Mathematics dept

Faculty of science
University of zakho

(Supremum and Infimum)

Prepared By: Supervised by:

Shukry Omer Mr.Amad Shafiq
Hussein Nizar
Contents
Definition ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Supremum: ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Infimum: ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Note;.............................................................................................................................................................. 4
The completeness Axiom: ............................................................................................................................. 4
Note:.............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Example: ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
Approximation properties of supremum and infimum.................................................................................. 7
Some properties of supremum and infimum: ................................................................................................ 8
SUPREMUM AND INFIMUM OF A FUNCTION ............................................................................................... 9
Proposition .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Example ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
Reference .................................................................................................................................................... 11

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Definition

Supremum: If 𝐴 is bounded above, then a number 𝛼 ∈ ℝ is said to

be a supremum (or a least upper bound) of 𝐴 if it satisfies the following
properties:
I. 𝛼 is an upper bound of 𝐴
II. No number less than 𝛼 is an upper bound for A

Infimum: If 𝐴 is bounded below, then a number 𝛽 ∈ ℝ is said to be

infimum (or a greatest lower bound) of 𝐴 if it satisfies the following
properties:
I. (𝑖) 𝛽 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝐴
II. (𝑖𝑖) 𝑁𝑜 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝛽 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐴

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Note;

• If the supremum and infimum of a set 𝐴 exists, then we will denote them
by 𝐬𝐮𝐩 𝑨 and 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝑨, respectively.
• If the supremum of the set 𝐴 belongs to 𝐴 (sup 𝐴 ∈ 𝐴), then this supremum
is also the maximum of 𝐴. Similarly, if the infimum of the set 𝐴 belongs to 𝐴
(inf 𝐴 ∈ 𝐴), then this infimum is also the minimum of 𝐴.

The completeness Axiom:

I. Axiom 1: Every non-empty set of real numbers which is bounded
above has a supremum, i.e. there is 𝛼 ∈ ℝ such that 𝛼 = sup 𝐴.

II. Axiom 2: Every non-empty set of real numbers which is bounded

below has an infimum, i.e. there is 𝛽 ∈ ℝ such that 𝛽 = inf𝐴.

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Note:
If the set 𝐴 is not bounded above, then we write
sup 𝐴 = ∞
and if the set 𝐴 is not bounded below, then we write
inf 𝐴 = −∞
If 𝐴 = ∅, then every real number is both an upper bound and a lower bound of 𝐴,
then
sup 𝐴 = sup ∅ = − ∞ and inf 𝐴 = inf ∅ = ∞.
If 𝐴 ≠ ∅, then inf 𝐴 ≤ sup 𝐴.

Example:
For each of the following sets (a) Find the supremum and infimum. (b)
Find the maximum and minimum
1
1- 𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝐴 = { ∶ 𝑛 ∈ ℕ}
𝑛

Solution:
1 1 1
𝐴 = { ∶ 𝑛 ∈ ℕ} = {1, , , … }.
𝑛 2 3

(a) This set is bounded. The set of upper bounds is [1, +∞) and hence
1
𝑠𝑢𝑝 { ∶ 𝑛 ∈ ℕ} = 1, and the set of lower bounds is (−∞, 0] and hence
𝑛
1
𝑖𝑛𝑓 { ∶ 𝑛 ∈ ℕ} = 0.
𝑛

(b) Since sup 𝐴 = 1 ∈ 𝐴, then the maximum element of 𝐴 is 1. But since

inf 𝐴 = 0 ∉ 𝐴, then the set 𝐴 has no minimum element .

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2 − 𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝐵 = {2}.
Solution:
(𝑎) 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝐵 = 2 = 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝐵 .
(𝑏) 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵 𝑖𝑠 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵 𝑖𝑠 2

3 − 𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝐶 = (−∞, 5)
Solution:
(a) 𝐶 is not bounded below so that inf 𝐶 = −∞. 𝐶 is bounded above and the set of
upper bounds is [5, +∞), so that sup 𝐶 = 5.
(b) 𝐶 does not have maximum and minimum elements.

4 − 𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝐷 = {𝑥 ∈ ℝ: 𝑥 + 2 ≥ 𝑥 2 }.
Solution:
𝐷 = {𝑥 ∈ ℝ ∶ 𝑥 + 2 ≥ 𝑥 2 }
= {𝑥 ∈ ℝ ∶ 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 2 ≤ 0}
= {𝑥 ∈ ℝ ∶ (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 1) ≤ 0}
= [−1, 2].
(𝑎) 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝐷 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝐷 = −1.
(𝑏) 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 − 1.

