CHAPTER 5

Bounded Linear Operators

BY

Prof. M. Saha

Professor of Mathematics
The University of Burdwan
West Bengal, India
E-mail : mantusaha.bu@gmail.com
 Module-2: Norm of Bounded Linear Operators

Theorem 5.2.1:
||T || = sup ||T x||, for T ∈ Bd L(X, Y ).
||x||=1

Proof: Let, ||x|| = a ̸= 0. Put y = x

||x||
. So ||y|| = 1.
( )
||T (x)||
So ||T (x)|| = · ||x|| = ||T (y)|| ||x|| ≤ sup ||T y|| ||x||
||x|| ||y||=1
( )
sup ||T (x)|| ≤ sup ||T y|| sup ||x|| ≤ sup ||T y||
||x||≤1 ||y||=1 ||x||≤1 ||y||=1

=⇒ ||T || ≤ sup ||T y|| (5.2.1)

||y||=1

Again, sup ||T x|| ≥ ||T x|| ∀ ||x|| ≤ 1.

||x||≤1

In particular sup ||T x|| ≥ ||T y|| as ||y|| = 1

||x||≤1

So ||T || ≥ sup ||T y|| (5.2.2)

||y||=1

Combining (5.2.1) and (5.2.2) we get,

||T || = sup ||T y||

||y||=1

Theorem 5.2.2: Let, X and Y be two normed linear spaces over the same field of
scalars F . Also let, T ∈ Bd L(X, Y ), Then,
{ }
||T || = inf M > 0 : ||T x|| ≤ M ||x||, ∀ x ∈ X

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 Chapter 5 Bounded Linear Operators

Proof: Let x ̸= 0, put, y = x

||x||
. So ||y|| = 1.
¯
But, ||T || = sup ||T x|| (by Theorem 5.2.1)
||x||=1

So ||T y|| ≤ ||T ||

 x 
=⇒ T  ≤ ||T ||
||x||
=⇒ ||T x|| ≤ ||T || ||x||

{ }
Let M0 = inf M > 0 : ||T x|| ≤ M ||x|| ∀ x ∈ X . So M0 ≤ ||T || (5.2.3)

As T ∈ Bd L(X, Y ) ∃ M > 0 such that,

||T x|| ≤ M ||x||, ∀ x ∈ X. =⇒ sup ||T x|| ≤ M.

||x||=1

Now M0 is the infimum of all M such that

||T x|| ≤ M ||x||. Thus ||T x|| ≤ M0 ||x||

Thus sup ||T x|| ≤ M0
||x||=1

=⇒ ||T || ≤ M0 . (5.2.4)

From (5.2.3) and (5.2.4) we see that ||T || = M0 = inf{M > 0 : ||T x|| ≤ M ||x||,
∀ x ∈ X}.

Theorem 5.2.3: Let X and Y be two normed linear spaces over the same field of
scalars F and let, T ∈ Bd L(X, Y ). Then,
||T x||
||T || = sup
x̸=0 ||x||
¯
.

Proof: Let β = sup ||T x||

||x||
.
x̸=0
We shall first prove¯that ||T || ≥ β. Let, ϵ > 0 be arbitrary.
||T x1 ||
By property of supremum, ∃ x1 ̸= 0 such that ||x1 ||
>β−ϵ
x1
Let y= . So |y|| = 1
||x1 ||
=⇒ ||T y|| > β − ϵ
=⇒ sup ||T y|| ≥ β − ϵ
||y||=1

=⇒ ||T || ≥ β − ϵ

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Chapter 5 Bounded Linear Operators

As ϵ > 0 is arbitrary, ||T || ≥ β. If possible, let ||T || > β. Let ϵ = ||T || − β.

For x ̸= 0, ||T x||
||x||
≤ β < ||T || − ϵ/2
¯ ( )
=⇒ ||T x|| < ||T || − ϵ/2 ||x||,
which is not possible as ||T || is the infimum of all M > 0 such that
||T x|| ≤ M ||x|| ∀x ∈ X.
||T x||
||T || = β = sup
x̸=0 ||x||
¯
Problem 5.2.1: Let, T : c[a, b] → c[a, b] defined by T (f ) = ψ, f ∈ c[a, b] where c[a, b]
∫x
is equipped with sup norm and ψ(x) = a f (t) dt, a ≤ x ≤ b. Find ||T ||.

Solution: Clearly, ψ ∈ c[a, b]. Clearly T is linear.

Now, ||T f || = ||ψ|| = sup |ψ(x)|

a≤x≤b
∫ x 
 
= sup  f (t) dt
a≤x≤b
∫ xa
≤ sup |f (t)| dt
a≤x≤b a
∫ x
≤ ||f || sup dt
a≤x≤b a
= ||f || sup (x − a)
a≤x≤b
= ||f ||(b − a)

This implies that T is a bounded linear operator. So, sup ||T f || ≤ (b − a), implying
||f ||=1
that ||T || ≤ (b − a).
Let f0 (t) = 1 ∀ t ∈ [a, b]. So f0 ∈ c[a, b].
∫x
Let T (f0 ) = ψ0 (say), where ψ0 (x) = a f0 (t) dt.
But ||f0 || = 1.

