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In a metric space $(X,d)$, an open ball of radius $r>0$ about $a$ is $B_d(a,r)=\{x\in X:d(a,x)<r\}$. A closed ball instead uses $d(a,x)\le r$. The strict inequality matters: a point at distance exactly $r$ belongs to the closed ball and is excluded from the open ball. In particular, $(1,0)$ is excluded from all three open unit balls above, and included in all three closed unit balls.

The three closed unit balls centred at zero are $|x_1|+|x_2|\le 1$, $x_1^2+x_2^2\le 1$, and $\max \{|x_1|,|x_2|\}\le 1$. Their shapes are a diamond (a rotated square), a disk with a circle as its boundary, and an axis-aligned square. A ball need not look round! The corresponding open balls are the interiors of these shapes. At $(0.8,0.8)$, Manhattan distance from zero is $1.6$ and Euclidean distance is $\sqrt{1.28}\approx 1.131$, whereas Chebyshev distance is $0.8$: only the square's open unit ball contains this point.

These shapes illustrate $B_1(0,1)\subseteq B_2(0,1)\subseteq B_{\infty }(0,1)$, with either the open ball or closed ball convention used consistently. Their outlines are included in the displayed closed balls. In an arbitrary metric space, however, points at distance exactly $r$ need not form the topological boundary; the discrete metric below shows why this distinction matters.

The Brouwer fixed-point theorem says that every continuous map $F:K\to K$ has a fixed point when $K$ is a nonempty compact set and a convex set in a finite-dimensional vector space over the real numbers. Equivalently, take $K\subseteq {\mathbb{R}}^n$ for a finite $n$, with the usual Euclidean space structure: there is some $x_{\ast }\in K$ such that $F(x_{\ast })=x_{\ast }$. The conclusion guarantees at least one fixed point, without asserting uniqueness or telling us how quickly to find one. ^[ref]

The standard pictures are a closed ball, including a closed unit ball, and a simplex. A filled disk qualifies; its bounding circle alone does not. A probability simplex also qualifies even though its dimension is smaller than that of its ambient Euclidean space. The hypotheses have concrete meanings: being a convex set keeps every line segment between allowed points inside $K$, and compactness prevents escape or loss of a limiting point. In Euclidean space, the Heine-Borel theorem identifies compact sets with closed sets that are bounded sets. Crucially, every output must belong to the same $K$ as the input.

For a fully computable example, let $D=\{(u,v):u^2+v^2\le 1\}$ be the filled unit disk. Apply a counterclockwise quarter-turn rotation, shrink by $0.4$, and add a translation:This affine map is a continuous map. Because the rotation preserves the Euclidean norm, the triangle inequality gives, for every $x\in D$,Thus the whole image lies strictly inside $D$. More precisely, it is a disk of radius $0.4$ centred at $(0.3,0.1)$. This containment check is what makes the Brouwer fixed-point theorem applicable; a formula being a continuous map by itself would not suffice.

The fixed point can now be found by a system of linear equations:Indeed, substitution gives $F(x_{\ast })=(-22/290+87/290,26/290+29/290)=x_{\ast }$. Its Euclidean norm is $\sqrt{290}/58\approx 0.293610$, safely inside $D$. The figure shows arrows from sample inputs to their outputs; an arrow disappears at the fixed point because the displacement $F(x)-x$ vanishes there.

Repeated iterations of a map happen to succeed for this example. Starting at $x_0=(1,0)$ and setting $x_{k+1}=F(x_k)$ gives $x_1=(0.3,0.5)$, $x_2=(0.1,0.22)$, and $x_3=(0.212,0.14)$. Subtracting the fixed point equation yields $x_{k+1}-x_{\ast }=0.4R_{90}(x_k-x_{\ast })$, so the Euclidean distance to $x_{\ast }$ shrinks by exactly $0.4$ each step. This extra fact follows from the contraction mapping property and the Banach fixed-point theorem. It is additional information beyond the Brouwer fixed-point theorem.

