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6 votes
3 answers
11k views

Sums of uncountably many real numbers [closed]

Suppose $S$ is an uncountable set, and $f$ is a function from $S$ to the positive real numbers. Define the sum of $f$ over $S$ to be the supremum of $\sum_{x \in N} f(x)$ as $N$ ranges over all ...
David Corwin's user avatar
  • 15.4k
0 votes
1 answer
604 views

Find a explicit choice function of the "rationally equivalence class"

Define two real numbers to be rationally equivalent provided their difference is a rational number. from Royden Real Analysis
z0q0vk's user avatar
  • 3
3 votes
1 answer
303 views

ABA-product of matrices and length of chains of principal inner ideals

Let $k$ be a field, $p,q$ positive integers, and let $R$ be the space of $(p \times q)$-matrices over $k$, and $S$ be the space of $(q \times p)$-matrices over $k$. For every matrix $A \in R$, we ...
Tom De Medts's user avatar
  • 6,614
3 votes
0 answers
474 views

Jacobson-Bourbaki correspondence

The Jacobson-Bourbaki correspondence induces the traditional, finite Galois correspondence by suitable restriction; I've been pondering two things: 1. Are there any (other) interesting applications of ...
Stephan F. Kroneck's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
473 views

Infinite Galois correspondence "according to Artin"

Ever since Artin's lectures on Galois Theory one knows how to set up and derive the usual Galois correspondence in the finite(-dimensional) case using just a bit of elementary Linear Algebra, and ...
Stephan F. Kroneck's user avatar
20 votes
3 answers
4k views

Propositions equivalent to the completeness of the real numbers

Can anyone point me to a reasonably comprehensive article (or book chapter) explaining which basic theorems of calculus are equivalent to the completeness axiom of the reals and which ones aren't? ...
James Propp's user avatar
  • 19.7k
4 votes
0 answers
162 views

Symmetric functions and regularity (II)

My previous question (where $n=2$) was a bit too naive. I think that this one, which is the one being of genuine interest to me, is more involved. Let $f=\mathbb R^n\rightarrow\mathbb R$ be a ...
Denis Serre's user avatar
  • 52.3k
5 votes
1 answer
316 views

Symmetric functions and regularity

Let $f:\mathbb R^2\rightarrow\mathbb R$ be a symmetric function: $f(y,x)=f(x,y)$. It can therefore be written has a function of the elementary symmetric polynomials, here $f(x,y)=F(x+y,xy)$, where $F(\...
Denis Serre's user avatar
  • 52.3k
4 votes
3 answers
422 views

probability that a random element of Z/NZ can be written as a subset sum of others

How could one calculate the probability that any element in $\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z}$ can be written as a subset sum of $n$ random elements in $\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z}$? In other words, say I pick $n$...
Jenn's user avatar
  • 41
3 votes
1 answer
218 views

decompositions of matrices over $\mathbb{Q}$

Given a matrix $A\in GL_n(\mathbb{Q})$. Can it be expressed as a product of two matrices $B,C$ with $B\in GL_n(\mathbb{Z}[1/p])$ and $C\in GL_{n}(\mathbb{Z}_{(p)})$, where $ \mathbb{Z_p}$ denotes the ...
HenrikRüping's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
520 views

Eigenvector of infinite matrix

I consider the system of reaction-diffusion PDEs in a ball with Robin boundary condition. It is a Steklov eigenvalue problem (see G Auchmuty (2004) "Steklov eigenproblems and the representation of ...
Szopa's user avatar
  • 31
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

A question about regular signed or complex Borel measure under LRN decomposition

Suppose $\nu$ is a regular signed or complex Borel measure on $\mathbb R^n$, m is the Lebesgue measure on the class of Borel sets $\mathcal B_{\mathbb R^n}$ and the Lebesgue-Radon-Nikodym ...
zzzhhh's user avatar
  • 764
3 votes
2 answers
344 views