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Approximation properties of supremum and infimum
Suppose we are given 𝜀 > 0 and let 𝐴 a nonempty subset of ℝ.
(𝒂) If 𝐴 has a supremum, then for some 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 we have 𝑥 > sup 𝐴 − 𝜀.
(𝒃) If 𝐴 has an infimum, then for some 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 we have 𝑥 < inf 𝐴 + 𝜀.
Proof. (a) Suppose that part (a) is false. Then
𝑥 ≤ sup 𝐴 − 𝜀 for all 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴.
It means that sup 𝐴 − 𝜀 is an upper bound for 𝐴. It follows that
sup 𝐴 ≤ sup 𝐴 – 𝜀
which implies
0 ≤ −𝜀.
This is impossible since 𝜀 > 0.
Therefore 𝑥 > sup 𝐴 − 𝜀 for some 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴

(b)
Suppose that part (b) is not true. Then
𝑥 ≥ inf 𝐴 + 𝜀 for all 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴.
It means that inf𝐴 + 𝜀 is a lower bound for 𝐴. It follows that
inf 𝐴 + 𝜀 ≤ inf𝐴
which implies that
𝜀 ≤ 0.
This is impossible since 𝜀 > 0.
Therefore 𝑥 < inf𝐴 + 𝜀 for some 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴.

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Some properties of supremum and infimum:
(1) Let 𝐴 be a nonempty subset of ℝ that is bounded below has an
infimum, then
inf𝐴 = − sup{−𝑥 ∶ 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴}.

(2) 𝐴 has a supremum if and only if −𝐴 has an infimum i.e.,

inf(−𝐴) = − sup 𝐴.

(3) 𝐴 has an infimum if and only if −𝐴 has a supremum i.e.,

sup(−𝐴) = − inf𝐴.

(4) Let 𝐴 be a bounded set and let 𝐵 ⊂ 𝐴, then

sup 𝐵 ≤ sup 𝐴
and
inf 𝐴 ≤ inf𝐵.

(5) If 𝐴 and 𝐵 are bounded subsets of ℝ, then 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵 is bounded and

sup(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = sup{sup 𝐴 , sup𝐵} = max{sup 𝐴 , sup 𝐵}
and
inf(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = inf{inf 𝐴 , inf 𝐵} = min{inf𝐴 , inf 𝐵}

(6) Let 𝐴 and 𝐵 be two nonempty bounded subsets of ℝ. Let 𝑆 = {𝑎 ± 𝑏

∶ 𝑎 ∈ 𝐴 and 𝑏 ∈ 𝐵}. Then 𝑆 is also bounded and that
sup 𝑆 = sup 𝐴 ± sup𝐵
and
inf 𝑆 = inf𝐴 ± inf𝐵.

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SUPREMUM AND INFIMUM OF A FUNCTION
The supremum and infimum of a function are the supremum and infimum
of its range
If 𝑓: 𝐴 ⟶ ℝ is a function, then
supA f = 𝑠𝑢𝑝{𝑓(𝑥) ∶ 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴} 𝑎𝑛𝑑
infA f = 𝑖𝑛𝑓{𝑓(𝑥) ∶ 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴}
A function 𝑓 is bounded above on 𝐴 if supA f is finite, and it is bounded below on
𝐴 if infA f is finite, and also 𝑓 is bounded on 𝐴 if both are finite. Sometimes,
supA f and infA f are denoted by sup 𝑥∈𝐴 𝑓(𝑥) and inf 𝑥∈𝐴 𝑓(𝑥), respectively.

Proposition
Suppose that 𝑓, 𝑔: 𝐴 ⟶ ℝ and 𝑓 ≤ 𝑔. If 𝑔 is bounded above, then
supA f ≤ supA g,
and if 𝑓 is bounded below, then
infA f ≤ infA g

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Example
Define 𝑓, 𝑔:[0,1] ⟶ ℝ by 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 1. Find sup[0,1] f,
inf[0,1] f, sup[0,1] g and inf[0,1] f.
Solution:
sup[0,1] f = sup{𝑓(𝑥) ∶ 𝑥 ∈ [0,1]} = 2,
inf[0,1] f = inf{𝑓(𝑥) ∶ 𝑥 ∈ [0,1]} = 0,
sup[0,1] g = sup{𝑔(𝑥) ∶ 𝑥 ∈ [0,1]} = 3,
inf[0,1] g = inf{𝑔(𝑥) ∶ 𝑥 ∈ [0,1]} = 1.

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Reference
1- James Munkres, pearson new international, Edinburgh Gate, 2014
2- James Dugundji, Topology, los angeles,1966
3- Sidney A. Morris, Topology, 2007
4- H.L.Royden and P.M,Fitzpatrick,2010

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