The distinction becomes visible with two simpler continuous maps of the same disk. The pure rotation $G(u,v)=(-v,u)$ has exactly one fixed point, $(0,0)$, since $u=-v$ and $v=u$ force both to vanish. Yet iterations of a map starting at $(1,0)$ here cycle through $(0,1)$, $(-1,0)$, and $(0,-1)$ forever. Their Euclidean distance from $(0,0)$ stays one, so there is no convergence in a metric space. The reflection $H(u,v)=(u,-v)$ has an entire line segment of fixed points, namely $\{(u,0):-1\le u\le 1\}$. Starting off that line segment produces an alternating pair. Existence, uniqueness, and convergence of iterations of a map are separate questions.

Removing hypotheses changes the answer. Restrict the same quarter-turn rotation to the circle $S^1=\{(u,v):u^2+v^2=1\}$. It remains a continuous map into that compact set, but its only possible fixed point, $(0,0)$, has been removed. The circle is not a convex set. Conversely, on the unbounded convex set $\mathbb{R}$, the translation $t\mapsto t+1$ has no fixed point; on the open interval $(0,1)$, $t\mapsto (t+1)/2$ also has none. Neither domain is a compact set. The finite-dimensional closed ball statement should likewise not be extended to arbitrary infinite-dimensional vector spaces, where a closed ball need not be a compact set.

The one-dimensional version explains the connection to the intermediate value theorem. For a continuous map $f:[a,b]\to [a,b]$, put $h(t)=f(t)-t$. Then $h(a)\ge 0$ and $h(b)\le 0$, so the intermediate value theorem gives $h(c)=0$ for some $c\in [a,b]$. In higher dimensions, the Brouwer fixed-point theorem supplies a corresponding existence principle when this scalar sign argument is unavailable. Its practical value is ensuring that a proposed equation $x=F(x)$ has a solution once a suitable domain is found; it supplies no general promise of a fast algorithm.

A useful application is positive matrix eigenvector from simplex normalization: rescale the output of a strictly positive matrix to make its entries sum to one. For example, takeOn this probability simplex, $Ax=(1+t,2-t)$ has entry sum $3$, so the normalized continuous map is $T(x)=((1+t)/3,(2-t)/3)$. Both entries are positive and sum to one, keeping the image inside the probability simplex. Its fixed point equation is $t=(1+t)/3$, hence $t=1/2$. Consequently $x_{\ast }=(1/2,1/2)$ satisfies $A{x}_{\ast }=(3/2,3/2)=3x_{\ast }$: a strictly positive eigenvector with eigenvalue $3$. In larger dimensions, the Brouwer fixed-point theorem guarantees the corresponding positive eigenvector without requiring us to solve a system of linear equations in advance. The fixed point expresses preservation of relative weights, rather than preservation of their unnormalized size.

Proofs can be approached through the no-retraction theorem or Sperner's lemma. In the latter approach, increasingly fine triangulations locate approximate fixed points; compactness supplies a convergent subsequence, and continuous maps turn its limit into an exact fixed point. ^[ref]

A primary historical reference is L. E. J. Brouwer's 1911 paper Über Abbildung von Mannigfaltigkeiten, whose digitized original is hosted by Zenodo under DOI 10.1007/BF01456812. This gives a direct route to the early literature behind the Brouwer fixed-point theorem. ^[ref]

For every finite $d\ge 1$, a subset $K\subseteq {\mathbb{R}}^d$ of Euclidean space is compact if and only if it is a closed set and a bounded set. Here closed means closed in the ambient Euclidean space, not merely in $K$ itself, and the bounded set condition uses the Euclidean norm. The empty set is included: it is a closed set, a bounded set, and compact. ^[ref]

This makes an apparently infinite test practical. To verify compactness of a closed interval $[a,b]$ with finite endpoints, we need not examine every open cover: it is closed in the real line and a bounded set. By contrast, the open interval $(0,1)$ is a bounded set but is not closed in the real line, as the missing-endpoint figure in compact space illustrates. The whole real line is closed but is not a bounded set, so it too fails compactness. These examples show why both hypotheses are needed.

The same criterion holds in any real or complex finite-dimensional vector space equipped with a norm: all norms there are equivalent norms, so they give the same open sets, closed sets, and bounded sets. Since compactness depends only on the topology, choosing a different norm does not change the conclusion. Without an appropriate topology, a bare vector space alone has no notion of compactness.