Pseudo-idempotent matrix generating a free module

Let $R$ be a commutative ring with $1$. Let $n$ and $k$ be nonnegative integers, and let $A\in\mathrm{M}_n\left(R\right)$ be a matrix such that $A\cdot R^n\cong R^k$ as $R$-modules. Assume that $A^2=\...
darij grinberg's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Proof of the "Neo-classical Inequality", a fractional extension of the binomial theorem

I came across the following inequality, dubbed the "Neoclassical Inequality" which holds uniformly in $p\geq 1$ and $n\in\mathbb N$: $$\frac{1}{p^2}\sum_{j=0}^n\frac{a^{\frac{j}p}b^{\frac{n-j}p}}{\...
Alex R.'s user avatar
  • 4,952
5 votes
0 answers
583 views

Cohomology of Real algebraic Varieities

I understand Serre's GAGA theorem as saying that equations over algebraically closed fields can be studied equally from the algebraic and analytic points of view, at least with respect to cohomology. ...
user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Baire Category Theorem Application

In Antoine Henrot Michel Pierre - Variation et optimisation de formes, Une analyse geometrique, a book I'm studying I found an interesting problem. The problem is listed below. The first 3 points of ...
Beni Bogosel's user avatar
  • 2,222
1 vote
1 answer
275 views

Shift operator that generates separable orbit

Suppose, that $f$ is bounded measurable function, $T_h(f)(x) = f(x+h)$ is the shift operator. How to prove, that if the whole orbit $T_h(f):\, h\in\mathbb{R}$ has a dense, countable subset $T_{n_k}(f)$...
Maciej Skorski's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
302 views

functions on intervals with endpoints

Would most analysts say that $(2/3) x^{3/2}$ is an antiderivative of $x^{1/2}$ on $[0,\infty)$, or just on $(0,\infty)$? More generally, is there a standard interpretation of the assertion "$F$ is an ...
James Propp's user avatar
  • 19.7k
22 votes
1 answer
33k views

vector to diagonal matrix [closed]

For any column vector we can easily create a corresponding diagonal matrix, whose elements along the diagonal are the elements of the column vector. Is there a simple way to write this transformation ...
Jerry's user avatar
  • 247
1 vote
0 answers
174 views

Eigenvalues of a Parametrized Family of Linear Functions

Suppose that we have a family of linear functions $L(\alpha) : \mathbb{R}^n \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^n$, where $\alpha$ is a positive real number. For each $\alpha$, it is given that $L(\alpha)$ is a ...
Eric Haengel's user avatar
21 votes
2 answers
924 views

Codimension of Measurable Sets

I am currently teaching an advanced undergraduate analysis class, and the following question came up. Intuition suggests that "most" subsets of $[0,1]$ are not Lebesgue measurable. However, the ...
Jim Belk's user avatar
  • 8,493
5 votes
1 answer
683 views

Finitely generated algebra in which every element is annihilated by a non-zero polynomial

Let $K$ be a field, and $A$ a finitely generated associative algebra over $K$. We suppose that $A$ has a unit and that every element $x$ of $A$ is annihilated by a non-zero polynomial $P_x$ depending ...
user12806's user avatar
  • 663
1 vote
1 answer
685 views

This limit converges to the partial derivative?

Let a function $f:X \times \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ continuous, with $X \subset \mathbb{R}$ compact, and supose that $\partial_2 f(x,t)$ exists for all $x \in X$ and is continuous. (here $\...
Ferraiol's user avatar
  • 121
-1 votes
1 answer
185 views

eigenvalues of $I\otimes B\otimes C + A\otimes I \otimes C + A\otimes B \otimes I $

Let $A$, $B$ and $C$ be symmetric matrices. What can we say about eigenvalues of $I\otimes B\otimes C + A\otimes I \otimes C + A\otimes B \otimes I $?
Moh514's user avatar
  • 461
53 votes
5 answers
5k views

Does this formula have a rigorous meaning, or is it merely formal?

