Coming up with counterexamples in Real Analysis

In summary, the conversation is discussing the difficulty of coming up with counterexamples and proving propositions in mathematics. Question 1 has been answered with a counterexample, while Question 2 has been answered with a proposition using Hölder's inequality. The conversation then moves on to discuss Question 3, which is about the inclusion of L^p spaces. One person suggests that the converse may be true, but another disagrees and provides a possible counterexample. The conversation concludes by mentioning that all possible counterexamples can be found in a book by Gelbaum and Olmstead.
  • #1
bham10246
62
0
Coming up with counterexamples is hard. So to prove or not to prove, that depends if there exists a counterexample.

Question 1 has been ANSWERED!: If [itex]f[/itex] has a bounded variation on [itex] [a,b] [/itex], then is it true that [itex]f[/itex] is of Riemann integration on [itex][a,b][/itex]?


Question 2 has been ANSWERED!: Is it true that [itex]L^1(\mathbb{R}) \cap L^3(\mathbb{R}) \subseteq L^2(\mathbb{R}) [/itex]?


Question 3. Is it true that
[itex]\cap_{1 \leq p<\infty} \: L^{p}(\mathbb{R},m) \subseteq L^{\infty}(\mathbb{R},m) [/itex] where [itex]m[/itex] denotes Lebesgue measure on [itex]\mathbb{R}[/itex].




Thank you.
 
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  • #2
Question 2:

Proposition. If [itex]0<p<q<r \le \infty[/itex], then [itex]L^p\cap L^r \subset L^q[/itex] and [itex]\|f\|_q\le \|f\|_p^\lambda \|f\|_r^{1-\lambda}[/itex], where [itex]\lambda \in (0,1)[/itex] is defined by

[tex]\frac{1}{q}=\frac{\lambda}{p}+\frac{1-\lambda}{r}.[/tex]

Proof. Use Hölder's inequality.
 
  • #3
Thanks! I think I have seen your proposition before in some book!
 
  • #4
For Question 1 I believe its false.

Eg. f(x)=1 if x is rational 0 o.w.
 
  • #5
Hi ansrivas, you might be right, as long as the bounded variation is for a finite partition of the interval [a,b]. That is,

[itex]\sum_{i=1,..., N} |f(x_i)-f(x_i-1)| \leq M [/itex] for some M.

It's because for your function f, the total variation of f is infinite, isn't it?
 
  • #6
As for my own answer to Question 3, I think if f is in [itex] L^1 \cap L^\infty[/itex], then [itex]f\in L^p[/itex] for every [itex]p\geq 1[/itex].

So the converse of Problem 3 is certainly true! But I don't think this is true...
 
  • #7
Does this work?

By definition, [itex]ess \sup f(x) = \inf \{M : m\{x: f(x)> M\}=0 \} [/itex].

So suppose such finite M does not exist. Then [itex]m\{x: f(x)> n\} >0 [/itex] for all n.

Then by Tchevbychev, [itex]\int_{\mathbb{R}} |f|^p \geq n m(E) >0 [/itex] where [itex]E = \{x: f(x)> n \} [/itex].

So as [itex]n \rightarrow \infty[/itex], [itex]\int_{\mathbb{R}}|f|^p \rightarrow \infty[/itex]?

Contradiction?
 
  • #8
all possible counterexamples are in the book of gelbaum and olmstead.
 

FAQ: Coming up with counterexamples in Real Analysis

What is a counterexample in real analysis?

A counterexample in real analysis is a specific example that disproves a mathematical statement or conjecture. It is used to show that a statement is not always true, by providing a specific case where it fails.

Why is it important to come up with counterexamples in real analysis?

Counterexamples are important in real analysis because they help to refine and clarify mathematical theories and concepts. They can also help to identify gaps in understanding and guide future research.

How do you come up with counterexamples in real analysis?

To come up with a counterexample in real analysis, you need to carefully consider the statement or theorem you are trying to disprove. You can then use known facts, definitions, and properties to construct a specific example that shows the statement to be false.

Can counterexamples in real analysis be used in other areas of mathematics?

Yes, the concept of counterexamples can be applied in many areas of mathematics, not just real analysis. They can be used to test the validity of statements and conjectures in algebra, geometry, number theory, and more.

Are there any common misconceptions about counterexamples in real analysis?

One common misconception is that a single counterexample is enough to completely disprove a mathematical statement. In reality, a statement may have multiple counterexamples, or it may be true in certain cases but not in others. Additionally, counterexamples do not necessarily provide a complete explanation for why a statement is false, and further analysis may be needed.

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