Show the following is a metric

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Homework Statement



Show that ##d(f,g) = \int_{0}^{1}\left | f(x) - g(x) \right | dx## is a distance function. Where ##f : [0,1] \rightarrow R## and ##f## is continuous.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I am stuck on the second property where you have to show d(f,g) = 0 iff f = g. THe left direction is trivial. However d(f,g) = 0 implying f=g is giving me trouble. I have tried contrapositive, but it doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere.
 
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DotKite said:

Homework Statement



Show that ##d(f,g) = \int_{0}^{1}\left | f(x) - g(x) \right | dx## is a distance function. Where ##f : [0,1] \rightarrow R## and ##f## is continuous.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


I am stuck on the second property where you have to show d(f,g) = 0 iff f = g. THe left direction is trivial. However d(f,g) = 0 implying f=g is giving me trouble. I have tried contrapositive, but it doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere.

The fact you need is that if F(x)>=0 on [0,1], F(a)>0 for some ##a## in [0,1] and F(x) is continuous (very important) then ##\int_{0}^{1}\left | F(x) \right | dx \gt 0##. Can you figure out how to prove that?
 
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Dick said:
The fact you need is that if F(x)>=0 on [0,1], F(a)>0 for some ##a## in [0,1] and F(x) is continuous (very important) then ##\int_{0}^{1}\left | F(x) \right | dx \ge 0##. Can you figure out how to prove that?

wouldn't I need to show that ##\int_{0}^{1}\left | F(x) \right | dx > 0##
to get the contrapositive?
 
Oh I see! ok. NVM. Gonna try to prove it
 
DotKite said:
wouldn't I need to show that ##\int_{0}^{1}\left | F(x) \right | dx > 0##
to get the contrapositive?

Yes, of course. Typo. Sorry. I corrected it.
 
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There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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