Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 5 2 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The finite-dimensional implication again follows from equivalence of norms and the Heine-Borel theorem. In an infinite-dimensional Banach space, inductively apply Riesz lemma to the proper closed finite-dimensional linear span to obtain a unit vector with . Therefore for distinct indices, precluding a Cauchy subsequence.
For completeness, Riesz lemma here follows by taking , setting , choosing with , and putting . Its distance from exceeds . This proves the closed unit ball is norm compact if and only if the Banach space is finite-dimensional. The printed hint's equality of all pairwise distances is unnecessary; the separation inequality is what the argument supplies.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 1 22H d Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Assume for contradiction that is infinite-dimensional. Starting with , apply Riesz lemma recursively to the proper closed finite-dimensional subspacesto choose unit vectors satisfyingFor , the vector belongs to , and thereforeThus lies in the closed unit ball but has no Cauchy subsequence, hence no convergent subsequence. A compact metric space is sequentially compact, contradicting compactness of the unit ball. Therefore is finite-dimensional, proving that a compact unit ball characterizes finite-dimensional normed spaces.
By the permitted sequential compactness of the product metric space , the sequence of pairs has a convergent subsequence, and hence a Cauchy subsequence. Choose two of its indices sufficiently late thatThe distance-increasing assumption iterates: . With , use , and then , to obtainBoth summands are nonnegative, soThe use of paired iterates ensures that the same positive return time works for both points.