Saturday, May 27, 2017

real analysis - Proof that continuous function respects sequential continuity



Let ARn, f:ARm be a continuous function. I want to prove that if a sequence (xk)A converges to some aRn 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 xa<δ. Also, since (xk) converges to a, ε>0, k0N such that xka<ε whenever kk0. Let ε>0 and set ε=ε+ε, and fix kk0. Since f is continuous, then δ>0 such that f(x)f(xk)<ε whenever xxk<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 xxk<δ makes sense if xkx. 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




  1. Since f continuous we have
    ε>0δ>0 such that f(x)f(a)<ε, for all x:xa<δ.

  2. Since xka we have
    δ>0k0N such that xka<δ, for all kk0.



We see that for any ε>0 we can find δ>0 in 1, then for this δ find k0N in 2. The tails of xk satisfy then xka<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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