$f:[0,1] \to RR$...

Messaggioda TomSawyer » 02/03/2007, 17:05

Determine all values of $a \in RR$ such that there exists a function $f:[0,1] \to RR$ fullfilling the following inequality for all $x\ne y$: $|f(x)-f(y)|\ge a$.
I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving., Walter E. Kurtz
Avatar utente
TomSawyer
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
 
Messaggio: 1259 di 2270
Iscritto il: 16/11/2005, 16:18

Messaggioda Thomas » 03/03/2007, 16:16

I guess only a=0 can satisfy this condition... isn't it?
Thomas
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
 
Messaggio: 935 di 2223
Iscritto il: 28/09/2002, 21:44

Messaggioda Camillo » 03/03/2007, 16:19

That was also my idea which means $f(x) = k $ with $k in RR $ ,but I have no idea how to show it. :D
Camillo
Avatar utente
Camillo
Moderatore globale
Moderatore globale
 
Messaggio: 2253 di 10714
Iscritto il: 31/08/2002, 21:06
Località: Milano -Italy

Messaggioda Thomas » 03/03/2007, 16:25

If the answer is correct, I can suggest a "cardinality" argument... but I'm not sure.... you can try :wink:
Thomas
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
 
Messaggio: 936 di 2223
Iscritto il: 28/09/2002, 21:44

Messaggioda Camillo » 03/03/2007, 17:12

No conditions are indicated for the function $ f $ ; so it could also be discontinuous in any point of its domain .
Does this help to find another solution in addition to $a=0$ ?
Camillo
Avatar utente
Camillo
Moderatore globale
Moderatore globale
 
Messaggio: 2255 di 10714
Iscritto il: 31/08/2002, 21:06
Località: Milano -Italy

Messaggioda TomSawyer » 03/03/2007, 17:27

Those conditions are fullfilled for all $a\le0$, of course :wink:. To prove it, consider that $[0,1]$ is not a countable set, as Thomas suggested.
I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving., Walter E. Kurtz
Avatar utente
TomSawyer
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
 
Messaggio: 1265 di 2270
Iscritto il: 16/11/2005, 16:18

Messaggioda Luke1984 » 03/03/2007, 18:47

Let be $a>0$.
Suppose exists a function $f:[0,1]->RR$ such that $|f(x)-f(y)| \geq a$ for every $x ne y$.
Let be $B:=\{I\in P(RR): $ exists $k\in ZZ$ such that $ I=[ka,(k+1)a) \}$.
For every $x\in [0,1]$ there is $I_x in B$ such that $x in I_x$ (because the collection $B$ covers $RR$).
Moreover $I_x$ is unique, because the elements of $B$ are disjoint.
Finally if $x,y in [0,1]$, we have $I_x ne I_y$ (if not we would have $|f(x)-f(y)| < a$).
So there is an injection $g$ from $[0,1]$ to $B$.
On the other hand an injection from $B$ to $ZZ$ obviously exists.
So there is an injection from $[0,1]$ to $ZZ$, and this is absurd.
Luke1984
Starting Member
Starting Member
 
Messaggio: 28 di 32
Iscritto il: 26/10/2005, 14:14
Località: Genova

Messaggioda TomSawyer » 03/03/2007, 19:31

Ok, that's exactly the proof I know. Cheers.
I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving., Walter E. Kurtz
Avatar utente
TomSawyer
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
 
Messaggio: 1267 di 2270
Iscritto il: 16/11/2005, 16:18


Torna a The English Corner

Chi c’è in linea

Visitano il forum: Nessuno e 1 ospite