So, ||T || = sup ||T f || ≥ ||T f0 || = ||ψ0 ||

||f ||=1

= sup |ψ0 (x)|

a≤xleqb
∫ x 
 
= sup  f0 (t) dt = b − a.
a≤x≤b a

Thus ||T || ≥ (b − a).

Consequently ||T || = (b − a).

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Chapter 5 Bounded Linear Operators

Example 5.2.1: Give an example of two bounded linear operators A, B on a normed

linear space for which AB ̸= BA.

Solution: Let, E = c[0, 1] where c[0, 1] is equipped with sup norm. Define A, B :
∫1
c[0, 1] → c[0, 1] by Ax(t) = 0 stx(t) dt and Bx(s) = sx(s), t, s ∈ [0, 1] and x ∈ c[0, 1].
Clearly A and B are continuous linear operator mapping E into itself.
∫1 ∫1 ∫1 ∫1
Now ABx = 0 st2 x(t) dt = s 0 t2 x(t) dt and BAx = s 0 stx(t) dt = s2 0 tx(t) dt,
showing that AB(x) ̸= BA(x) for all x ∈ c[0, 1]. Hence AB ̸= BA.

Remark 5.2.1: For two bounded linear operators A, B : X → X, ||AB|| ≤ ||A|| ||B||.

Proof:
||AB|| = sup ||(AB)(x)||
||x||≤1
( )
= sup ||A B(x) ||
||x||≤1

≤ ||A|| sup ||B(x)||

||x||≤1

≤ ||A|| ||B||

Corollary 5.2.1: Let, A : X → Y be a bounded linear operator then for any positive
integer n, ||An || ≤ ||A||n .

Proof: In Remark 5.2.1, let B = A,

||A2 || ≤ ||A||2 . Thus the results is true for n = 2. Let the result is true for n = m i.e.
||Am || ≤ ||A||m .
Let, n = m + 1

||Am+1 || = ||A · Am || = ||A|| ||Am ||

≤ ||A|| ||A||m = ||A||m+1

Thus, the result is true for n = m + 1 and hence the result follows by Principle of
Mathematical Induction.

Theorem 5.2.4: Let X and Y be two normed linear spaces over the same field of
scalars. Let T : X → Y be a linear operator which is onto then, T −1 : Y → X exists
and continuous iff ∃ a constant m > 0 such that m||x|| ≤ ||T (x)||, ∀ x ∈ X.

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Chapter 5 Bounded Linear Operators

Proof: Let the condition holds. That is ∃ m > 0 such that m||x|| ≤ ||T (x)|| ∀ x ∈ X.
Let T (x) = θY for x ∈ X. So ||T (x)|| = 0 for x ∈ X. So, m||x|| ≤ 0.
That is ||x|| = 0, and hence x = θX . Thus T (x) = θY =⇒ x = θX .
Also, x = θX is unique and can be proved easily. So T −1 : Y → X exists. Also it
can be shown that T −1 : Y → X is linear (see Theorem 5.1.1). Let y ∈ Y so there
exists x ∈ X such that T −1 (y) = x. So, m||x|| ≤ ||T (x)||
=⇒ ||T −1 (y)|| ≤ 1
m
||y|| = k||y||, k = 1/m > 0
i.e., ||T −1 (y)|| ≤ k||y|| ∀ y ∈ Y .
So, T −1 : Y → X is bounded and hence by Theorem 5.1.2 T −1 : Y → X is continuous.
Again conversely let the linear operator T −1 : Y → X exists and continuous. So,
T −1 : Y → X is bounded.
Let y ∈ Y . So ∃ x ∈ X such that T −1 (y) = x =⇒ T (x) = y. So ∃ a constant k > 0
such that

||T −1 (y)|| ≤ k||y|| ∀ y ∈ Y

=⇒ ||x|| ≤ k||T (x)||
1
=⇒ ||x|| ≤ ||T (x)||
k
=⇒ m||x|| ≤ ||T (x)|| where m = 1/k > 0.

So the condition holds.

Hence the proof.

Theorem 5.2.5: Let X be a Banach space, Y be a normed linear space and let T :
X → Y be a bijective and continuous linear operator. If T −1 : Y → X exist and
continuous then Y is a Banach space.

Proof: Let, {yn } be a Cauchy sequence in Y . So ∃ {xn } ∈ X such that T (xn ) = yn .

Now ||yn − ym || = ||T (xn ) − T (xm )||

= ||T (xn − xm )||
≥ k||xn − xm ||, for some k > 0 (by theorem 5.2.4)
=⇒ ||xn − xm || ≤ 1/k||yn − ym || → 0 as n, m → ∞

So, {xn } is a Cauchy sequence in X. Since X is complete. Let lim xn = x0 ∈ X (say).

n→∞
Now lim yn = lim T (xn ) = T (x0 ) = y0 ∈ Y (say). So yn → y0 ∈ Y as n → ∞.
n n
Hence Y is complete and consequently Y is a Banach space.