1. Introduction
This study employs the expression to refer to a set of all positive natural numbers. In addition, sets of positive and non-negative real numbers are symbolized by and .
There is extensive interest in the domain of metric fixed point theory owing to its compelling structural properties. Within this theoretical framework, Banach contraction mapping, initially introduced by Banach [
1] in 1922, occupies a pivotal position due to its foundational significance. This foundational work has catalyzed numerous subsequent research efforts to expand and refine the understanding of this outstanding mapping. Throughout the development of this field, there has been a notable emergence of innovative structures about generalized metric spaces. Among the significant advancements in this domain, the introduction of the
b-metric function by Czerwik [
2,
3] (also independently identified by Bakhtin [
4]) stands out as a quintessential natural extension. Introduced in the years 1993 and 1998, respectively, the
b-metric function is characterized by the incorporation of a constant
within its triangular inequality, thus specifying a distinct difference from the conventional metric framework:
In 2012, Amini–Harandi [
5] constituted the topological structure of a new generalized metric space referred to as metric-like space by revising the axiom of metric positivity. Soon after, by considering the notation of the
b-metric function, Alghamdi et al. [
6] expanded the concept of metric-like to
b-metric-like. At almost the same time, Chistyakov’s pioneering works, cited as [
7,
8,
9], significantly advanced the theory of metric spaces in mathematical analysis. Chistyakov developed a foundational framework that thoroughly examined modular metric space by expanding the traditional understanding of metric functions. This unique framework introduced a new perspective to the discussion on metric fixed point theory, distinguished by its unique physical interpretation. Within this scholarly context, Chistyakov’s development of the modular metric concept emerged as a seminal contribution, encompassing a more generalized approach to understanding the dynamics of metric spaces. Following this, the idea of modular metric space was expanded to the notion of modular
b-metric space designed by Ege and Alaca [
10] in 2018. Numerous investigations have been conducted on this new space; for additional information related to modular
b-metric spaces, refer to [
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17]. In addition, in 2022, Sharma et al. [
18] established the concept of modular metric-like structures.
On the other hand, an alternative approach to generalizing the structure of metric spaces incorporates the utilization of binary relation notation. Consequently, a considerable body of research (see [
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26,
27,
28,
29]) is dedicated to extending the Banach contraction principle to encompass complete metric spaces characterized by a binary relation.
In order to obtain more effective outcomes in fixed point theory, some authors have endeavored to extend the Banach contraction principle by employing auxiliary functions in diverse abstract spaces. These investigations are still ongoing. For instance, in their seminal work, Khojasteh et al. [
30] pioneered the concept of simulation functions, presenting them as a novel auxiliary function aimed at extending the applicability of the renowned Banach fixed point theorem. This innovative approach has opened new avenues for research within the domain of mathematical analysis, providing a broader framework for the examination and generalization of Banach’s mappings. In 2018, Cho et al. [
31] significantly advanced the field of simulation functions by introducing the
-simulation function as a new structure. This pioneering work not only set a new standard but also catalyzed further research and development within the domain, demonstrating the profound impact of innovative methodologies on the evolution of simulation practices. Very recently, Öztürk et al. [
16] (simultaneously in [
32]) extended the idea of the
-simulation function via the class
, which is defined as the set of all non-decreasing self-mappings
on
satisfying
. In another discovery, Jleli and Samet [
33] (2014) introduced an innovative concept known as
-contraction. They further elucidated this concept by presenting and proving a theorem that has since contributed significantly to the field. Besides that, Geraghty [
34] introduced a novel class of functions and substantiated the ensuing theorem employing this newfound category. Moreover, Fulga and Proca, in their seminal work, demonstrated an important theorem that represents a significant extension of the Geraghty-type contraction principle, achieved through the application of
-type contraction methods [
35]. This contribution not only expands the existing body of knowledge in the field but also opens new avenues for further research into contraction mappings and their applications. Naturally, these notions are not exclusive to these particular functions; the literature contains various ideas.
In this investigation, through utilization of the concept of modular metric-like structures and drawing inspiration from the binary relation , we have developed two novel generalized metric spaces, namely the modular b-metric-like space and the -modular b-metric-like space, incorporating a new concept. Furthermore, we have formulated and established a new fixed point theorem applicable within this newly defined space. Finally, we have demonstrated the applicability and significance of our findings in the context of functional equations and the equations governing RLC circuits.