The restriction to a finite-dimensional vector space is essential. In the l2 sequence space, an infinite-dimensional vector space that is also a Hilbert space, let $e_n$ be the vectors of its standard orthonormal basis. All lie in the closed unit ball $B=\{x:\Vert x\Vert \le 1\}$, which is a closed set and a bounded set in the norm topology. For distinct indices, their inner product is zero, givingThus distinct terms remain distance $\sqrt{2}$ apart. No subsequence is a Cauchy sequence, hence none is a convergent sequence. The equivalence of compactness and sequential compactness in a metric space proves that this closed unit ball is not compact. The conclusion concerns the norm topology.

A short proof outline in Euclidean space explains the role of a finite-dimensional vector space. For a sequence in a bounded set, apply the Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem to each of the Cartesian coordinates in turn, retaining a subsequence at each of the finitely many steps. The final subsequence is a convergent sequence in all Cartesian coordinates, and a closed set contains its limit of a sequence. This yields sequential compactness, hence compactness. Conversely, a compact subset of a metric space is a closed set and a bounded set. ^[ref]

The radial retraction of a punctured ball gives a retraction: project away from the removed interior point until reaching the unit sphere. Write $a=x_0$, $v=x-a\ne 0$, and setThe equation $|a+tv{|}^2=1$ is the quadratic equationIts constant term is negative, so it has exactly one positive root, namely $\tau (x)$. Since $|a+v|=|x|\le 1$, that positive root satisfies $\tau (x)\ge 1$. Thus $r(x)\in \partial {\mathbb{B}}^n$ for every $x\ne a$ in the closed unit ball.

The displayed expression is a continuous map on the punctured closed unit ball: its denominator is nonzero there, and its square root has strictly positive argument. If $|x|=1$, $t=1$ is the unique positive root, so $r(x)=x$. These are exactly the requirements for a retraction. The missing interior point is essential: the formula need not extend continuously to $a$, in agreement with the no-retraction theorem.

A retraction from a topological space $X$ onto a subset $Y$ is a continuous map $r:X\to Y$ satisfying $r(y)=y$ for every $y\in Y$. Equivalently, $r\circ \iota ={\mathrm{id}}_Y$, where $\iota :Y\hookrightarrow X$ is the inclusion.

The no-retraction theorem for the finite-dimensional closed unit ball saysIndeed, if $r$ were such a retraction, $F(x)=-r(x)$ would be a continuous map from ${\mathbb{B}}^n$ into itself. The Brouwer fixed-point theorem would give $x=F(x)=-r(x)$. Since $|r(x)|=1$, $x$ lies on the boundary, where $r(x)=x$. Thus $x=-x$, contradicting $|x|=1$. Here the Brouwer fixed-point theorem asserts that every continuous map of a finite-dimensional closed unit ball into itself has a fixed point.

The retraction of a Hilbert ball onto its sphere exists. In the real Hilbert space ${\ell }^2$, let $S(x_0,x_1,\dots )=(0,x_0,x_1,\dots )$ be the unilateral shift operator, and let $e_0=(1,0,\dots )$. For $x$ in the closed unit ball $\mathbb{B}$, defineThe orthogonality of $e_0$ and $Sx$ gives $\Vert F(x){\Vert }^2=1$. Thus $F$ is a continuous map into the unit sphere. It has no fixed point: $F(x)=x$ would imply $x_{j+1}=x_j$ for every $j\ge 0$. A constant sequence in ${\ell }^2$ must be zero, whereas $F(0)=e_0\ne 0$.

Put $d=x-F(x)$, which is nonzero everywhere, and defineThis is a continuous map on the whole closed unit ball, including zero. To check its range, observe that $⟨F(x),d⟩=⟨F(x),x⟩-1$, soIf $\Vert x\Vert =1$, then $\Vert x-F(x){\Vert }^2=2(1-⟨F(x),x⟩)$, hence $\alpha (x)=1$ and $r(x)=x$. Therefore $r:\mathbb{B}\to \partial \mathbb{B}$ is a retraction.

