Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2017/iii/paper-326/3/3/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 326 3 3 Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
In an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, every bounded sequence has a weakly convergent subsequence, but it need not have a norm-convergent one. For example an orthonormal sequence has pairwise distance and therefore no strongly convergent subsequence, although by Bessel inequality.
More generally, weak sequential compactness of bounded sequences in a reflexive Banach space ensures a weakly convergent subsequence with its limit in that space. Conversely, this property for all bounded sequences characterizes reflexivity, using the Eberlein-Šmulian theorem and weak compactness of the closed unit ball. Thus reflexivity replaces finite-dimensional norm compactness by weak sequential compactness.
In a nonreflexive Banach space there is no such general weak-subsequence guarantee. The coordinate unit vectors in give an example: by the Schur property, weak convergence would imply norm convergence, impossible for their pairwise distance two. Banach-Alaoglu theorem supplies weak-star compactness of a dual unit ball, which gives convergent subnets, not automatically convergent subsequences. For a separable predual, the weak-star compact dual ball is metrizable and subsequences do suffice. For an arbitrary Banach space one can also regard a bounded sequence in its bidual and extract a weak-star convergent subnet there; the limit need not belong to the original space. These qualifications distinguish weak from weak-star compactness.
New to topics? Read the docs here!