2. Preliminaries
In this section, we review some fundamental concepts related to our study.
Firstly, Amini-Harandi [
5] introduced the concept of metric-like spaces, also referred to as dislocated spaces, as indicated below:
Definition 1 ([
5])
. Consider the function on a non-empty set with . For any , if the circumstances implies ,
are provided, then is called a metric-like function.
Similarly, in the above definition, if we consider the following instead of
, then
is referred to as a
b-metric-like function, which was proposed by Alghamdi et al. [
6]:
Besides that, Chistyakov [
7,
8] has developed the idea of modular metric space, as noted below:
Definition 2 ([
7,
8])
. Denote the function , where represents a non-void set. If the subsequent axioms hold for all , then is termed a modular metric: for all if and only if ;
for all ;
for all .
These axioms define the function as a modular metric, thereby contributing to the theoretical landscape of metric spaces by expanding the conventional metric definitions to include modular considerations. This exposition not only underscores the mathematical rigor involved in defining such a function but also highlights the potential for innovative applications in fields requiring nuanced measures of distance or similarity.
In the proposed framework, an alternative condition to is posited as follows:
for all ,
which leads to the conclusion that constitutes a (metric) pseudo-modular on the space . Furthermore, a modular metric defined on the space acquires the designation of being regular upon satisfying the newly introduced condition, which serves as a more generous version of ,
if and only if , for some ,
is upheld for some
, indicating the modular metric’s regularity criteria. Finally, the designation of convex modular is ascribed to
if, for any
and elements
, the following inequality is consistently observed:
This condition establishes the convexity property of the modular metric in question, thereby contributing to the comprehensive characterization of such metrics in the context of the space
.
On the other hand, the function
is non-increasing on
for any
, where
is a metric pseudo-modular on the set
. Indeed, for
, it is attested as follows:
If
is a modular metric on a set
, then a modular set is identified by
where
is a binary relation on
defined by
if and only if
for
.
Definition 3 ([
7,
8])
. Let be a pseudo-modular on . Then, the following sets are mentioned as modular space around :;
Definition 4 ([
9])
. Let be a modular on . Then:a sequence of elements from or is said to be -convergent to an element if there exists a number , possibly depending on and φ, such that . Then, any such element φ is called a modular limit of the sequence .
a sequence is said to be -Cauchy if there exists a number such that as .
the modular space is said to be -complete if each -Cauchy sequence from is -convergent in the following (more precise) sense: if and there exists a such that , then there exists an such that .
In 2018, Ege and Alaca [
10] introduced the notion of modular
b-metric space by only revising the condition
of Definition 2 with the following one:
for all .
A modular metric space can be achieved from a modular
b-metric space in the case of
. Further, the reader is referred to [
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17] for additional information related to the concept of modular
b-metric.
Besides this, in 2022, the idea of modular metric-like space was introduced by Sharma et al. [
18] by changing the axiom
of Definition 2 to the one below:
The subsequent examples illustrate instances of a modular metric-like space, denoted as .
Example 1 ([
18])
. Let . Then, the mappings defined byare modular metric-like on , where and . In what follows, we sum up the concept of binary relation and its properties.
Definition 5 ([
19,
20])
. Let be a non-empty set, and the non-empty binary relation be a subset of . If any two elements are related with , then it is written as or . Furthermore, the inverse of is denoted by and defined asand . We assert that for all : is reflexive if ;
is symmetric if implies ;
is antisymmetric if implies ;
is transitive if implies .
Definition 6 ([
21])
. Let be a non-empty set and be a binary relation on .A sequence is called an -sequence if .
A mapping is -preserving if implies
Definition 7 ([
21])
. Let be a metric space and be a binary relation on . Then, the triple is called an -metric space. Definition 8 ([
22])
. A mapping is -continuous at if for each -sequence in , when . So, is -continuous on provided that is -continuous at each . Khalehoghli et al. [
22] presented a theorem that builds upon and extends the foundational results attributed to Banach.
Theorem 1 ([
22])
. Let be an -preserving and -continuous mapping on an -complete -metric space with such that for each . If the inequalityis fulfilled for all with , then is named as -contraction and has a unique fixed point. The following definition was introduced by Kolman et al. [
23].
Definition 9 ([
23])
. Consider that is a binary relation on . A path in from φ to γ is a sequence such that:- (i)
and ;
- (ii)
for all .
The set of all paths from φ to γ in is indicated as . The path of length n involves items of , which are not always distinct.