Geometrically this is the second intersection of the line from $F(x)$ through $x$ with the unit sphere. In factThe construction illustrates why the finite-dimensional hypothesis in the no-retraction theorem matters. The closed unit ball of ${\ell }^2$ is not a compact set in the norm topology.

Let $S_{+}^{n-1}$ be the nonnegative portion of the unit sphere specified in the paper. If $Ax=0$ for some $x\in S_{+}^{n-1}$, then this nonzero vector is an eigenvector with eigenvalue zero, which already proves the assertion.

Otherwise $Ax\ne 0$ for every $x\in S_{+}^{n-1}$, andis a continuous map from $S_{+}^{n-1}$ to itself. Indeed, every entry of $Ax$ is nonnegative because $A$ is a nonnegative matrix and every entry of $x$ is nonnegative. By the supplied homeomorphism $h:{\mathbb{B}}^{n-1}\to S_{+}^{n-1}$, the continuous map $h^{-1}Th$ maps the finite-dimensional closed unit ball into itself. The Brouwer fixed-point theorem supplies a fixed point, hence $T(x_{\ast })=x_{\ast }$ for some $x_{\ast }\in S_{+}^{n-1}$. ThereforeTogether with the zero case this proves that $A$ has a nonnegative eigenvalue, with a nonnegative eigenvector. For $n=1$, the auxiliary closed unit ball is the one-point space ${\mathbb{B}}^0$ and the argument remains valid. No claim of strict positivity of every entry of the eigenvector is needed.

We first prove the compact-domain Schauder fixed-point theorem. Let $K$ be a nonempty compact convex set in a Banach space $X$, and let $T:K\to K$ be a continuous map. The Brouwer fixed-point theorem states that every continuous map of a finite-dimensional closed unit ball into itself has a fixed point. By the homeomorphism proved in part (a)(ii), it applies equally to any nonempty finite-dimensional compact convex set, including a singleton.

For $\epsilon >0$, use the supplied Schauder approximation lemma to obtain a finite-dimensional linear subspace $L_{\epsilon }$ and a continuous map $T_{\epsilon }:K\to K\cap L_{\epsilon }$ with $\Vert Tx-T_{\epsilon }x\Vert \le \epsilon$. The set $K_{\epsilon }=K\cap L_{\epsilon }$ is nonempty because it contains $T_{\epsilon }(K)$. It is a compact convex set, since a finite-dimensional linear subspace is closed. Restricting $T_{\epsilon }$ to $K_{\epsilon }$ and applying the Brouwer fixed-point theorem gives $x_{\epsilon }=T_{\epsilon }{x}_{\epsilon }$, and thusTake ${\epsilon }_j=1/j$. The compactness of $K$ yields a convergent subsequence $x_{{\epsilon }_{j_m}}\to x_{\ast }\in K$. The continuity of $T$ and the preceding estimate giveFor completeness, this also proves the version on a nonempty closed bounded convex set $C$ when $T(C)$ is relatively compact. Let $K=\overline{\mathrm{conv}}T(C)\subset C$. The closed convex hull of a compact set in a Banach space is compact. To verify the fact needed here, cover $T(C)$ by finitely many balls of radius $\delta$. Replacing every term of a convex combination by a centre changes it by at most $\delta$ in norm. The convex hull of those finitely many centres is compact in a finite-dimensional linear subspace, so it has a finite net of radius $\delta$. Thus $\mathrm{conv}T(C)$ is totally bounded. Its closure is complete and totally bounded, hence compact. Now $T(K)\subset T(C)\subset K$, so the compact-domain result supplies a fixed point in $C$.

The orthogonal complement $x^{\perp }$ is infinite-dimensional: otherwise $X=\mathrm{span}\{x\}\oplus x^{\perp }$ would be finite-dimensional. Inductively choose an orthonormal sequence $(e_n)$ in $x^{\perp }$, each new vector being orthogonal to the preceding finite linear span. The Bessel inequality gives ${\sum }_n|⟨e_n,z⟩{|}^2\le \Vert z{\Vert }^2$ for every $z\in X$, so $⟨e_n,z⟩\to 0$. Thus $(e_n)$ is a weakly null orthonormal sequence.

