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1 Answer C (X) X X C (X) X: Active Oldest

This document proves that the convex hull C(X) of a set X is the smallest convex set containing X. It first defines C(X) as the set of all convex combinations of elements in X. It then proves two facts: 1) C(X) is a convex set containing X, and 2) any other convex set containing X must also contain C(X). This establishes that C(X) is the smallest convex set containing X.

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Swarali Ghodkhande
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120 views1 page

1 Answer C (X) X X C (X) X: Active Oldest

This document proves that the convex hull C(X) of a set X is the smallest convex set containing X. It first defines C(X) as the set of all convex combinations of elements in X. It then proves two facts: 1) C(X) is a convex set containing X, and 2) any other convex set containing X must also contain C(X). This establishes that C(X) is the smallest convex set containing X.

Uploaded by

Swarali Ghodkhande
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1 Answer Active Oldest Votes

As the hint in your problem indicates, proving that the convex hull C (X) of X is "the smallest convex set
containing X " consists of proving two facts:
3
1. C (X) is a convex set containing X .
2. Any other convex set D that contains X must contain C (X).

First, let's write down the definition of C (X) in symbols:

n n
∣
C (X) = {∑ ai x i ∣ a1 , … , an ≥ 0, ∑ ai = 1}
∣
i=1 i=1

In other words, C (X) is the union of all convex combinations of elements of X .

To show that C (X) ⊇ X is very easy: for any a ∈ X , we have that

1a = a ∈ C (X).

To show that C (X) is convex, take any two elements ∑ and ∑ in C (X) (where each
n m
ai x i bi x i
i=1 j=1

, each a , and ∑ and ∑ ) and show that the line connecting them is
n m
x i , yi ∈ X i
, bj ≥ 0 ai = 1 bj = 1
i=1 j=1

contained in C (X) (that is, after all, the definition of convex set). Note that the line connecting them consists
of points of the form

n m n n+m n+m

(1 − t) (∑ ai x i ) + t (∑ bj yj ) = ∑ ck x k + ∑ ck yk = ∑ ck zk

i=1 j=1 k=1 k=i+1 k=1

where

(1 − t)ak  if 1 ≤ k ≤ i
ck = {
tbk−n  if n + 1 ≤ k ≤ n + m

and

xk  if 1 ≤ k ≤ i
zk = {
yk−n  if n + 1 ≤ k ≤ n + m

Furthermore, note that

n+m n m

∑ = (1 − t) (∑ ai ) + t (∑ bj ) = (1 − t)(1) + (t)1 = (1 − t) + t = 1

k=1 i=1 j=1

Therefore, we have shown that any point on the line connecting two elements of C (X) is also in C (X)
(because it is of the correct form), and therefore that C (X) is convex.

Finally, to show that any convex set D that contains X must contain C (X) , simply use that D is a convex set.

Share Cite Follow edited Oct 8 '18 at 9:18 answered Oct 8 '11 at 22:09
amWhy Zev Chonoles

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