Existence and Uniqueness of a Fixed Point

Myat Tha Zin Hlaing

Lecturer
Department of Mathematics
Univeristy of Mandalay
09 5400201
Abstract: It is collected some definitions and results. It is shown that if a function
from an interval into itself is continuous and its derivative exists except endpoints of
the given interval with its absolute value less than one, then it has exactly a fixed
point in a given interval. It is illustrated that there exists which a function has exactly
a fixed point unless it satisfy the assumption. To find this number it is used by fixed-
point iteration method. Finally, it is shown that there exists a sequence converges to a
unique fixed point.
Keywords: roots, fixed-point, existence, uniqueness, convergence
1. Introduction
Luitzen Egbertus Jan Brouwer (1881-1966), who, worked in topology, set
theory, measure theory and complex analysis. He was regarded as one of the greatest
mathematician of the 20th century. He is known as the founder of modern topology
and his famous theorem is fixed-point theorem: if a function g from a closed interval
into itself is continuous then it has at least one fixed point.
In this paper, first we collect some basic definitions such as continuous
function, convergence of sequence of real numbers and differentiable function. Also,
recall that some results such as Intermediate Value Theorem and Mean Value
Theorem. A fixed point for a function is a number which the image of a number
under the given function does not change. Adding the assumption of Brouwer's
theorem, derivative of the function g exist except endpoints of a given interval with
absolute value of it is less than one, it has exactly one fixed point (Theorem 3.2). But,
unless satisfying this assumption, a function has a fixed point (Example 3.5). It is not
easy to find this fixed point. It is used to find approximating method, called, Fixed-

Point Iteration. Finally, it is proved that for any number in a given interval, there is

a sequence in a given interval converges to a unique fixed point p, in in that

interval. To draw graphs it is used Maple 2020 software and online latex equation
editor, LateX4technics.
2. Basic Facts
In this section we collect some basic definitions and results to use them in next
section.

2.1 Definition Let f be a function on an interval of real numbers and

The function f is said to be continuous at if

The function f is continuous on if it is continuous on every number in .

The set of all continuous functions on is denoted by

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2.2 Example The function f is defined by is continuous on , the set of all

real numbers but g is defined by

is not continuous at (See Figure 2.1.)

(a) (b)
Figure 2.1. (a) Graph of f(x) = x, (b) Graph of function g in Example 2.2

2.3 Definition Let be an infinite sequence of real numbers. The sequence is

said to be converge to x if, for any there exists a positive number N such that if

In this case we write and x is called the limit of the sequence. The
sequence is said to be diverge if it does not converge.

2.4 Example The where converges to 0 but the sequence

where diverges. (See Figure 2.2.)

(a) (b)
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Figure 2.2. (a) Graph of sequemce , (b) Graph of sequence

2.5 Theorem If f is a function defined on and then the following

statements are equivalent:
(a) f is continuous at

(b) If is any sequence in converging to then

2.6 Definition Let f be a function defined in an open interval containing The

function f is said to be differentiable at if

exists. The number is called the derivative of f at A function that has

derivative at each number in an interval is differentiable on .

2.7 Theorem (Mean Value Theorem) If and f is differentiable on ,

then a number c in exists with

(See Figure 2.3.)

Figure 2.3. Mean Value Theorem for

2.8 Theorem ( Intermediate Value Theorem) If and L is any number
between and , then there exists a number in such
(See Figure 2.4.)
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Figure 2.4. Intermediate Value Theorem for

3. Finding Fixed Point
A fixed point for a function is a number at which the value of a function does not
change when the function is applied. We find fixed points for some functions and
show that there exists a unique fixed-point for a continuous function from a closed
interval to itself with its derivative exists for each point in this interval except
endpoints.

3.1 Definition A number p is a fixed point for a given function g if

For given a root-finding problem we can define functions g with a fixed
point at p in a number of ways, for example, as follows:
or .
Conversely, if the function g has a fixed point at p, then the function f defined by

has a zero at p. When a function has fixed points, how to find them as follows.

3.2 Example We determine any fixed points of the function Let p be a

fixed point for g. Then

The fixed points for g are and .

Geometrically, a fixed point for g occurs precisely when the graph of
intersects the graph So, g has two fixed points at and . These are
shown in Figure 3.1.

Figure 3.1. Fixed points for

The following theorem gives sufficient conditions for the existence and
uniqueness of a fixed point.
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3.3 Theorem (a) If and for all , then g has a least one
fixed point in
(b) If, in addition, exists on and a positive constant exists with
for all then there is exactly one fixed point in (See Figure
3.2.)

Figure 3.2. Fixed point for

Proof. (a) If or then g has a fixed point at an endpoint. If not,
and The function is continuous on , with
and
The Intermediate Value Theorem implies that there exists for which
This number p is a fixed point for g because

(b) Suppose, in addition, that and that p and q both fixed points in

If the Mean Value Theorem implies that a number exists between p and
q such that

Thus

which is impossible. Hence, and the fixed point in is unique. 

3.4 Example We show that the function has a unique fixed point on

the interval The maximum and minimum values of for x in must

occur either when x is an endpoint of the interval or when the derivative is 0. Since

, the function g is continuous and exists on The maximum

and minimum values of occur at or But

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and So, an absolute maximum for on at and and

an absolute minimum at
Moreover,

for all So, by Theorem 3.2, g has a unique fixed point in

Now we find the unique fixed point p in the interval can be determined

algebraically. If then

Since is outside of the interval , it is impossible.

Thus, (See Figure 3.3(a).)