I hope this problem is not considered too "elementary" for MO. It concerns a formula that I have always found fascinating. For, at first glance, it appears completely "obvious", while on closer ...
Dick Palais's user avatar
  • 15.3k
5 votes
0 answers
369 views

Independent Events Inducing Probability Measures

Let $\mathcal{F}$ be a sigma algebra over $\Omega$ and $M$ the set of all probability measures on $\mathcal{F}$. Let $\mathcal{C}$ be some collection of pairs $(A,B)$ with $ \ A,B\in\mathcal{F}$. Now ...
Alex R.'s user avatar
  • 4,952
11 votes
3 answers
2k views

Hilbert's 17th Problem for smooth functions

Consider an open subset $U \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n$ and a smooth function $f\colon U \longrightarrow \mathbb{R}$ with $f(x) \ge 0$ for all $x \in U$. It is then known (if I remember correctly: by ...
Stefan Waldmann's user avatar
46 votes
7 answers
10k views

Are some numbers more irrational than others?

Some irrational numbers are transcendental, which makes them in some sense "more irrational" than algebraic numbers. There are also numbers, such as the golden ratio $\varphi$, which are poorly ...
I. J. Kennedy's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is it possible to decompose a symmetric, positive definite matrix in this way?

Let $\Sigma$ be a symmetric positive definite matrix. Then the Cholesky decomposition gives us $\Sigma=LL'$ where $L$ is lower triangular and unique. Under what conditions (if any) does there exist ...
JMS's user avatar
  • 269
19 votes
4 answers
12k views

How did Bernoulli prove L'Hôpital's rule?

To prove L'Hôpital's rule, the standard method is to use use Cauchy's Mean Value Theorem (and note that once you have Cauchy's MVT, you don't need an $\epsilon$-$\delta$ definition of limit to ...
John Palmieri's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
937 views

Lebesgue's Majorized Convergence Theorem

Can anyone point me to an explanation and a proof of this theorem? For reference, it is mentioned in Kolmogorov's almost everywhere divergent function in $L$ as given in Zygmund, volume I. In the ...
James Smith's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

An application of Baire category theorem

Hi, Does somebody know a proof (or a reference) for the following statement: Let $f:\mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ be an infinitely differentiable function. Suppose that for all $x$, $f^n(x)=0$ ...
Laurent Bienvenu's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
5k views

Smooth approximation of the hinge loss function

I came across a paper but the smooth approximation for the hinge loss function is wrong. Can someone guide me to the proper smooth approximation (using polynomials) of the function $$h(x)=\max(0,1-x)$$...
Bernard's user avatar
  • 111
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Are all topological (finite-dim) real vector spaces homeomorphic to a coordinate space?

I know that all real, finite-dimensional topological vector spaces are isomorphic to $\mathbb{R}^n$ for some $n$, but are they also homeomorphic? The reason I'm asking this is because I was wondering ...
Avi Steiner's user avatar
  • 3,079
49 votes
3 answers
6k views

The Hardy Z-function and failure of the Riemann hypothesis

David Feldman asked whether it would be reasonable for the Riemann hypothesis to be false, but for the Riemann zeta function to only have finitely many zeros off the critical line. I very rashly ...
David Hansen's user avatar
  • 13.1k
8 votes
0 answers
633 views

Can we write unitary matrices as positive linear combinations of Hermitian matrices?

The space $M_n:=M_n(\mathbb{C})$ of complex $n\times n$ matrices has the structure of a finite-dimensional complex vector space. The space of Hermitian matrices forms a cone in this vector space $M_n$...
user avatar
33 votes
2 answers
7k views

Dimension of infinite product of vector spaces

This question is motivated by the question link text, which compares the infinite direct sum and the infinite direct product of a ring. It is well-known that an infinite dimensional vector space is ...
François Brunault's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
772 views

Nondifferentiability set of an arbitrary real function

A theorem by Zygmunt Zahorski states that a necessary and sufficient condition for a subset of $\mathbb{R}$ to be the nondifferentiability set of a continuous real function is that it is the union of ...
LostInMath's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
813 views