SetBy orthogonality, $\Vert x_n{\Vert }^2=\Vert x{\Vert }^2+(1-\Vert x{\Vert }^2)=1$, while $⟨x_n-x,z⟩\to 0$ for every $z$. Hence $x_n\rightharpoonup x$. When $\Vert x\Vert =1$, this formula simply gives the constant sequence $x_n=x$. In particular, the weak closure of the unit sphere contains the whole closed unit ball.

Use the closed unit ball ${\overline{B}}_X$ first, and put $C=\overline{T({\overline{B}}_X)}$. This is a convex set symmetric about zero. If $B_Y(y_0,r)\subseteq C$, then $-y_0\in C$, so taking midpoints givesWrite $\delta =r/2$. By scaling,Fix $y$ with $\Vert y\Vert <\delta /2$. Starting with $r_0=y$, recursively choose $x_j\in X$ such thatAt each step the previous residual lies in the open ball on the left of the scaled inclusion, so the definition of closure permits this approximation. The series ${\sum }_j{x}_j$ converges to some $x$ because $X$ is a Banach space, and the triangle inequality gives $\Vert x\Vert \le {\sum }_j{2}^{-j}=1$. Continuity of $T$ gives $Tx={\lim }_N{\sum }_{j=1}^{N}T{x}_j=y$, since $r_N\to 0$. ThusScaling by $1/2$ now gives the slightly smaller open ballThis proves the assertion whether the original unit ball is taken open or closed. Only completeness of $X$ was used; the normed space $Y$ need not be complete. The argument is geometric correction for approximate surjectivity.

A compact operator is a bounded linear operator carrying every bounded set into a relatively compact set. Equivalently, for every bounded sequence $(x_n)$, the sequence $(T{x}_n)$ has a norm-convergent subsequence. It is enough to require this for the closed unit ball, because any bounded set lies in a scalar multiple of that ball.

The weak topology on a normed vector space $X$ is $\sigma (X,X^{\ast })$, the coarsest topology making every bounded linear functional continuous. A neighbourhood base at $x$ is given by finitely many inequalities $|f_j(y-x)|<\epsilon$, with $f_j\in X^{\ast }$. In the complex case, separation uses real parts of bounded linear functionals.

Mazur theorem states that the weak closure of a convex set equals its closure in the norm topology. The weak topology is coarser than the norm topology, so the norm closure is contained in the weak closure. Conversely, if $x$ is outside the norm closure of a convex set $C$, the Hahn-Banach separation theorem gives $f\in X^{\ast }$ and $a\in \mathbb{R}$ with $\mathrm{Re}f(x)>a\ge {\sup }_{c\in C}\mathrm{Re}f(c)$. The corresponding weak topology neighbourhood of $x$ misses $C$, so $x$ is outside its weak closure. This proves Mazur theorem, including the empty-set case. In particular, if $x_n$ converges weakly to $x$, then $x$ is in the weak closure of every tail and therefore in the norm closure of its convex hull. Choosing a finite convex combination of the $n$th tail within $1/n$ of $x$ proves the usual Mazur lemma formulation as well.

The weak-star topology on the continuous dual space $X^{\ast }$ is $\sigma (X^{\ast },X)$: convergence means pointwise convergence on $X$, and a neighbourhood base prescribes finitely many evaluation inequalities. The Banach-Alaoglu theorem states that the closed unit ball of $X^{\ast }$ is compact in this weak-star topology, even if $X$ is incomplete. Embed this closed unit ball intowhere $\mathbb{K}=\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$. Each factor is compact, so $P$ is compact by the Tychonoff theorem. Inside $P$, the equations $a_{x+y}=a_x+a_y$ and $a_{\lambda x}=\lambda a_x$ define a closed set. Every such point defines a linear functional satisfying $|a_x|\le \Vert x\Vert$, hence belongs to the closed unit ball of $X^{\ast }$. Thus this image is closed in $P$. The product topology on it is exactly the weak-star topology, proving Banach-Alaoglu theorem. Evaluations also separate its points, so the weak-star topology is Hausdorff.

