MAL100: Mathematics I — Tutorial Sheet 7 (Continuity)

Solutions

Notation: All proofs use standard ε–δ definitions. A function f is uniformly continuous on a set
S if
∀ε > 0 ∃δ > 0 such that |x − y| < δ, x, y ∈ S ⇒ |f (x) − f (y)| < ε.

Problem 1. Check whether the following functions are uniformly continuous or not.
1
(a) f (x) = for x ∈ (0, ∞).
x
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Idea. Try sequences whose distance tends to 0 but function values do not.
1 1 1
Step 2: Construct sequences. Let xn = and yn = . Then |xn − yn | = → 0 as
n n+1 n(n + 1)
n → ∞.
Step 3: Evaluate function difference.

|f (xn ) − f (yn )| = | n − (n + 1) | = 1 ̸→ 0.

Thus f is not uniformly continuous on (0, ∞).

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(b) f (x) = for x ∈ [α, ∞) for some α > 0.
x
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Use algebraic estimate. For x, y ∈ [α, ∞),

1 1 |y − x| |x − y|
− = ≤ .
x y |xy| α2

Step 2: Conclude Lipschitz property. The last inequality shows f is Lipschitz with constant
1/α2 .
Hence f is Lipschitz and therefore uniformly continuous on [α, ∞).
(c) f (x) = x2 for x ∈ [a, b] with b > a ≥ 0.
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Use compactness / derivative bound. On [a, b] the derivative f ′ (x) = 2x is bounded by
2b.
Step 2: Lipschitz from Mean Value Theorem. For x, y ∈ [a, b] there exists c between x, y with

|x2 − y 2 | = |2c||x − y| ≤ 2b|x − y|.

*Final Answer:* f is uniformly continuous on [a, b].

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(d) f (x) = x2 for x ∈ [a, ∞) with a ≥ 0.
Solution By Steps
1
Step 1: Seek counterexample sequence. Let xn = n and yn = n + for integers n ≥ 1.
n
1
Step 2: Distances tend to 0. |xn − yn | = → 0.
n
Step 3: Function differences do not tend to 0.

|x2n − yn2 | = |n2 − (n + n1 )2 | = n2 − n2 + 2 + n12 = 2 + n12 → 2 ̸= 0.

This shows that f is not uniformly continuous on [a, ∞).

(e) f (x) = sin(x sin x) for x ∈ [0, ∞).
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Use Lipschitz property of sine. For all real u, v, | sin u − sin v| ≤ |u − v|. Thus

|f (x) − f (y)| = | sin(x sin x) − sin(y sin y)| ≤ |x sin x − y sin y|.

So uniform continuity of f would follow from uniform continuity of g(x) := x sin x. We will
show g is not uniformly continuous on [0, ∞).
Step 2: Construct sequences making g blow up in difference. Let
1
xn = 2nπ, yn = 2nπ + .
4n
1
Then |xn − yn | = → 0.
4n
Step 3: Compute limits of g.

g(xn ) = xn sin xn = 2nπ · 0 = 0.

For yn ,      
1 1 1 1 1 π
g(yn ) = 2nπ + sin ≈ 2nπ + · → 2π · = .
4n 4n 4n 4n 4 2
Hence g(yn ) → π/2, so |g(yn ) − g(xn )| → π/2.
Step 4: Transfer to f . Using the Lipschitz bound of sin,

|f (yn ) − f (xn )| ≥ | sin(g(yn ))| − | sin(g(xn ))| → | sin( π2 ) − 0| = 1.

Thus |xn − yn | → 0 but |f (xn ) − f (yn )| ̸→ 0.

It follows from here that f is not uniformly continuous on [0, ∞).

Problem 2. Does a uniformly continuous function map Cauchy sequences to Cauchy sequences?
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Let f be uniformly continuous and (xn ) a Cauchy sequence in domain D.
Step 2: Use definition of uniform continuity. For given ε > 0 choose δ > 0 such that |x − y| < δ
implies |f (x) − f (y)| < ε.
Step 3: Use Cauchy property of (xn ). Since (xn ) is Cauchy, ∃N with m, n ≥ N ⇒ |xm −xn | < δ.
Then for m, n ≥ N ,
|f (xm ) − f (xn )| < ε.

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 Therefor the answer is yes! A uniformly continuous function maps Cauchy sequences to Cauchy
sequences.

