Scribd
Upload
85 views2 pages

Additive Functions

This document defines and proves properties of additive functions. It shows that: 1) For any natural number n and real number x, an additive function f satisfies f(nx) = nf(x). 2) This property also holds for any integer n and real number x. 3) The property extends to rational numbers, such that for any rational number r and real number x, f(rx) = rf(x). 4) If an additive function f is continuous at some point c, then it is continuous for all real numbers. 5) If f is continuous on all real numbers, then f(cx) = cf(x) for any real number c.

Uploaded by

Alain-Philippe Fortin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
85 views2 pages

Additive Functions

This document defines and proves properties of additive functions. It shows that: 1) For any natural number n and real number x, an additive function f satisfies f(nx) = nf(x). 2) This property also holds for any integer n and real number x. 3) The property extends to rational numbers, such that for any rational number r and real number x, f(rx) = rf(x). 4) If an additive function f is continuous at some point c, then it is continuous for all real numbers. 5) If f is continuous on all real numbers, then f(cx) = cf(x) for any real number c.

Uploaded by

Alain-Philippe Fortin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Additive functions

March 20, 2018

Definition 1. A function f : R → R is said to be additive if ∀x, y ∈ R,


f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y).

Prove that

1. ∀n ∈ N, ∀x ∈ R, f (nx) = nf (x).

2. ∀n ∈ Z, ∀x ∈ R, f (nx) = nf (x).

3. ∀r ∈ Q, ∀x ∈ R, f (rx) = rf (x).

4. If f is continuous at some point c ∈ R, then it is continuous at every


x ∈ R.

5. If f is continuous on R, then ∀c ∈ R, ∀x ∈ R, f (cx) = cf (x).

1. We proceed by induction. We have that, f (1 · x) = f (x) = 1 · f (x) for


all x ∈ R so the result is true for n = 1. Suppose that f (nx) = nf (x)
for some arbitrary n ∈ N and for all x ∈ R. Then

f (n + 1)x = f (nx + x) = f (nx) + f (x) = nf (x) + f (x) = (n + 1)f (x)

for all x ∈ R so the the result is true for n + 1.

2. We know the result is true for all n ∈ N. We will show that it is true
for n = 0 and for all n ∈ −N. First, notice that f (0) = f (0 + 0) =
f (0) + f (0) so we have that f (0) = 0. Then

f (0 · x) = f (0) = 0 = 0 · f (x)

1
for all x ∈ R so the result is true for n = 0.
Second, notice that 0 = f (0) = f (x − x) = f (x) + f (−x) so we have
that f (−x) = −f (x). Then f (−mx) = −f (mx) = −mf (x) for all
m ∈ N and for all x ∈ R so the result is true for all n ∈ −N.

3. Notice that f (x) = f ( pp x) = pf ( p1 x) so we have that f ( p1 x) = p1 f (x) for


all p ∈ Z − {0} and for all x ∈ R. Then

p 1 p
f ( ) = pf ( ) = f (x)
q q q
for all p ∈ Z, for all q ∈ Z − {0} and for all x ∈ R so the result is true
for all r ∈ Q.

4. Suppose f is continuous at c ∈ R. Then lim f (x) = f (c). Let a ∈ R


x→c
We have that

lim f (x) = lim f (a + x − c) = lim f (a) + f (x) − f (c)


x→a x→c x→c

= lim f (a) + lim f (x) − lim f (c) = f (a) + f (c) − f (c) = f (a).
x→c x→c x→c

We conclude that f (x) is continuous at every x ∈ R.

5. Suppose f is continuous on R and let c ∈ R. Then there exist a


sequence of of rational numbers (rn ) with rn −→ c. This implies that

f (rn x) = rn f (x) −→ cf (x)

for all x ∈ R. Since f is continuous we conclude that f (cx) = cf (x)


for all c ∈ R and for all x ∈ R.

You might also like