For more results involving this concept, see [
24,
25,
26,
27,
28,
29].
As an auxiliary function, Khojasteh et al. [
30] constitute the concept of simulation functions, as indicated below:
Definition 10 ([
30])
. A function is a simulation function if the statements ,
for all ,
if , are sequences in such that , then are provided. Further, from , it follows that for all .
The symbol accurately denotes the comprehensive set of all simulation functions.
Definition 11 ([
30])
. A mapping on a metric space is called a -contraction with respect to if the inequalityis fulfilled for all In 2018, Cho et al. [
31] introduced
-simulation function in the sense of Khojasteh as a natural extension of the simulation function, as noted below:
Definition 12 ([
31])
. Consider as a mapping that fulfills the following assertions: In the context of the present discourse, the function denoted by is characterized as a -simulation function. This notation delineates a specific subset within the mathematical framework, where the set is comprehensively defined as the family encompassing all such mappings. It merits emphasis that the relationship holds universally. This inequality is pivotal, suggesting that for any value of greater than 1, the evaluation of the function yields a result less than 1, thereby underscoring a fundamental characteristic of the -simulation function within the specified mathematical framework.
Example 2 ([
31])
. The set includes the functions , which are listed below.- (1)
where
- (2)
where ϕ is a non-decreasing and lower semi-continuous self-mapping on such that
- (3)
where
Let the class
consist of all non-decreasing self-mappings
on the interval
that satisfy
. By using the class
, Öztürk et al. [
16] (also in [
32]) expanded on the concept of
-simulation function, as indicated below:
Definition 13 ([
16])
. Let be the class of all mappings . Let a function and a coefficient exist such that ;
for all sequences with If η provides -, it is referred to as a generalized -simulation function. Likewise, if η fulfills only the conditions -, then η is called a generalized -simulation function. Furthermore, note that if the axioms -- are met by selecting for all , then the function η reduces to -simulation function as defined in [31].
Example 3 ([
16])
. Consider the functions as illustrated below:- (1)
- (2)
and a coefficient , where ϕ is a non-decreasing and lower semi-continuous self-mapping on such that
- (3)
and a coefficient , where is a continuous function such that for all
- (4)
where and
The functions belong to the class of generalized -simulation functions. These functions also belong to the class of generalized -simulation functions for .
In 2014, the concept of
-contraction was introduced by Jleli and Samet [
33], as follows:
Theorem 2 ([
33])
. On a complete metric space , is said to be -contraction; that is, exists such that the inequalityis provided for all , where obey the following circumstances: is non-decreasing;
for each sequence , if and only if
and exist such that
Thereupon, the mapping owns a unique fixed point in .
Define .
Moreover, the following theorem was established by Geraghty [
34] by using a novel class of functions. It is referred to as a Geraghty-type contraction.
Theorem 3 ([
34])
. Consider the mapping on a complete metric space and the function which satisfies If the inequality, which is known as a Geraghty-type contraction,is fulfilled for all , then has a unique fixed point in . Moreover, we denote the family of all the functions by .
In [
36], the function
is modified using a suitable constant
, which is verified in the
b-metric function, as follows:
Fulga and Proca [
35] presented the following theorem, which is an extension of the Geraghty-type contraction principle:
Theorem 4 ([
35])
. Let be a mapping on complete metric space . If there exists satisfyingwherethen the mapping owns a unique fixed point in . Remark 1. As a result of , we derive 3. Modular and -Modular b-Metric-like Spaces
In the forthcoming section, we embark on an exploration of the concept of modular b-metric-like spaces, dissecting the intricate spaces delineated by this function alongside a thorough examination of their topological attributes. Subsequently, the discourse continues to uncover a novel structure, cleverly built by the merger of the modular b-metric-like framework and the auxiliary binary relation . The clarification of key fundamental topological concepts further enhances this section of the research.
3.1. Modular b-Metric-like Spaces and Some Topological Properties
We briefly define a new concept referred to as modular b-metric-like space, as follows.
Definition 14. Let be a non-empty set, and be a real number. A mapping is called a modular b-metric-like, if the circumstances
for all implies ,
for all ,
for all
are provided for all . Hence, is called a modular b-metric-like space.
Note that a modular b-metric-like space reduces to a modular metric-like space in the case of . We say that a modular b-metric-like space is a natural extension of modular metric-like space.
