1

Bolzanos Theorem

Let be a < b R real numbers and let be f : [a, b] R a continuous function and
suppose f (a) < 0 < f (b). Then, there exists a number c (a, b) that f (c) = 0.
Proof
a0 + b0
Let be a0 = a and b0 = b, for an other side, let be =
. Suppose that f () 6= 0,
2
then there are only two cases possible:
f () < 0 and we take a1 = y b1 = b0
f () > 0 and we take b1 = y a1 = a0
And with that idea we can produce an interval [a1 , b1 ] [a0 , b0 ] with diameter
d1 = b1 a1 =

b0 a0
d0
=
2
2

Since f (a1 ) < 0 < f (b1 ), we can repeat other time the same scheme to make a new
interval [a2 , b2 ] and so one.
Therefore we could build a sequence of decreasing intervals
[a0 , b0 ] [a1 , b1 ] [a2 , b2 ] . . .
Furthermore, the diameters are a decreasing succession of positive numbers with limit
zero.
dn1
d1
d0
dn =
= . . . = n1 = n
2
2
2
Therefore, there exists an only number c in the limit
{c} =

[an , bn ]

n=0

Indeed, we have
a0 a1 a2 . . . an . . . c . . . bn . . . b2 b1 b0 .
Assume that f (c) > 0, since the function is continuous, there is a positive number > 0
such that
f (x) > 0,
x 6= c : x (c , c + )
Though, we have an n-th subinterval sufficiently small such that
c [an , bn ] (c , c + )
Therefore, we obtain a contradiction, so it mustnt be f (c) > 0. The proof is completely
analogous or similar if we admit that f (c) < 0. Therefore, the entire matter is reduced
to a contradiction. The only case possible is f (c) = 0, and weve finished the proof. 
1

Intermediate Value Theorem

Let be a, b R, a < b, real numbers and let be f : [a, b] R a continuous function.

We suppose that f (a) < f (b), (itifcompletely analogous if f (a) > f (b)). It is true that
for each number such that f (a) < < f (b) there exists a number : a < <
b and f () = .
Proof
Assume that we have a number with f (a) < < f (b). Then, we can define a
function F (x) = f (x) . Obviously, since f is continuous, the function F : [a, b] R
it is also, and moreover F (a) < 0 < F (b). Therefore, the function F verify the Bolzanos
theorem. So, there is a number (a, b) such that F () = 0 f () = . The proof is
completed.