Constructing partition to show that lower sum and upper sum differ by less than $epsilon$











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Let $f$ be a continuous, increasing function on $[a,b]$. I know that because $f$ is continuous, I can use epsilon-delta to prove that the lower sum $L(f,P)$ and upper sum $U(f,P)$ both converge given a partition of $[a,b]$: I can divide it equally into $n$ segments, such that the function differs by at most $frac{epsilon}{b-a}$ where the specific length of each section is determined by $delta$ from the epsilon-delta definition. (I think this explanation is correct; if not, please let me know).



However, my main question is does this result hold for a non-continuous strictly increasing function on $[a,b]$? If so, how would we prove that?



Additionally, is there an explicit way to construct a partition (based on $epsilon, b, a$) such that it is always the case for any strictly increasing function that the lower and upper sum get within epsilon of each other?










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    Let $f$ be a continuous, increasing function on $[a,b]$. I know that because $f$ is continuous, I can use epsilon-delta to prove that the lower sum $L(f,P)$ and upper sum $U(f,P)$ both converge given a partition of $[a,b]$: I can divide it equally into $n$ segments, such that the function differs by at most $frac{epsilon}{b-a}$ where the specific length of each section is determined by $delta$ from the epsilon-delta definition. (I think this explanation is correct; if not, please let me know).



    However, my main question is does this result hold for a non-continuous strictly increasing function on $[a,b]$? If so, how would we prove that?



    Additionally, is there an explicit way to construct a partition (based on $epsilon, b, a$) such that it is always the case for any strictly increasing function that the lower and upper sum get within epsilon of each other?










    share|cite|improve this question
























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      Let $f$ be a continuous, increasing function on $[a,b]$. I know that because $f$ is continuous, I can use epsilon-delta to prove that the lower sum $L(f,P)$ and upper sum $U(f,P)$ both converge given a partition of $[a,b]$: I can divide it equally into $n$ segments, such that the function differs by at most $frac{epsilon}{b-a}$ where the specific length of each section is determined by $delta$ from the epsilon-delta definition. (I think this explanation is correct; if not, please let me know).



      However, my main question is does this result hold for a non-continuous strictly increasing function on $[a,b]$? If so, how would we prove that?



      Additionally, is there an explicit way to construct a partition (based on $epsilon, b, a$) such that it is always the case for any strictly increasing function that the lower and upper sum get within epsilon of each other?










      share|cite|improve this question













      Let $f$ be a continuous, increasing function on $[a,b]$. I know that because $f$ is continuous, I can use epsilon-delta to prove that the lower sum $L(f,P)$ and upper sum $U(f,P)$ both converge given a partition of $[a,b]$: I can divide it equally into $n$ segments, such that the function differs by at most $frac{epsilon}{b-a}$ where the specific length of each section is determined by $delta$ from the epsilon-delta definition. (I think this explanation is correct; if not, please let me know).



      However, my main question is does this result hold for a non-continuous strictly increasing function on $[a,b]$? If so, how would we prove that?



      Additionally, is there an explicit way to construct a partition (based on $epsilon, b, a$) such that it is always the case for any strictly increasing function that the lower and upper sum get within epsilon of each other?







      calculus integration






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      D.R.

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          An increasing function has at worst a countable number of discontinuities where right- and left-hand limits exist.



          Take a uniform partition $P_n = (x_0,x_1, ldots, x_n) $ with $x_k = a + (b-a)k/n$ and let $f_-(x)$ and $f_+(x)$ denote the left- and right-hand limits. Of course if $f$ is continuous at $x$, then $f_-(x) = f_+(x)$.



          Allowing for discontinuities at partition points we have $f_-(x_k) leqslant f(x_k) leqslant f_+(x_k)$ where the value $f(x_k)$ could be taken to be anywhere in $[f_-(x_k), f_+(x_k)]$ without affecting the integral.



          It is always true that $sup_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_k)$ and $inf_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_{k-1})$ regardless of how values are defined at discontinuity points.



          Thus,



          $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) = frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_k right) - frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_{k-1} right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(sum_{k=1}^n [f(x_k) - f(x_{k-1})] right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(f(b) - f(a) right), $$



          where the last equality follows because the sum is telescoping.



          Now observe that $U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) to 0$ as $n to infty$ and for all $n > frac{(b-a)(f(b)-f(a))}{epsilon}$ we have



          $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) < epsilon$$






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            An increasing function has at worst a countable number of discontinuities where right- and left-hand limits exist.



            Take a uniform partition $P_n = (x_0,x_1, ldots, x_n) $ with $x_k = a + (b-a)k/n$ and let $f_-(x)$ and $f_+(x)$ denote the left- and right-hand limits. Of course if $f$ is continuous at $x$, then $f_-(x) = f_+(x)$.



