MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

HOMEWORK 3

(1) Let V be the vector space of all bounded or unbounded se-

quences of complex numbers.
(a) Define d : V × V −→ R+ ∪ {0} by
X
∞
1 |ξ j − η j |
d(x, y) = .
j=1
2 j 1 + |ξ j − η j |

Show that d is a metric on V .

Solution: Let x = (ξ j ), y = (η j ) ∈ V . For any j =
1, 2, · · · ,

1 |ξ j − η j | 1
0≤ ≤
2 1 + |ξ j − η j |
j
2j
P∞
and j=1 21j converges (geometric series). So by com-
parison test, d(x, y) < ∞ for all x, y ∈ V . Clearly then
d(x, y) ∈ R+ ∪ {0}. Also clearly d(x, y) = d( y, x) for
all x, y ∈ V i.e. (M2) is satisfied. If x = y then ξ j = η j
for all j = 1, 2, · · · and so d(x, y) = 0. Suppose that
d(x, y) = 0. Then for any j = 1, 2, · · · ,

1 |ξ j − η j |
0≤ ≤ d(x, y) = 0
2 j 1 + |ξ j − η j |
1 |ξ j − η j |
⇒ = 0, ∀ j = 1, 2, · · ·
2 j 1 + |ξ j − η j |
⇒ ξ j = η j , ∀ j = 1, 2, · · ·
⇒ x = y.

Thus, (M1) is satisfied. Now we show that the Triangle

Inequality (M3). Let x = (ξ j ), y = (η j ) and z = (ζ j ).
1
2 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3

Then for each j = 1, 2, · · · ,

|ξ j − ζ j | |ξ j − ζ j |
≤ ,
1 + |ξ j − ζ j | + |ζ j − η j | 1 + |ξ j − ζ j |
|ζ j − η j | |ζ j − η j |
≤ .
1 + |ζ j − η j | + |ξ j − ζ j | 1 + |ζ j − η j |

Recall that if 0 ≤ a ≤ b then

a b
(1) ≤ .
1+a 1+ b
By triangle inequality with respect to | · |, we have

|ξ j − η j | ≤ |ξ j − ζ j | + |ζ j − η j |

for each j = 1, 2, · · · . It then follows from the inequal-

ity (1) that
|ξ j − η j | |ξ j − ζ j | + |ζ j − η j |
≤
1 + |ξ j − η j | 1 + |ξ j − ζ j | + |ζ j − η j |
|ξ j − ζ j | |ζ j − η j |
≤ + .
1 + |ξ j − ζ j | 1 + |ζ j − η j |

So, for each n = 1, 2, · · · we have

X
n
1 |ξ j − η j | X
n
1 |ξ j − ζ j | X
n
1 |ζ j − η j |
≤ + .
j=1
2 1 + |ξ j − η j |
j
j=1
2 1 + |ξ j − ζ j |
j
j=1
2 1 + |ζ j − η j |
j

Finally by taking the limit n → ∞, we obtain the Tri-

angle Inequality (M3).
(b) Show that d is not translation invariant.
Solution: Let a = (a j ) ∈ V . Then
X
∞
1 |ξ j + a j − (η j + a j )|
d(x + a, y + a) =
j=1
2 j 1 + |ξ j + a j − (η j + a j )|
= d(x, y).
 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3 3

Let α be a scalar. Then

X
∞
|αξ j − αη j |
d(αx, α y) =
j=1
1 + |αξ j − αη j |
X
∞
|α||ξ j − η j |
=
j=1
1 + |α||ξ j − η j |

and this does not necessarily coincide with d(x, y). To

see this, for example let x = (1, 1, 1, · · · ),
y = (0, 0, 0, · · · ) and α = 2. Then
X
∞
12
d(αx, α y) =
j=1
2j 3
1X
∞
1
=
3 j=1
2 j−1
1 1
=
31− 1
2
2
= ,
3
while
X
∞
1
d(x, y) = = 1.
j=1
2 j+1

Hence, d is not translation invariant. Therefore, the

metric d cannot be induced by a norm on a normed
space.
(2) Show that in a normed space X , vector addition and multi-
plication by scalars are continuous operations with respect
to the norm. That is, the mappings defined by (x, y) 7−→
x + y and (α, x) 7−→ αx are continuous.
Solution: Let a, b ∈ X . Let ε > 0 be given. Choose δ1 =
δ2 = 2ε . Then whenever ||x − a|| < δ1 and || y − b|| < δ2 ,

||x + y − (a + b)|| ≤ ||x − a|| + || y − b|| < ε.

4 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3

Hence, the addition + is continuous. Let α be a scalar and

a ∈ X . Let ε > 0 be given. If α = 0, then ||αx −αa|| = 0 < ε.
ε
Now suppose α 6= 0. Choose δ = |α| > 0. Then
ε
||αx − αa|| < |α| = ε.
|α|
Hence, the scalar multiplication is continuous.
(3) Show that x n → x and yn → y implies x n + yn → x + y.
Show that αn → α and x n → x implies αn x n → αx.
Solution: Assume that x n → x and yn → y. Let ε > 0
be given. Then there exists positive integers N1 > 0 and
N2 > 0 such that
ε
||x n − x|| <
2
for all n ≤ N1 and
ε
|| yn − y|| <
2
for all n ≥ N2 . Choose N = max{N1 , N2 }. Then for all n ≥ N

||(x n + yn ) − (x + y)|| ≤ ||x n − x|| + || yn − y||

ε ε
< +
2 2
= ε.