Modular b-metric-like function on will also generate a topology on whose base is the family of open ball, , where
for all , and .
Definition 15. Let be a modular b-metric-like space and be a sequence in .
- (a)
The sequence is called -convergent to if there exists a number
such that as ;
- (b)
The sequence is called -Cauchy sequence in if if there exists a number such that exists and is finite;
- (c)
the space is said to be -complete if every -Cauchy sequence in is -convergent with respect to such that - (d)
The mapping is continuous if the following limit exists (finite):
Example 4. Let be a modular metric-like space and , where is a real number. Hence, is a modular b-metric-like space with . Indeed, if we consider the inequalityfor , then the proof can be easily completed. The following examples can be presented considering Example 1 and the above.
Example 5. Let and the mappings defined bybe modular b-metric-like on , where and . Example 6. Let . Then, the mapping defined byis a modular b-metric-like function on with . The representation provided in Figure 1 illustrates the graph of Equation (1) under the condition that within the interval . Also, if , then equals "10" at the top.
3.2. -Modular b-Metric-like Spaces and Some Topological Properties
In the subsequent discourse, we endeavor to broaden the conceptual framework by introducing a novel notion wherein the binary relation, denoted as , is further delineated and recognized within the context of -modular b-metric-like spaces. This exploration aims to enrich the theoretical landscape and provide a foundation for advanced investigations in this domain.
Definition 16. Let be a non-empty set and be a reflexive binary relation on , denoted as . A mapping is called -modular b-metric-like if the following statements hold: for all with :
for all ;
for all ;
for all .
The triple is called an -modular b-metric-like space.
Remark 2. Let be a set with a reflexive binary relation . Consider such that - hold only for elements that are comparable under the reflexive binary relation .
It is feasible within the parameters of metric space theory that an entity defined as an -modular b-metric-like structure may not necessarily conform to the characteristics of a modular b-metric-like configuration. However, it is imperative to note that the inverse proposition holds validity.
In what follows, we present that -modular b-metric-like space with needs to be a modular b-metric-like space with .
Example 7. Let and the binary relation be defined by if and only if or . Then, it is evident to conclude thatis an -modular b-metric-like on with . But, for and , the condition of is not met, i.e., implies , which means that it is not a modular b-metric-like on . Definition 17. Let be an -sequence in , that is, for each . Then:
the sequence is called convergent for some if if there exists a number such that and for each with ;
the sequence is called Cauchy sequence (or -Cauchy) in if there exists a number such that exists and is finite;
the space is -complete if for every -Cauchy -sequence in , there is with and for each with .
We assume that has a transitivity property throughout the study.
Lemma 1. Let be a mapping and be a binary relation on . Also, there exists be such that . Define an -sequence by . Then, we have for all with .
Proof. Since is -preserving and , we conclude that = . By continuing this way, we obtain for each . Presume that and prove that , where . Since has a transitive property and , we yield that . Thus, we achieve that for all with . □
4. Some Fixed Point Results
In the subsequent analysis, we establish the validity of a fixed point theorem within the framework of -modular b-metric-like spaces.
Theorem 5. Let be an -complete -modular b-metric-like space with a constant and be such that for each . Let be an -preserving mapping and there exists a generalized -simulation function with respect to η, and satisfying the following inequality for all with , , , and :whereand with Then owns a fixed point with .
Proof. As
is such that
for each
, then by using the
-preserving nature of
, we construct an
-sequence
such that
and
for each
. We consider
for each
. Hence, from (
2), we obtain
and, by
,
that is,
Due to features of the function
, the above inequality becomes
As
, we derive that
where
and
Now, if we denote
by
, then (
5) turns into
Presume that there exists
such that
. Hence, from (
6), we obtain
which causes a contradiction. Thereby, for all
, we achieve
such that
. Consequently,
is a non-decreasing sequence and there exists a real number
such that
Now, we will demonstrate that . Presume that r is not equal to zero, which gives us two cases to consider.
Case (1): Assume that
. Then, (
5) becomes
In the above, if we consider the limit to be
, we gain
, which defies our assumption.
