MHB Why Does a Real-Valued Function on $[0,\infty)$ Have Limit $0$ at Infinity?

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    2016
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A uniformly continuous, Lebesgue integrable, real-valued function on the interval $[0,\infty)$ approaches a limit of $0$ as its argument tends to infinity due to the properties of integrability and continuity. The uniform continuity ensures that the function does not oscillate too wildly, while Lebesgue integrability implies that the area under the curve is finite. As the function's values must diminish to maintain a finite integral over an infinite domain, it follows that the function converges to $0$. The discussion highlights the importance of these mathematical properties in establishing the limit behavior of such functions. Understanding this concept is crucial for deeper analysis in real analysis and functional analysis.
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Here is this week's POTW:

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Explain why a uniformly continuous, Lebesgue integrable, real-valued function on $[0,\infty)$ has limit $0$ at infinity.

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No one answered this week's problem. You can read my solution below.
Let $f$ be such a function. Let $\epsilon > 0$. Since $f$ is uniformly continuous, there exists $\delta > 0$ such that for all $x,y$, $|x - y| < \delta$ implies $|f(x) - f(y)| < \epsilon$. Since $f$ is Lebesgue integrable on $[0,\infty)$, there exists $M > 0$ such that for all $x,y$, $x > y > M$ implies $\int_y^x |f(t)|\, dt < \epsilon$. Given $x > M$, there exists $c \in (x,x+\delta)$ such that $|f(c)|\delta = \int_x^{x+\delta} |f(t)|\, dt$, and $|f(c)|\delta < \epsilon$. Since $|x - c| < \delta$, then $|f(x) - f(c)| < \epsilon$. Hence

$$|f(x)| \le |f(x) - f(c)| + |f(c)| < \epsilon + \frac{\epsilon}{\delta} = \left(1 + \frac{1}{\delta}\right)\epsilon.$$

Since $\epsilon$ was arbitary, $\lim\limits_{x\to \infty} f(x) = 0$.