            Allowing for discontinuities at partition points we have $f_-(x_k) leqslant f(x_k) leqslant f_+(x_k)$ where the value $f(x_k)$ could be taken to be anywhere in $[f_-(x_k), f_+(x_k)]$ without affecting the integral.



            It is always true that $sup_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_k)$ and $inf_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_{k-1})$ regardless of how values are defined at discontinuity points.



            Thus,



            $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) = frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_k right) - frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_{k-1} right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(sum_{k=1}^n [f(x_k) - f(x_{k-1})] right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(f(b) - f(a) right), $$



            where the last equality follows because the sum is telescoping.



            Now observe that $U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) to 0$ as $n to infty$ and for all $n > frac{(b-a)(f(b)-f(a))}{epsilon}$ we have



            $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) < epsilon$$






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              An increasing function has at worst a countable number of discontinuities where right- and left-hand limits exist.



              Take a uniform partition $P_n = (x_0,x_1, ldots, x_n) $ with $x_k = a + (b-a)k/n$ and let $f_-(x)$ and $f_+(x)$ denote the left- and right-hand limits. Of course if $f$ is continuous at $x$, then $f_-(x) = f_+(x)$.



              Allowing for discontinuities at partition points we have $f_-(x_k) leqslant f(x_k) leqslant f_+(x_k)$ where the value $f(x_k)$ could be taken to be anywhere in $[f_-(x_k), f_+(x_k)]$ without affecting the integral.



              It is always true that $sup_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_k)$ and $inf_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_{k-1})$ regardless of how values are defined at discontinuity points.



              Thus,



              $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) = frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_k right) - frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_{k-1} right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(sum_{k=1}^n [f(x_k) - f(x_{k-1})] right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(f(b) - f(a) right), $$



              where the last equality follows because the sum is telescoping.



              Now observe that $U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) to 0$ as $n to infty$ and for all $n > frac{(b-a)(f(b)-f(a))}{epsilon}$ we have



              $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) < epsilon$$






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                up vote
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                An increasing function has at worst a countable number of discontinuities where right- and left-hand limits exist.



                Take a uniform partition $P_n = (x_0,x_1, ldots, x_n) $ with $x_k = a + (b-a)k/n$ and let $f_-(x)$ and $f_+(x)$ denote the left- and right-hand limits. Of course if $f$ is continuous at $x$, then $f_-(x) = f_+(x)$.



                Allowing for discontinuities at partition points we have $f_-(x_k) leqslant f(x_k) leqslant f_+(x_k)$ where the value $f(x_k)$ could be taken to be anywhere in $[f_-(x_k), f_+(x_k)]$ without affecting the integral.



                It is always true that $sup_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_k)$ and $inf_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_{k-1})$ regardless of how values are defined at discontinuity points.



                Thus,



                $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) = frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_k right) - frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_{k-1} right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(sum_{k=1}^n [f(x_k) - f(x_{k-1})] right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(f(b) - f(a) right), $$



                where the last equality follows because the sum is telescoping.



                Now observe that $U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) to 0$ as $n to infty$ and for all $n > frac{(b-a)(f(b)-f(a))}{epsilon}$ we have



                $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) < epsilon$$






                share|cite|improve this answer














                An increasing function has at worst a countable number of discontinuities where right- and left-hand limits exist.



                Take a uniform partition $P_n = (x_0,x_1, ldots, x_n) $ with $x_k = a + (b-a)k/n$ and let $f_-(x)$ and $f_+(x)$ denote the left- and right-hand limits. Of course if $f$ is continuous at $x$, then $f_-(x) = f_+(x)$.



                Allowing for discontinuities at partition points we have $f_-(x_k) leqslant f(x_k) leqslant f_+(x_k)$ where the value $f(x_k)$ could be taken to be anywhere in $[f_-(x_k), f_+(x_k)]$ without affecting the integral.



                It is always true that $sup_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_k)$ and $inf_{x in [x_{k-1},x_k]}f(x) = f(x_{k-1})$ regardless of how values are defined at discontinuity points.



                Thus,



                $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) = frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_k right) - frac{b-a}{n}sum_{k=1}^nfleft(x_{k-1} right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(sum_{k=1}^n [f(x_k) - f(x_{k-1})] right) \ = frac{b-a}{n} left(f(b) - f(a) right), $$



                where the last equality follows because the sum is telescoping.



                Now observe that $U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) to 0$ as $n to infty$ and for all $n > frac{(b-a)(f(b)-f(a))}{epsilon}$ we have



                $$U(P_n,f) - L(P_n,f) < epsilon$$







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                edited 2 hours ago

























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                RRL

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