Strange real functions

I know there are a lot of strange functions $f~:~\mathbb R \to \mathbb R$. I'm looking for an "elementary but complete" exposition of a result discovered by W. Sierpi\'nski and A. Zygmund in "Sur une ...
Portland's user avatar
  • 2,829
44 votes
3 answers
4k views

Smooth functions for which $f(x)$ is rational if and only if $x$ is rational

A friend of mine introduced me to the following question: Does there exist a smooth function $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$, ($f \in C^\infty$), such that $f$ maps rationals to rationals and ...
J. J.'s user avatar
  • 543
2 votes
0 answers
800 views

Controlling the Lipschitz norm of the limit of a sequence of functions

Consider the Fréchet space $\Omega = C(\mathbb R^d)$ of real-valued continuous functions equipped with the seminorms $$\|f\|_D := \sup_{x,y \in D} \left\{ |f(x)|, \tfrac{|f(x)-f(y)|}{|x-y|} \right\}, \...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512
21 votes
1 answer
1k views

If $f:R^n \to R$ is a smooth real-valued function such that $\nabla f : R^n \to R^n$ is a diffeomorphism, what can one conclude about the behavior of $f(x)$ at infinity?

This question may seem peculiar, so let me preface it by saying that it arose while I was trying to understand Legendre transformations better, and in that context it is fairly natural. Anyway, ...
Dick Palais's user avatar
  • 15.3k
44 votes
10 answers
47k views

Is square of Delta function defined somewhere?

I am wondering whether anyone knows if the square of Dirac Delta function is defined somewhere. In the beginning, this question might look strange. But by restricting the space of the test functions, ...
2 votes
2 answers
492 views

on existence of matrices X, Y s.t. XAY is diagonal over non-commutative ring

Given $A\in Mat_{n\times n}(R)$ where $R$ is a non-commutative associative ring are there exist any (non-zero) matrices $X, Y\in Mat_{n\times n}(R)$ such that $XAY=diag(a_1, \ldots , a_n)$ for some $...
zroslav's user avatar
  • 1,422
32 votes
3 answers
4k views

Example for column rank $\neq$ row rank

The proof that column rank = row rank for matrices over a field relies on the fact that the elements of a field commute. I'm looking for an easy example of a matrix over a ring for which column rank $\...
Andreas Rüdinger's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
399 views

Which linear transformations between f.d. Hilbert spaces contract the inner product?

Given two finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces $U, V,$ a linear transformation $T:U\to V$ contracts the inner product if for all $x,y \in U,$ $$\langle x,y \rangle_U \ge \langle Tx, Ty\rangle_V.$$ ...
Mike Stay's user avatar
  • 1,532
5 votes
1 answer
781 views

Does a log-concave function on a convex set extend continuously to the boundary?

Let $U$ be an open convex set in a locally convex space $X$, and let $f : U \to [0,1]$ be a log-concave function on $U$ (i.e., bounded and real-valued). Under what conditions does $f$ have a ...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512
18 votes
4 answers
3k views

Why is there no Borel function mapping every countable set of reals outside itself?

A choice function maps every set (in its domain) to an element of itself. This question concerns existence of an anti-choice function defined on the family of countable sets of reals. In an answer to ...
Aaron Meyerowitz's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
958 views

Quantitative bounds for multivariate central limit theorem

For the univariate central limit theorem, the Berry-Esseen theorem gives a quantitative bound on the rate of convergence of distributions to the Normal distribution under Kolmogorov distance: https://...
Preyas's user avatar
  • 93
102 votes
21 answers
15k views

Proofs of the uncountability of the reals

Recently, I learnt in my analysis class the proof of the uncountability of the reals via the Nested Interval Theorem (Wayback Machine). At first, I was excited to see a variant proof (as it did not ...
Unknown's user avatar
  • 2,855