SOME RESULTS ABOUT METRIC, VECTOR, AND NORMED

SPACES

SAAQIB MAHMOOD

Theorem 1. Let (X, d) be a metric space, let a X, let , R, and let the
map fa : X R be defined as follows:

fa (x) : = d(x, a) + for all x X.

The map fa is uniformly continuous on X.

Proof. We know that, for any points w, x, y X,

(0.1) |d(w, x) d(w, y)| d(x, y). [Show this yourself.]

So, for any points x1 , x2 X, we have

|fa (x1 ) fa (x2 )| = |( d(x1 , a) + ) ( d(x2 , a) + )|

= || |d(x1 , a) d(x2 , a)|
(0.2) || d(x1 , x2 ). [ using 0.1 and the fact that || 0. ]

So, given a real number > 0, let us choose a real number such that

0<< .
1 + ||
Then for any two points x1 , x2 X such that d(x1 , x2 ) < , we have

|fa (x1 ) fa (x2 )| || d(x1 , x2 ) [ using 0.2 above ]

|| [because 0 d(x1 , x2 ) < < 1+|| and || 0.]
1 + ||
||
< [ because 0 1+|| < 1.]

Thus, given any real number > 0, we can find a real number > 0 such that
|fa (x1 ) fa (x2 )| <  for all points x1 , x2 X for which d(x1 , x2 ) < . Hence fa is
uniformly continuous on X.

Theorem 2. Let (X, d) be a metric space such that the set X is also a vector space
over some field K. Then the metric d is induced by some norm on X if and only if
d satisfies the following two conditions.

d(w + x, w + y) = d(x, y) for all w, x, y X.

d(x, y) = || d(x, y) for all x, y X and K.

1
2 SAAQIB MAHMOOD

Proof. Suppose that d is induced by some norm kk on X. This, by definition,

means that
d(x, y) = kx yk for all x, y X.
So, for any points w, x, y X, we have
d(w + x, w + y) = k(w + x) (w + y)k
= kx yk
= d(x, y).
And, for any points x, y X and scalars K, we have
d(x, y) = kx yk
= || kx yk [ using the property N3 of the norm]
= || d(x, y).
Conversely, suppose that d satisfies the two conditions given in the statement of
this theorem. Let denote the zero vector in X. Lets define a function : X R
as follows:
(x) : = d(x, ) for all x X.
We show that this function satisfies all the four properties N1 through N4 of a
norm.
N1: Using the property M1 for the metric d, we can conclude that (x) 0 for
all x X.
N2: Using the property M2 for the metric d, we note that, for any point x X,
we have
(x) = 0 if and only if d(x, ) = 0,
and
d(x, ) = 0 if and only if x = .
So, for any point x X, we can conclude that (x) = 0 if and only if x = .
N3: Using the second one of the two condition given in the statement of this
theorem, we see that, for any point x X and any scalar K, we have
(x) = d(x, )
= d(x, ) [ Note that = .]
= || d(x, ) [ It is here that we have used our second condition.]
= || (x).
Thus, the function satisfies the property N3 of a norm.
N4: Using the first one of the two conditions in the statement of this theorem,
we see that, for any points x, y X, we have
(x + y) = d(x + y, )
d(x + y, y) + d(y, )
= d(y + x, y + ) + d(y, )
= d(x, ) + d(y, ) [Here we have used our first condition. ]
= (x) + (y).
Thus we have shown that the function : X R is a norm on X. Finally, we
show that our metric d is induced by this norm .
 SOME RESULTS ABOUT METRIC, VECTOR, AND NORMED SPACES 3

