Let A⊂Rn, f:A→Rm be a continuous function. I want to prove that if a sequence (xk)⊂A converges to some a∈Rn then f(xk) converges to f(a). Here's my attempt:
Since f is continuous, ∀ε>0,∃δ>0 such that ‖f(x)−f(a)‖<ε whenever ‖x−a‖<δ. Also, since (xk) converges to a, ∀ε′>0, ∃k0∈N such that ‖xk−a‖<ε′ whenever k≥k0. Let ε′>0 and set ε″=ε+ε′, and fix k≥k0. Since f is continuous, then ∃δ′>0 such that ‖f(x)−f(xk)‖<ε′ whenever ‖x−xk‖<δ′. Now, ‖f(xk)−f(a)‖=‖f(xk)−f(x)+f(x)−f(a)‖≤
‖f(x)−f(xk)‖+‖f(x)−f(a)‖<ε′+ε=ε″. Hence, f respects sequential continuity.
Do you think my proof is OK? Thanks.
Answer
The proof does not look sound. Saying ‖f(x)−f(xk)‖<ε′ whenever ‖x−xk‖<δ′ makes sense if xk→x. The tails of the sequence cannot be close to x and a at the same time unless x=a (otherwise ε″ cannot be made arbitrary small).
The idea is more straightforward here: by definition
- Since f continuous we have
∀ε>0∃δ>0 such that ‖f(x)−f(a)‖<ε, for all x:‖x−a‖<δ. - Since xk→a we have
∀δ>0∃k0∈N such that ‖xk−a‖<δ, for all k≥k0.
We see that for any ε>0 we can find δ>0 in 1, then for this δ find k0∈N in 2. The tails of xk satisfy then ‖xk−a‖<δ, so we can take x=xk in 1 to conclude that for the tails ‖f(xk)−f(a)‖<ε. We started from any ε and ended up with the proper k0, thus, obtained the sequential continuity by definition.
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