Also, g has a unique fixed point for the interval

In fact, we have and So, g does not satisfy the

hypothesis of Theorem 3.3 on This demonstrates the hypotheses of Theorem

3.3 are sufficient to guarantee a unique fixed point but are not necessary. (See Figure
3.3(b).)

(a) (b)

Figure 3.3(a) Fixed point of the function g on and

The following example shows that Theorem 3.3 does not guarantee that a
function has a unique fixed point.

3.5 Example We consider the function on Since

on the function g is strictly decreasing on So,
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Thus, for we have

Hence by Theorem 3.3(a), there is at least one fixed point in However,

so on Thus, Theorem 3.3 cannot be used to determine uniqueness.

But g is always decreasing, and it must have the unique fixed point.(See Figure 3.4.)

Figure 3.4. Fixed point for the function g on [0,1]

3.6 Fixed-ThisPoint Iteration
We cannot explicity determine the fixed point in Example 3.5 because we have
now way to solve We can however determine approximations to this
fixed point to any specified degree of accuracy.
To approximate the fixed point of a function g, we choose an initial
approximation and generate the sequence by letting for each
If the sequence converges to p and g is continuous, then

and a solution to is obtained. This technique is called fixed-point of

functional iteration. The procedure is illustrated in Figure 3.5.

Figure 3.5. Illustration of fixed-point iteration

The following example illustrates to find fixed point for given function.

3.7 Example The equation of has a unique root in (See Figure

3.6.) There are many ways to change the equation to the fixed-point form
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using simple algebraic manipulation. For example, we can manipulate the equation

as follows:

Figure 3.6. Graph of

To obtain a positive solution, is chosen. We should verify that the fixed point of

each is actually a solution to the origin equation, .

(a) (b)

(c) (d) (e)

With Table 3.1 lists the results of the fixed-point iteration for all five
choices of g.
Table 3.1
n (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)
0 1.5. 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

1 −0.875 0.8165 1.286953768 1.348399725 1.373333333

2 6.732 2.9969 1.402540804 1.367376372 1.365262015

3 −469.7 (−8.65)1/2 1.345458374 1.364957015 1.365230014

4 1.375170253 1.365264748 1.365230013

1.03
5 1.360094193 1.365225594

6 1.367846968 1.365230576

7 1.363887004 1.365229942

8 1.365916734 1.365230022

9 1.364878217 1.365230012
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10 1.365410062 1.365230014

15 1.365223680 1.365230013

20 1.365230236

25 1.365230006

30 1.365230013

The actual root is 1.365230013. It is interesting to note that choice (a) was divergent and
that (b) become undefined.

3.8 Theorem (Fixed-Point Theorem) Let be such that for all

x in . Suppose, in addition, that exists on and that a constant
exists with

for all Then for any number in , the sequence defined by

,

converges to the unique fixed point p in .

Proof. By Theorem 3.3, there exists a unique fixed point . Since g maps

into itself, the sequence is defined for all and for all n.

By using the fact that and the Mean Value Theorem, we have for each n,

where Continuing in this way,

Since , we have

and
That is, for every there is a positive integer N such that if

Hence converges to p. 
3.9 Corollary If g satisfies the hypotheses of Theorem 3.8, then bounds for the error
involved in using to approximate p is given by

and

for all
Proof. Because
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For

Thus, for

By Theorem 3.3, Since we write


3.10 Example We reconsider the various fixed-point schemes described in the
preceding Example 3.7 by using Theorem 3.8 and Corollary 3.9.

(a) For we have and . Thus does not

map into itself. Moreover, for all x in . By

Theorem 3.8, the sequence does not converge.

(b) For , we can see that does not map into itself. The

sequence is not defined in when . By Theorem 3.8, the sequence

does not converge.

(c) For , we have

on . So, is strictly decreasing on . However, so the

condition fails on . Since , it suffices to consider the interval

instead of . On this interval and so is strictly decreasing.

Moreover,
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for all This shows that maps into itself. Also,

, on this interval. Hence, by Theorem 3.8, the sequence

converges.

(d) For we have

for all The bound on the magnitude of is much smaller than the bound

on the magnitude of which explains the more rapid convergence using

(e) The sequence defined by

converges much more rapidly than our other choices.

4. Conclusion
We are familiar with solving an equation of one variable. In other words, it is
to find the roots of the given equation. To find a fixed point of a given function, g(x)

=x, we rewrite . Thus, finding a fixed point is to solve the rewriting

equation. Adding to the assumption of Brouwer's theorem, a given function has
derivative at each point in a given interval except endpoints of that interval, it has
exactly, fixed point. But it is found that a function has exactly fixed point unless it
satisfy assumption previous statement. But it is not easy to calculate it. So, it is used
to find Fixed-Point Iteration method. From this procedure, for any number in a given,
we construct a sequence in that interval converges to a fixed point. So, in this paper, it
gives a numerical approach to understand abstract subject, real analysis.
Acknowledgements
This paper has benefited from all of our teachers and colleagues who gave
generously of their time and expertise. My special thanks to parents and all brothers
and sisters who give patiently support throughout my life.
References
[1] R. L. Burden and J. D. Faires, " Numerical Analysis", Ninth Edition, Brooks/Cole, Cenguge
Learning, Boston, USA, 2011.
[2] W. A.J. Kosmala, "A Friendly Introduction to Analysis Simple and Multivariable",
Second Edition., Upper Sanddle River, Pearson Education Inc., 2004.
[3] W. Rundin, "Principles of Mathematical Analysis", Third Edition, McFraw-Hill Inc., New York,
1976.
[4] http://www.bu.edu>2013/08>tikzpgfmanual," TikZ and PGF"
[5] http://www. latex4technics.com,"LateX4technics"