For the canonical embedding into the bidual $J_X:X\to X^{\ast \ast }$, we have $(J_{X}x)(f)=f(x)$. Restricting all evaluations at $f\in X^{\ast }$ therefore gives exactly $\sigma (X,X^{\ast })$. Thus the induced subspace topology is the weak topology on $X$.

Now identify $X$ with $J_{X}X$. Let $C$ be a bounded convex set, write $D$ for its norm closure in $X$, and let $K$ be its weak-star topology closure in $X^{\ast \ast }$. Boundedness places $K$ in a multiple of the closed unit ball of $X^{\ast \ast }$, so $K$ is compact by Banach-Alaoglu theorem. The preceding subspace topology identification and Mazur theorem giveIf $D$ is a weakly compact set, its image in the Hausdorff weak-star topology is compact and therefore closed. It contains $C$, so $K\subseteq D\subseteq X$. Conversely, if $K\subseteq X$, the displayed identity gives $K=D$, and its compactness is precisely weak compactness in $X$. Hence $\boxed{D\text{ is weakly compact}⟺K\subseteq X}$. This argument also covers $C=\varnothing$.

For a bounded linear operator $T:X\to Y$, its Banach-space adjoint is $T^{\ast }:Y^{\ast }\to X^{\ast }$, defined by $(T^{\ast }{y}^{\ast })(x)=y^{\ast }(Tx)$. Evaluation at any fixed $x$ is thus evaluation at $Tx$ after applying $T^{\ast }$. Each is continuous in the relevant weak-star topology, proving that $T^{\ast }$ is weak-star continuous. Applying the same result to $T^{\ast }$ shows that $T^{\ast \ast }:X^{\ast \ast }\to Y^{\ast \ast }$ is weak-star continuous. Direct evaluation gives

Use $B_X$ for the closed unit ball; using the open ball gives the same norm closure of $T(B_X)$. Goldstine theorem says that $J_X{B}_X$ is weak-star dense in $B_{X^{\ast \ast }}$. Put $K=T^{\ast \ast }(B_{X^{\ast \ast }})$. It is compact and closed in the weak-star topology by Banach-Alaoglu theorem and the established continuity. It contains $J_{Y}T(B_X)$. Conversely, Goldstine theorem gives, for every $x^{\ast \ast }\in B_{X^{\ast \ast }}$, a net $(J_X{x}_{\alpha })$ from $J_X{B}_X$ converging weak-star to $x^{\ast \ast }$; its image converges weak-star to $T^{\ast \ast }{x}^{\ast \ast }$. ConsequentlyApply the preceding bounded convex set criterion in $Y$, and then scale the closed unit ball. We obtain the bidual characterization of weakly compact operators:The canonical embedding into the bidual on the right specifies exactly which copy of $Y$ is intended.

All vector spaces in this solution are complex, while convex combinations use real coefficients. An extreme point $x$ of a convex set $C$ is one for which $x=ty+(1-t)z$, $y,z\in C$ and $0<t<1$, forces $y=z=x$. Equivalently, $x$ is not the midpoint of two distinct points of $C$.

The Krein-Milman theorem says that every nonempty compact convex set $K$ in a Hausdorff locally convex space is the closed convex hull of its extreme points. Here is a proof. A face of a convex set $F\subseteq K$ is a convex set such that whenever an interior point of a segment in $K$ belongs to $F$, both endpoints belong to $F$. Consider nonempty compact faces, ordered by reverse inclusion. A chain has nonempty intersection by compactness and the finite intersection property; that intersection is again a compact face. The Zorn lemma therefore gives a minimal nonempty compact face $F$.

If $F$ contains distinct $x,y$, a continuous real linear functional $\ell$ on the underlying real locally convex space distinguishes them. Such a linear functional exists because the space is Hausdorff and locally convex, by the Hahn-Banach theorem. The maximizers of $\ell$ on $F$ form a nonempty proper compact face of $F$. A face of a face is a face of $K$, contradicting minimality. Therefore $F$ is a singleton, yielding an extreme point. The same argument inside any nonempty compact face of $K$ supplies an extreme point of $K$ lying in that face.