Note that, for any points x, y X,

d(x, y) = d(x + , + y) [ Note that is the zero vector in X.]
= d (x + (y + y), + y)
= d ((x y) + y, + y)
= d (y + (x y), y + )
= d(x y, ) [ Here we have used our first condition.]
= (x y),
which shows that the metric d is indeed induced by the norm on X, as required.
Theorem 3. Let X be a real or complex normed space, and let Y be a finite-
dimensional (vector) subspace of X. Then Y is closed in X.
Proof. Suppose dim Y = n and let {e1 , . . . , en } be a basis for Y . Since e1 , . . . , en
are linearly independent in X, by the linear combination lemma (i.e. Lemma 2.4-1
in [1]), there is a positive real number such that, for all n-tuples (1 , . . . , n ) of
scalars, we have
(0.3) k1 e1 + + n en k (|1 | + + |n |) .
Suppose y Y , where Y denotes the closure of Y in X. Then, by Theorem 1.4-6
(a) in [1], there is a sequence (ym )mN : = (y1 , y2 , y3 , . . .) that converges to the
point y.
Since the sequence (ym )mN is convergent, it is Cauchy. So, given a real number
> 0, we can find a natural number N such that
(0.4) kyj yk k < for all j, k N such that j > N and k > N.
Note that > 0, by 0.3 above.
Now for each m N, the point ym is in Y , so this point can be written (uniquely)
as a linear combination of the basis vectors in the form
(0.5) ym = m1 e1 + + mn en ,
where m1 , , mn are scalars.
Let us fix a subscript r {1, . . . , n}. We show that the sequence
(mr )mN : = (1r , 2r , 3r , . . .)
is a Cauchy sequence.
Thus, using 0.3 and 0.4 above, we can conclude that, for all j, k N such that
j > N and k > N , we have
> kyj yk k
= k(j1 e1 + + jn en ) (k1 e1 + + kn en )k [using 0.5]
= k(j1 k1 ) e1 + + (jn kn ) en k
(|j1 k1 | + + |jn kn |) [ by 0.3]
|jr kr | ,
and as > 0, we have
> |jr kr | for all j, k N such that j > N and k > N.
Since > 0 was arbitrary, it follows that the sequence (mr )mN is a Cauchy
sequence in the usual metric spaces R or C.
4 SAAQIB MAHMOOD

As both R and C are complete, so the sequence (mr )mN is convergent. Let us
put
r : = lim mr .
m
Since r {1, . . . , n} was arbitrary, we obtain an n-tuple (1 , . . . , n ) of scalars,
where
(0.6) r : = lim mr for each r = 1, . . . , n.
m

Let us take
(0.7) v : = 1 e1 + + n en .
As e1 , . . . , en all belong to Y and as Y is a vector subspace of X, so it follows that
the point v is in Y also.
We show that the sequence (ym )mN converges to the point v.
Using 0.6 above, we can, for each r {1, . . . , n}, find a natural number Nr such
that

|mr r | < for all m N such that m > Nr .
n (1 + max (ke1 k , . . . , ken k))
So, for all m N such that m > max (N1 , . . . , Nn ), we obtain
kym vk = k(m1 1 ) e1 + + (mn n ) en k [ using 0.5 and 0.7 ]
|m1 1 | ke1 k + + |mn n | ken k [ using the properties N3 and N4 of a norm]
(|m1 1 | + + |mn n |) max (ke1 k , . . . , ken k)
 

n max (ke1 k , . . . , ken k)
n [1 + max (ke1 k , . . . , ken k)]
max (ke1 k , . . . , ken k)
=
1 + max (ke1 k , . . . , ken k)
< .
Since > 0 was arbitrary, it follows that the sequence (ym )mN converges to v.
But at the outset of this proof, we assumed that the sequence (ym )mN converges
to the point y Y .
Since the limit of a convergent sequence in a metric space is unique and since
every normed space is a metric space, we can conclude that y = v, and so, by virtue
of our conclusion in the sentence just after 0.7 above, we have y Y .
But at the start of this proof, we assumed y to be an arbitrary point in the
closure Y of Y . Therefore we have
Y Y.
But, by definition of Y , we must have
Y Y.
So
Y =Y.
Finally, as the closure of a set in a metric space is always closed in the metric space
and as every normed space is also a metric space, so we can conclude that Y is
closed in X.
 SOME RESULTS ABOUT METRIC, VECTOR, AND NORMED SPACES 5

References
[1] Erwien Kreyszig, Introductory Functional Analysis With Applications. John Willey & Sons,
New York, 1978.