HOMEWORK SET 11

Alberto Rendon Vargas // Jose Daniel Ambriz Hernandez

DECEMBER 2021

Problem 11.1 Let f: [a,b] =⇒ R be increasing on the set [a,b](i.e.,f(x) ≤ f(y)

whenever x < y). Show that f is integrable on [a,b].
Proof
∀ x ∈ [a,b], f(a) ≤ f(x) ≤ f(b) since f is increasing, so if M=max{|f (a)|,|f (b)|},
we have that,

|f (X)| ≤ M ∀x ∈ [a, b],

so f is bounded. Now, let  > 0 and chose N > (f (b)−f (a))(b−a)

 . Then, if I let
k(b−a)
xk = a + N for all k=0,1,...N, the set P={ a = x0 < x1 < x2 ... < xN −1 <
xN = b} is a partition of [a,b]. Now
N N
X X b−a
U (f, P ) − L(f, P ) = (Mk − mk )(xk − xk−1 ) = (Mk − mk ) (1)
N
k=1 k=1

Since mk ≥ Mk−1 for all k, meaning that Mk−1 − Mk ≤ 0, we have

N
X
(Mk − mk ) = (M1 − m1 ) + (M2 − m2 ) + ...+)Mn − mn )
k=1

= −m1 + (M1 − m2 ) + (M2 − m3 ) + ...(MN −1 − mN ) + MN

≤ MN − m1
= f (b) − f (a),
since MN = f(b) and m1 = f(a). Combining this with (1) yields
N
b−a X b−a
U (f, P ) − L(f, P ) = (Mk − mk ) ≤ (f (b) − f (a)) < .
N N
k=1

Since the choice of  > 0 was arbitrary, we see that there is such a partition
for every  > 0, implies that f is integrable on [a,b]
Problem 11.2 Let
1

1 for some n ∈ N
if n
f(x) =
0 otherwise
R1
Show that f is integrable on [0,1] and compute 0 f
Problem 11.3 A set A ⊆ has a content zero if for every  ¿0 there exist a
finite collection of open intervals { O1 , O2 , ...ON } that contain A in their
union and whose lengths sum to  or less. Using |On | to refer to the length
of each interval, we have
n=1
[ n=1
[
A⊆ On and |On | ≤ 
N N

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1. Let f be bounded on [a,b]. Show that if the set of discuntinuous points of
f has content zero, then f is integrable.
Proof
Since f is bounded on [a,b], there exists M > 0 such that |f (x)| ≤ M for
all x ∈ [a,b].
Let  > 0.Let { O1 , 02 , ..., ON } be open intervals covering Df such that
N
X
|On | ≤ /4M.
n=1

SN
The complement of n=1 On is finite collection of closed intervals (and
possibly singeltons) on wich f is continuous and, hence, integrable. Thus,
there exists a partiation P1 of this complement such that

U (f, P1 ) − L(F, P1 ) < /2

Contruct the partion P from P1 by adding the (finitely many) endpoints

of the On , then

N
X
U (f, P ) − L(f, P ) = (U (f, P1 ) − L(f, P1 )) + (Mn − mn )|On |
n=1
N
X
≤ (U (f, P1 ) − L(f, P1 )) + 2M |On |
n=1
N
X
< /2 + 2M |On |
n=1

≤ /2 + /2
=

Hence, since the choice of  > 0 was arbitrary, we see that such a parti-
tion exists for all  so f is integrable.
2. Show that any finite set has content zero
Proof
If A={x1 , ..., xN } is finite, let  > 0. Then, if Ok = (xk − /2N, xk +
/2N ) for each k=1,2,3..., we have that
n=1 n=1 N
[ [ X 
A⊆ On and |On | = =
n=1
N
N N

so the finite set has content zero.

2
 3. Content zero sets do not have to be finite. They do not have to be coun-
table. Show that cantor set C, as defined in the class notes or Rudin,
has content zero.
4. Prove that 
 1 if x ∈ C
h(x)=
0 if x 6∈ C


is integrable, and find the value of the integral.

Problem 11.4 Decide which of the following conjectures is true and supply a
short proof.

1. If |f | is integrable on [a,b] then f is also integrable on this set

Solution
False. Consider the counterexample where f(x)= 1 for x ∈ Q ∩ [a,b] and
f(x)= -1 for x ∈ [a,b] \ Q

2. Assume g is integrable and g ≥ 0 on [a,b]. if g(x) > 0 for an infinite

Rb
number of points x ∈ [a,b], then a g > 0.
Solution
False
Rb
3. If a f > 0.There is an interval [c,d] ⊆ [a,b] and a δ > 0 such that f(x)
≥ δ for all x ∈ [c,d].
Solution
True we’ll prove the contrapositive. Suppose that for any [c,d] ⊆ [a,b],
there exists x ∈ [c,d] such that f(x) ≤ 0 (this is indeed the negation for
the consequent since [c,d] is compact set). Then, for any partition.

P = {a = x0 < x1 < x2 ... < xn−1 < xn = b}

We have that, for all k=1,2,... n, there exists ck ∈ [xk−1 , xk ] such that
f (ck ) ≤ 0. Hence, the infimum mk of f over [xk−1 , xk ] is ≤ 0 for all k,
so
n
X
L(f, P ) = mk (xk − kk−1 ≤ 0.
k=1

Since the choice of P was arbitrary, this is true for all P, so

Z b
f = L(f ) = sup{L(f, P ) : P ∈ ν} ≤ 0.
a

This proves the contrapositive of desired statement.

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Problem 11.5 Let f and g be integrable functions on [a, b].
(a) Show that if P is any partition of [a, b], then

L(f (x) + g, P ) ≥ U (f + g, P ) ≤ U (f, P ) + U (g, P )

Provide a specific example where the inequality is strict. What does the
corresponding inequality for lower sums look like?

Proof. Let P = {α = x0 < x1 < x2 < ... < xn−1 < xn = b} be

a partition of [α, b]. For each k = 1, 2, . . . , n, let Mk = sup{f (x) +
g(x) : x ∈ [xk−1 , xk ]}, let Mk,f = sup{f (x) :x ∈ [xk−1 , xk ]}, and let
Mk,g = sup{g(x) : x ∈ [xk−1 , xk ]}. Then for any x ∈ [xk−1 , xk ],

f (x) + g(x) ≤ Mk,f + Mk,g ,

so Mk,f + Mk,g is an upper bound for the set {f (x) + g(x) : x ∈

[xk−1 , xk ]}. Therefore, by definition of the supremum, Mk ≤ Mk,f +
Mk,g . Hence,
X
U (f + g, P ) = Mk (xk − xk−1 )

X
≤ (Mk,f n + Mk,g )(xk − xk−1 )

X X
= Mk,f n(xk − xk−1 ) + Mk,g n(xk − xk−1 )

= U (f, P ) + U (g, P )

as desired.
For an example, let

f (x) = {1, x 6= 1/2; 0, x = 1/2}

and let g(x) = −f (x) . Then f and Problem g are integrable on [0,1].
Let P = {0, 1} be for all x ∈ [0, 1], U (f + g, P ) = 0. However

U (f, P ) = 1
and
U (g, P ) = 0

so

U (f, P ) + U (g, P ) = 1

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and the above inequality is strict. The corresponding inequality for lower
sums is

L(f + g, P ) ≥ L(f, P ) + L(g, P )