F(t_0)| !

Thanks heaps!
 

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