Case (2): Assume that
. Again, from (
4), we have
where
and
as evaluated above. Consider
and
Then, the limits of
and
tend to
Indeed, considering (
7) and
, we obtain
We take the limit in the above
which yields
Hence, from
, we obtain that
however, that is contradictory. Thereupon, in the two cases, we obtain
, that is,
Now, we prove that
is an
-Cauchy
-sequence. But in contrast, by considering Definition 17
,
exists such that two sequences
and
can be constructed of positive integers satisfying
such that
for some
. Note that
, which yields
Also, let
be the smallest index for some
satisfying the above condition such that
By using (
10) and
, we have
So, considering (
8) and (
10), we obtain
On the other hand, from Lemma 1, we have
. Thereupon, from (
2), we achieve
where
Using (
8) and (
11), we derive the following by taking the limit in the above as
:
Thus, by (
8), we achieve
Consequently, by contemplating
,
,
and the function
, the inequality (
12) becomes
Also, by taking the limit and considering (
9), (
13), and (
14), the above expression turns into
. But this causes a contradiction. Hence, we obtain that
is an
-Cauchy
-sequence and by the completeness of
, there exists
such that
and
for each
(for some value of
p). Thereby, for each
, we have
and
It will be demonstrated that
is a fixed point that belongs to
. Presume that
, so
Hence, from (
2), we obtain
Likewise, by using
,
and non-decreasing of the function
, the above inequality becomes
where
which implies, by (
15),
as
Also,
Thus, considering (
15), we achieve
as
Consequently, we take the limit as
in (
16) and consider (
15) together with the obtained ones; the inequality (
16) turns into
But this contradicts our assumption. Thereupon, we obtain
, which implies
. □
Moreover, the uniqueness of the fixed point can be established by incorporating the property into the premises of Theorem 5.
Indeed, from
, we have
with
. Then, from (
2), we obtain
and, similarly, inequality reduces
Thereupon, it is obvious that
and
. Therefore, we obtain
which is a contradiction in the case of
. Thereby, we obtain
We detail several findings derived from applying Theorem 5. The results are elucidated as follows.
Corollary 1. Let be an -complete -modular b-metric-like space with a constant and be such that for each . Let be an -preserving mapping and there exist , and satisfying the following inequality for all with , and :where defined as in (3). Then, has a fixed point with . Proof. Taking into account the conditions set forth by and setting , we are able to achieve the intended result successfully. □
Corollary 2. Let be an -complete -modular b-metric-like space with and be such that for each . Let be an -preserving mapping and there exist , and satisfying the following inequality for all with , and :where defined as in (3) and is a continuous mapping, which has the property for all . Then, has a fixed point with . Proof. In selecting for all with , we draw upon the principles outlined in Theorem 5. This approach underscores an analytical framework where the relationship between the variables and is mediated through the functions and , respectively. The decision to employ this specific form of is substantiated by the comprehensive analysis presented in the theorem, which elucidates the conditions under which such a formulation yields optimal outcomes. □
Corollary 3. Let be an -complete -modular b-metric-like space with a constant and be such that for each . Let be an -preserving mapping satisfying the following inequality for all with , and :where defined as in (3) and . Then, has a fixed point with . Proof. Taking into consideration Remark 1, and incorporating alongside , the subsequent proof is derived regarding Corollary 1. □
Upon choosing
, a spectrum of outcomes is ushered into
-modular metric-like spaces. Notably, the adoption of
, as delineated in Corollary 1, coupled with the contemplation of
belonging to
and
residing within
, culminates in the derivation of a novel result. This result embodies an intricate analysis of Theorem 3.6 as expounded in [
18], enriching the field discourse.
Corollary 4. Let be an -complete -modular metric-like space and be such that for each . Let be an -preserving mapping and there exists satisfying the following inequality for all with , and :where defined as in (3). Then, has a fixed point with . Building upon the foundational aspects delineated in Theorem 5, it is pertinent to note that the implications derived therefrom maintain their validity within the framework of modular b-metric-like spaces as well. In the subsequent discourse, we endeavor to articulate our principal theorem contextualized within this specific space.
Theorem 6. Let be an complete modular b-metric-like space with a constant and be a self-mapping. Then, there exists a generalized -simulation function with respect to η, and such that the inequalityis provided for all , whereand withSo, owns a fixed point with . Proof. The demonstration proceeds analogously to the argument presented in the proof of Theorem 5. □
In addition to the preceding theorem, various implications can be elucidated within the framework of modular
b-metric-like spaces and modular metric-like spaces. For instance, Corollary 4 can be straightforwardly extrapolated from Theorem 3.6 as delineated in [
18], albeit within the context of modular metric-like spaces. This underscored our findings as offering a more comprehensive generalization than the extant results documented within the scholarly literature.