Let $D$ be the closed convex hull of the extreme points of $K$. It is a nonempty closed subset of compact $K$, hence compact. If $x_0\in K\setminus D$, the Hahn-Banach separation theorem provides a continuous real linear functional $\ell$ with $\ell (x_0)>{\sup }_D\ell$. Its maximizer set on $K$ is a nonempty compact face, which contains an extreme point $e$ of $K$. But $e\in D$ and $\ell (e)\ge \ell (x_0)>{\sup }_D\ell$, a contradiction. Thus $\boxed{K=\overline{\mathrm{co}}(\mathrm{ext}K)}$, proving Krein-Milman theorem.

For a nonempty compact Hausdorff space $K$, the extreme points of the dual unit ball of C(K) areThis is the permitted description without proof, with $C(K)$ denoting the complex space of continuous functions on a compact space equipped with the supremum norm. If $K$ is empty, $C(K)=\{0\}$ and the closed unit ball of its continuous dual space has the single extreme point $0$ instead.

The complex Banach–Stone theorem states that a surjective complex-linear isometric isomorphism of normed spaces $T:C(K)\to C(L)$ has the formwhere $u\in C(L)$ and $\phi :L\to K$ is a homeomorphism. Conversely, every such map is a surjective complex-linear isometric isomorphism of normed spaces for the supremum norm.

To prove this, suppose first that $K,L$ are nonempty. The Banach-space adjoint $T^{\ast }$ is a bijective isometric isomorphism of normed spaces on the continuous dual spaces, so it bijects their closed unit balls and preserves extreme points. The displayed extreme point description gives uniquelyUniqueness follows by evaluating at the constant function $1$, and then using that continuous functions separate points of a compact Hausdorff space. Evaluation gives the required formula for $Tf$, and $u=T1$ is continuous. Surjectivity of $T^{\ast }$ on extreme points proves surjectivity of $\phi$: the preimage of any ${\delta }_x$ is $\alpha {\delta }_y$ for some $y$. If $\phi (y_1)=\phi (y_2)$, every function in the range of $T$ has equal values at these two points after division by $u$; surjectivity of $T$ and separation of points force $y_1=y_2$. Thus $\phi$ is bijective.

For every $f\in C(K)$, $f\circ \phi =(Tf)/u$ is continuous. The evaluation map $K\to {\mathbb{C}}^{C(K)}$, $x\mapsto (f(x){)}_f$, is a continuous injection of a compact Hausdorff space into a Hausdorff product topology, hence a homeomorphism onto its image. Continuity of every coordinate $f\circ \phi$ proves continuity of $\phi$. A continuous bijection between compact Hausdorff spaces is a homeomorphism. Conversely the weighted-composition formula plainly preserves the supremum norm, and its inverse isIf one compact space is empty, a surjective isometric isomorphism of normed spaces forces the other to be empty, and the empty homeomorphism gives the corresponding trivial case. This completes Banach–Stone theorem.

Neither the space of sequences converging to zero $c_0$ nor $L^1[0,1]$ can be isometrically a continuous dual space of a Banach space. Indeed, every nonzero continuous dual space has a nonempty weak-star compact closed unit ball by Banach-Alaoglu theorem, and Krein-Milman theorem then guarantees an extreme point. A bijective linear isometry preserves extreme points of closed unit balls.

The closed unit ball of $c_0$ has no extreme points. Given $x\in c_0$ with $\Vert x{\Vert }_{\infty }\le 1$, choose $n$ with $|x_n|<1$ and $0<\epsilon <1-|x_n|$. The two distinct elements $x\pm \epsilon e_n$ remain in that closed unit ball and have midpoint $x$.

The closed unit ball of the complex Lp space $L^1[0,1]$ also has no extreme points. An element of norm less than one can be perturbed by a sufficiently small nonzero Lp space element in both directions. If $\Vert f{\Vert }_1=1$, the non-atomic measure $|f(t)|dt$ admits a measurable set $A$ of mass $1/2$; for example the continuous function $s\mapsto {\int }_0^s|f(t)|dt$ attains $1/2$. Put $h=f(1_A-1_{A^c})$. For $0<\epsilon <1$, the distinct functions $f\pm \epsilon h$ both have Lp normwith the two coefficients interchanged for the minus sign. Their midpoint is $f$. Thus neither proposed space is isometrically a Banach dual.

