Real Analysis HW 11 Solutions

Problem 9: Show that in Young’s inequality there is equality if and only if ap = bq .

Solution: It is clear that if ap = bq then there is equality. Now suppose that we have
equality
1 1
ab = ap + bq .
p q
We may assume that a, b 6= 0. Upon dividing by ab and using the fact that
 p 1/q  q 1/p
ap−1 a bq−1 b
= q
, and = ,
b b a ap
we obtain 1/q 1/p
ap bq
 
1 1
+ = 1.
p bq q ap
Denoting x := ap /bq and multiplying by x1/p we find
1 1/q+1/p 1
x + = 1,
p q
and therefore x = 1, which implies ap = bq . 
n
Problem 11: For a point x = (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ) in R , define Tx to be the step function on
the interval [1, n + 1) that takes the value xk on the interval [k, k + 1), for 1 ≤ k ≤ n. For
p ≥ 1, define kxkp = kTx kp , the norm of the function Tx in Lp [1, n + 1). Show that this
defines a norm on Rn . State and prove the Hölder and Minkowski inequalities for this norm.
Solution: It is clear that if α, β ∈ R and u, v ∈ Rn , then
Tαu+βv = αTu + βTv .
Also we see that Tx = 0 if and only if x = 0. It is now easy to see that k · kp inherits a
the properties of the norm from Lp (1, n + 1]. In particular Minkowski’s inequality follows
directly
ku + vkp = kTu + Tv kp ≤ kTu kp + kTv kp = kukp + kvkp .
Hölder’s inequality follows from the fact that
X n Z n+1
ui vi = Tu · Tv ≤ kTu kp kTv kq = kukp kvkq .
i=1 1

1
 
Problem 12: For 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞ and a sequence a = (a1 , a2 , . . .) ∈ `p , define Ta to be the
function on the interval [1, ∞) that takes the value ak on [k, k + 1), for k = 1, 2, . . .. Show
that Ta belongs to Lp [1, ∞) and that kakp = kTa kp . Use this to state and prove the Hölder
and Minkowski inequalities in `p .
Solution: Since {[k, k + 1)} are disjoint, is it easy to see that
n
X
p
|Ta | = |ak |p χ[k,k+1) .
k=1

Therefore for each n ≥ 0,

Z n+1 n
X
|Ta |p = |ak |p .
1 k=1

It follows by monotone convergence that

Z ∞ ∞
X
kTa kp = |Ta |p = |ak |p = kakp ,
1 k=1

and therefore Ta ∈ Lp [1, ∞) if and only if a ∈ `p .

Similarly to the previous problem if a, b ∈ `p , and α, β ∈ R, then

Tαa+βb = αTa + βTb .

Minkowski’s inequality follows since

ka + bkp = kTa + Tb kp ≤ kTa kp + kTb kp = kakp + kbkp .

Also since ∞
X
Ta · Tb = ak bk χ[k,k+1) ,
k=1

we see that if a ∈ ` and b ∈ ` for 1/p + 1/q = 1, then by Hölder’s inequality for Lp [1, ∞)
p q

we conclude ∞ Z ∞
X
ak bk = Ta · Tb ≤ kTa kp kTb kq = kakp kbkq .
k=1 1


Problem 13: Show that if f is a bounded function on E that belongs to Lp1 (E), then it
belongs to Lp2 (E) for any p2 > p1 .
Solution: Suppse |f | is bounded by M , then |f
M
|
≤ 1, and since p1 < p2 ,
 p2  p1
|f | |f |
≤ .
M M

2
Integrating both sides, we conclude
Z Z
p2 p2 −p1
|f | ≤M |f |p1 .
E E

The results follows. 

Problem 14: Show that if f (x) = ln (1/x) for x ∈ (0, 1], then f belongs to Lp (0, 1] for all
1 ≤ p < ∞ but does not belong to L∞ (0, 1].
Solution: Clearly f is not in L∞ (0, 1] since it becomes unbounded as x approaches 0.
However we see by a change of variables u = − ln(x) that
Z 1 Z ∞
p
| ln(1/x)| dx = up e−u du < ∞
0 0

for all p ≥ 1. Therefore f ∈ Lp (0, 1] for all 1 ≤ p < ∞. 

Problem 20: For 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, q the conjugate of p, and f ∈ Lp (E), show that f = 0 if and
only if Z
f · g = 0 for all g ∈ Lq (E).
E
R
Solution: Clearly if f = 0, then E
f · g = 0. Now suppose the converse. Note that

|f |p−1
g = sgn(f )
kf kp−1
p

is in Lq (E) and has the property that

Z
f · g = kf kp .
E

Therefore by assumption kf kp = 0, which implies f = 0. 

Problem 21: For 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, find the values of the parameter λ for which
1 
Z
lim f = 0 for all f ∈ Lp [0, 1].
→0+ λ 0

Solution: It suffices to consider f non-negative, since we may always consider f + and f −

seperately. Suppose that λ ≤ 1/q, then by Hölders inequality,
Z  Z  1/p
1 1/q−λ p
f ≤ f .
λ 0 0

Since f is in Lp , we have Z 
lim f p = 0.
→0 0

3
Thus, Z 
1
lim λ f = 0.
→0  0

Now suppose λ > 1/q and choose f = λxλ−1 , note that since p(λ−1) > −1, then f ∈ Lp [0, 1].
However
1  λ−1
Z
λx = 1,
λ 0
and therefore does not vanish as  goes to 0.