Uniform continuity, bounded subsets

In summary: The two statements are equivalent, so it doesn't matter which one you use.In summary, the proof shows that if f is uniformly continuous and bounded on a bounded domain, then f(S) is bounded.
  • #1
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Homework Statement



Show that if f: S -> Rn is uniformly continuous and S is bounded, then f(S) is bounded.

Homework Equations



Uniformly continuous on S: for every e>0 there exists d>0 s.t. for every x,y in S, |x-y| < d implies |f(x) - f(y)| < e

bounded: a set S in Rn is bounded if it is contained in some ball about the origin. That is, there is a constant C s.t. |x|<C for every x in S.

The Attempt at a Solution



I understand the idea of the proof pretty well but I cannot write the correct mathematical interpretation of it down.

Basically, S is bounded, so it can be divided into segments (TA called them partitions which is confusing since S is in Rn not R).
Each segment can be made smaller than d. Then, by uniform continuity we know that f(segment) is smaller than e (bounded) so we can draw a ball around it.
Since there is a finite number of segments, there are a finite number of balls f(segment). Hence, we can draw a bigger ball around all of them, and thus f(S) is bounded.

How do I put this into math symbols?

Thanks for your help =)
 
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  • #2
The thing you want here is a cover, and not a partition.

Can you show that:
[tex]N_{\epsilon}(f(x)) \supset f(N_{\delta}(x))[/tex]
and that
[tex]S \subset \bigcup_{\rm{finite}} N_{\delta}(x_i)[/tex]

As a note: When you're applying a function to each of a set of objects, it's typical to refer to the result as the image of applying the function to that set. Something like:
[tex]N_{\epsilon}(f(x)) \supset Im_f(N_{\delta}(x))[/tex]
might be better notation, because errors can occur when sets are treated like single-valued objects.
 
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  • #3
What's N_e?
 
  • #4
The epsilon neighborhood of something. It's the same idea as, say:
[tex]B(\epsilon,x)[/tex]
The ball of radius [itex]\epsilon[/itex] around [itex]x[/itex].

I probably didn't make the best choices in notation there -- my apologies.
 

FAQ: Uniform continuity, bounded subsets

What is uniform continuity?

Uniform continuity is a mathematical concept that describes the behavior of a function as its input values approach each other. A function is said to be uniformly continuous if, for any given value of epsilon, there exists a corresponding value of delta such that the distance between the output values of any two points within delta of each other is less than epsilon.

What is the difference between uniform continuity and continuity?

The main difference between uniform continuity and continuity is that for a function to be uniformly continuous, the value of delta must be independent of the input value. This means that as the input values get closer and closer together, the corresponding delta values also get closer and closer together. In other words, uniform continuity ensures that the function is continuous at every point, not just locally.

How does uniform continuity relate to boundedness?

A function that is uniformly continuous on a bounded subset will also be bounded on that subset. This means that the function will not have any extreme or unbounded behavior on the given subset, and its values will remain within a certain range. Boundedness is often used to prove the existence of a limit for a function, and uniform continuity is one way to ensure that a function is bounded.

Can a function be uniformly continuous on an unbounded subset?

No, a function cannot be uniformly continuous on an unbounded subset. This is because uniform continuity requires that the function's behavior remains consistent as the input values get closer and closer together. In an unbounded subset, the input values can become infinitely large, making it impossible for the function to maintain a consistent behavior.

How is uniform continuity used in real-world applications?

Uniform continuity is used in many areas of science and engineering, particularly in the fields of physics and calculus. It is used to model the behavior of physical systems, such as the motion of objects, and to solve real-world problems involving rates of change. In engineering, uniform continuity is essential for designing stable and accurate systems, such as control systems in airplanes and robots.

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