Assume that αn → α and x n → x. Let ε > 0 be given. Since

(x n ) is convergent, there exists M > 0 such that ||x n || < M .
If α = 0, then there exists a positive integer N such that
|αn | < Mε for all n ≥ N . So, for all n ≥ N
ε
||αn x n − αx|| = ||αn x n || = ||x n ||||αn || < M = ε.
M
Now suppose that α 6= 0. Then there exists a positive inte-
ger N1 such that
ε
|αn − α| <
2M
 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3 5

for all n ≥ N1 and there exists a positive integer N2 such

that
ε
||x n − x|| <
2|α|
for all n ≥ N2 . Choose N = max{N1 , N2 }. Then for all n ≥ N
||αn x n − αx|| = ||αn x n − αx n + αx n − αx||
≤ |αn − α|||x n || + |α|||x n − x||
ε ε
< M + |α|
2M 2|α|
= ε.
(4) Show that the closure Ȳ of a subspace Y of a normed space
X is again a vector subspace.
Solution: Let y1 , y2 ∈ Ȳ . Then there exist sequences
(ξn ), (ηn ) ⊂ Y such that ξn → y1 and ηn → y2 . Then by
#3, ξn + ηn → y1 + y2 . Since (ξn + ηn ) ⊂ Y , y1 + y2 ∈ Ȳ .
Also by #3, αξn → α y1 . Since (αξn ) ⊂ Y , α y1 ∈ Ȳ .
(5) In a normed space, convergence of a series implies absolute
convergence of that series. But the converse need not be
true. In fact, we see, throughout the questions (a)-(c), that
in a normed space X absolute convergence of a series im-
plies convergence of that series if and only if X is complete.
(a) Show that in a normed space absolute convergence of
a series does not necessarily imply convergence of that
series.
Solution: Let Y be the set of all sequences with only
finitely many nonzero complex terms. Then clearly Y
is a subset of `∞ . Let ( yn ) be a sequence such that
y1 = (1, 0, 0, · · · ),
 
1
y2 = 0, 2 , 0, · · · ,
2
 
1
y3 = 0, 0, 2 , 0, · · · ,
3
..
.
6 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3

Then ( yn ) ⊂ Y .
1 1
|| y1 || + || y2 || + || y3 || + · · · = 1 + + + ···
22 32
X 1
∞
= < ∞.
n=1
n2
P∞
So, yn converges absolutely. However,
n=1
 
1 1
y1 + y2 + y3 + · · · = 1, 2 , 2 , · · · 6∈ Y,
2 3
P∞
i.e. n=1 yn does not converge.
(b) If in a normed space X , absolute convergence of any
series always implies convergence of that series, show
that X is complete.
Solution: Let (x n ) ⊂ X be a Cauchy sequence. Let
a1 = x 2 − x 1 ,
a2 = x 3 − x 2 ,
..
.
an = x n+1 − x n ,
..
.
and let bn = ||an ||, n = 1, 2, · · · . Also let sn0 denote the
n-th partial sum of the bn ’s. For m < n
0
|sn0 − sm | = |bn + bn−1 + · · · + bm+1 |
= ||x n+1 − x n || + ||x n − x n−1 || + · · · + ||x m+2 − x m+1 ||.
Since m < n, n = m + l for some positive integer l. Let
ε > 0 be given. Then there exists a positive integer N
such that
ε
||x n − x m || <
l
for all m, n ≥ N . So, for all m.n ≥ N ,
ε ε
|sn0 − sm
0
| < + · · · + = ε,
l l
 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3 7

i.e. (sn0 ) is a Cauchy sequence in R. Since R is com-

plete, (sn0 ) is a convergent sequence:

X
∞
||ak || = lim sn0 < ∞.
n→∞
k=1

P∞
That is, k=1 ak is absolutely convergent. By assump-
tion, it is convergent. Let us denote the n-th partial
sum of the an ’s by sn . Then

X
∞
ak = lim sn
n→∞
k=1
= lim [(x 2 − x 1 ) + (x 3 − x 2 ) + · · · + (x n+1 − x n )]
n→∞
= lim (x n+1 − x 1 ) < ∞.
n→∞

Hence, (x n ) is a convergent sequence in X . Now we

have shown that any Cauchy sequence in X is a con-
vergent sequence and therefore X is complete.
(c) Show that in a Banach space, an absolutely convergent
series is convergent.
P∞
Solution: Let n=1 x n be an absolutely convergent se-
ries. For m < n,

||sn − sm || = ||x m+1 + · · · + x n ||

≤ ||x m+1 || + · · · + ||x n ||
≤ ||x m+1 || + · · ·
X∞
= ||x n || − (||x 1 || + · · · + ||x m ||)
n=1
→0

as m → ∞. So, (sn ) is a Cauchy sequence in the Banach

space and hence it is convergent.
(6) Show that (en ), where en = (δn j ), is a Schauder basis for ` p ,
where 1 ≤ p < ∞.
8 MAT 771 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS HOMEWORK 3

Solution: Let x = (ξ j ) ∈ ` p . Then

x = (ξ1 , ξ2 , ξ3 , · · · )
= ξ1 (1, 0, 0, · · · ) + ξ2 (0, 1, 0, · · · ) + ξ3 (0, 0, 1, 0, · · · ) + · · ·
= ξe1 + ξ2 e2 + ξ3 e3 + · · ·
and e1 , e2 , e3 , · · · ∈ ` p . Hence, (en ) is a Schauder basis for ` p .