Surjective function g and the floor function

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of a function \( g \) defined on a set of sequences of natural numbers, specifically focusing on its surjectivity and continuity. The sequences must satisfy certain conditions, including being strictly increasing and having a limit that exists. Participants are exploring how to demonstrate that the function \( g \) maps onto the interval \([0,1]\).

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • One participant has successfully shown that the function is continuous but is struggling with the surjectivity aspect. They mention that they can only associate the endpoints \(0\) and \(1\) with elements in the codomain. Another participant suggests constructing a sequence based on the floor function to demonstrate surjectivity for values in \((0,1)\). Questions arise regarding the properties of the constructed sequence and how to prove certain inequalities related to it.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants actively engaging in exploring the properties of the function \( g \) and the sequences involved. Some guidance has been provided regarding the use of the floor function, but there is no explicit consensus on the approach to proving surjectivity.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of the problem statement, which defines specific properties for the sequences and the function \( g \). There is an emphasis on understanding the implications of the floor function and the conditions set for the sequences in the context of the problem.

mahler1
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Homework Statement .
Let ##A## be the set of sequences ##\{a_n\}_{n \in \mathbb N}##:
1) ##a_n \in \mathbb N##
2) ##a_n<a_{n+1}##
3) ##\lim_{n \to \infty} \frac {\sharp\{j: a_j \leq n\}} {n}## exists.Call that limit ##\delta (a_n)## and define the distance (I've already proved this is a distance) ##d(a,b)=|\delta (a) -\delta (b)|+k^{-1}## where ##k=\{min j : a_j≠b_j\}## and ##d(a,a)=0## for any two sequences ##a## and ##b##. Prove that the function ##g:(A,d) \to [0,1]## defined as ##g(\{a_n\})=\delta(\{a_n\})## is surjective and continuous. The attempt at a solution.
I didn't have problems to prove that this function is continuous (in fact, it's uniformly continuous), but I am totally lost at the surjectivity part. The only elements in the codomain to which I could associate two members of the domain where ##0## and ##1##. Someone suggested me to consider for each ##x \in (0,1)##, the sequence ##{x_n}## with ##x_n=\lfloor \frac {n} {x}\rfloor##. It's immediate this sequence is of natural numbers, but how can I prove that ##\lfloor \frac {n} {x}\rfloor <\lfloor \frac {n+1} {x}\rfloor ## and that ##\delta (x_n)=x##?

If someone has a better suggestion/idea of how could I prove surjectivity, you are welcome to tell me.
 
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I don't understand how that defines g.
 
haruspex said:
I don't understand how that defines g.

Sorry, I've corrected notation. There is no ##f##, it's always ##g##.
 
mahler1 said:
Homework Statement .
Let ##A## be the set of sequences ##\{a_n\}_{n \in \mathbb N}##:
1) ##a_n \in \mathbb N##
2) ##a_n<a_{n+1}##
3) ##\lim_{n \to \infty} \frac {\sharp\{j: a_j \leq n\}} {n}## exists.


Call that limit ##\delta (a_n)## and define the distance (I've already proved this is a distance) ##d(a,b)=|\delta (a) -\delta (b)|+k^{-1}## where ##k=\{min j : a_j≠b_j\}## and ##d(a,a)=0## for any two sequences ##a## and ##b##. Prove that the function ##g:(A,d) \to [0,1]## defined as ##g(\{a_n\})=\delta(\{a_n\})## is surjective and continuous.


The attempt at a solution.
I didn't have problems to prove that this function is continuous (in fact, it's uniformly continuous), but I am totally lost at the surjectivity part. The only elements in the codomain to which I could associate two members of the domain where ##0## and ##1##. Someone suggested me to consider for each ##x \in (0,1)##, the sequence ##{x_n}## with ##x_n=\lfloor \frac {n} {x}\rfloor##. It's immediate this sequence is of natural numbers, but how can I prove that ##\lfloor \frac {n} {x}\rfloor <\lfloor \frac {n+1} {x}\rfloor ##

The floor function is non-decreasing, so immediately x_n \leq x_{n+1}. To exclude equality, consider the fact that \frac{n+1}x - \frac nx = \frac 1x and use the condition that 0 &lt; x &lt; 1 to show that there must exist an integer between \frac{n}{x} and \frac{n + 1}{x}.
 
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