Problem 3. Let f : [a, b] → R be continuous and satisfy |f (x) − f (y)| ≤ L|x − y| for all x, y ∈ [a, b].
Prove f is uniformly continuous.
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Recognize Lipschitz property. The hypothesis is precisely the Lipschitz condition with
constant L.
Step 2: Show uniform continuity. Given ε > 0 choose δ = ε/L (if L = 0 any δ > 0 works).
Then for |x − y| < δ,
ε
|f (x) − f (y)| ≤ L|x − y| < L · = ε.
L
Therefore f is uniformly continuous (Lipschitz functions are uniformly continuous).

Problem 4. Let I be an interval and f : I → R continuous with f (x) ̸= 0 for all x ∈ I. Prove
either f > 0 on I or f < 0 on I. Using this, show that if f, g are continuous on I with f (x) ̸= g(x)
for all x ∈ I, then either f > g or f < g on I.
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Suppose contrary there are u, v ∈ I with f (u) > 0 and f (v) < 0.
Step 2: Apply Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT). Since I is an interval and f is continuous,
by IVT there exists c between u and v with f (c) = 0, contradicting the hypothesis.
*Conclusion (first part):* f has constant sign on I: either f (x) > 0 for all x ∈ I or f (x) < 0
for all x ∈ I.
Step 3: Second part via h := f − g. The function h is continuous and h(x) ̸= 0 for all x ∈ I.
By the first part, h has constant sign, hence either f − g > 0 on I (i.e. f > g) or f − g < 0 on I
(i.e. f < g).

Problem 5. Let f : [a, b] → R be non-constant continuous. Show f ([a, b]) is an interval. Using
this solve the following:
Let f : R → R be continuous such that

(a) f (R) ⊂ (0, 1) ∪ [2, 100),

(b) f (10) = e.

Explain where f ([1, 2]) is contained.

Solution By Steps
Step 1: Image of interval is interval. This is standard: by the Intermediate Value Theorem the
continuous image of a connected set (an interval) is connected, hence an interval.
Step 2: Use connectedness of R. The set f (R) is a connected subset of (0, 1) ∪ [2, 100) (a union
of two disjoint open/half-open pieces). Since f (10) = e ∈ [2, 100), the connected image f (R) cannot
lie in the other disjoint component (0, 1). Therefore

f (R) ⊂ [2, 100).

Step 3: Restrict to [1, 2]. Since [1, 2] ⊂ R, f ([1, 2]) ⊂ f (R) ⊂ [2, 100) and also f ([1, 2]) must be
an interval (connected). Thus

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 Thus it follows that f ([1, 2]) is an interval contained in [2, 100).

Problem 6. Let f : I → R be continuous and f (c) > 0 for some c ∈ I. Prove there exists δ > 0
such that f (x) > 0 for all x ∈ (c − δ, c + δ).
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Use continuity at c. Since f (c) > 0, take ε = f (c)/2 > 0. By continuity, there exists
δ > 0 such that |x − c| < δ implies |f (x) − f (c)| < ε.
Step 2: Conclude positivity. For such x,

f (c) f (c)
f (x) ≥ f (c) − |f (x) − f (c)| > f (c) − = > 0.
2 2
*Final Answer:* There exists δ > 0 with f (x) > 0 for all x ∈ (c − δ, c + δ) ∩ I.

Problem 7. Prove or Disprove:

(a) There exists a continuous onto function f : [a, b] → R.
Solution By Steps
Step 1: The continuous image of a closed and bounded interval [a, b] is a closed and bounded
interval.
Step 2: Observe R is not compact. Thus no continuous function from [a, b] can be onto R (since
R is not compact).
The answer is No, such a continuous onto map does not exist.
(b) Let f : [a, b] → [0, ∞) continuous with f (x) > 0 for all x ∈ [a, b]. Then there exists c > 0 such
that f (x) > c for all x.
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Use compactness again. Since f is continuous on compact [a, b], it attains its minimum
m := min[a,b] f (x).
Step 2: Positivity gives m > 0. Because f (x) > 0 everywhere, m > 0.
Hence the statement if true. Take c = m; then f (x) ≥ m > 0 for all x ∈ [a, b].

Problem 8. Prove that if f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) for all x, y ∈ R and f is continuous on R, then
f is uniformly continuous.
Solution By Steps
Step 1: Standard fact: additive continuous functions are linear. Continuity at any point (equiv-
alently at 0) implies there exists k ∈ R with f (x) = kx for all x. (Sketch: continuity at 0 gives
boundedness on a neighborhood of 0, then show f (q) = qf (1) for rational q, then extend by
continuity to all reals.)
Step 2: Show linear function is Lipschitz. If f (x) = kx then for all x, y,

|f (x) − f (y)| = |k||x − y|.

Thus f is Lipschitz (constant |k|) and therefore uniformly continuous.

Therefore f is uniformly continuous on R.