Finally, $[0,1]$ is a connected space, whereas $[0,1]\cup [2,3]$ is disconnected. They cannot be homeomorphic. By Banach–Stone theorem, $C[0,1]$ and $C([0,1]\cup [2,3])$ are not isometrically isomorphic as complex Banach spaces.

Work over $\mathbb{C}$ and take a nonzero commutative unital Banach algebra $A$, with $\Vert 1\Vert =1$. A character of an algebra is a nonzero multiplicative complex linear functional $\chi :A\to \mathbb{C}$. It satisfies $\chi (1)=1$. Moreover $\chi (a)\in {\sigma }_A(a)$: otherwise $a-\chi (a)1$ would be invertible, although its image under $\chi$ is zero. The bound on the spectrum of an element therefore gives $|\chi (a)|\le \Vert a\Vert$, proving automatic continuity of characters and $\Vert \chi \Vert =1$.

Every proper maximal ideal $M$ of $A$ is closed. Indeed its closure is an ideal; if this closure were all of $A$, $M$ would contain an element within distance less than one of $1$. Such an element is invertible by the Neumann series, forcing $1\in M$. Thus the closure is proper and maximality makes it equal to $M$. The quotient Banach space $A/M$, with its quotient Banach algebra structure, is a complex normed division algebra. By the Gelfand-Mazur theorem, it is $\mathbb{C}$, so the quotient map gives a character of an algebra with kernel $M$. Conversely, the kernel of every character of an algebra is a maximal ideal, since the character is onto $\mathbb{C}$. The Zorn lemma supplies a maximal ideal containing every proper ideal, so the character space of an algebra $\Delta (A)$ is nonempty.

These facts give the exact relation between the character space and the spectrum of an element:One inclusion was proved above. For the other, if $a-\lambda 1$ is noninvertible, the principal ideal it generates is proper because $A$ is commutative. Contain it in a maximal ideal and use its corresponding character of an algebra to obtain $\chi (a)=\lambda$.

Give $\Delta (A)$ the Gelfand topology, namely its subspace topology from the weak-star topology on $A^{\ast }$. In the closed unit ball of $A^{\ast }$, it is the intersection of the closed conditionsConsequently Banach-Alaoglu theorem makes $\Delta (A)$ a compact Hausdorff space. For every $a\in A$, define the Gelfand transform $\hat{a}(\chi )=\chi (a)$. This is a continuous function on $\Delta (A)$ by definition of the Gelfand topology. The Gelfand representation theorem gives a contractive unital algebra homomorphism over a fieldMultiplicativity and linearity follow by evaluating at each character of an algebra; the supremum norm equality follows from the preceding spectrum of an element identity. Its kernel isthe Jacobson radical. Equivalently, its elements have spectrum of an element $\{0\}$. Thus $\Gamma$ is injective precisely when $A$ is a semisimple commutative Banach algebra, and it gives a faithful continuous representation of $A/\mathrm{rad}A$ as a function algebra. Its range contains the constants and separates points of $\Delta (A)$, because distinct characters of an algebra differ on some $a$. An arbitrary Banach algebra need not have an isometric or surjective Gelfand transform, nor a uniformly dense range: those conclusions require further hypotheses.

For the Banach algebra $C(K)$ on a nonempty compact Hausdorff space $K$, all characters of an algebra are evaluation characters. To see this, let $M$ be a maximal ideal. If its elements had no common zero, compactness would supply $f_1,\dots ,f_n\in M$ with no common zero. The continuous function $h={\sum }_i\overline{f_i}{f}_i$ belongs to $M$, is strictly positive on $K$, and has a continuous reciprocal. It is therefore invertible, a contradiction. Hence all elements of $M$ vanish at some $x\in K$, so $M\subseteq \ker {\delta }_x$ and maximality gives equality. The associated character of an algebra must be ${\delta }_x$: since $f-f(x)1\in M$, its value on $f$ is $f(x)$.

The map $x\mapsto {\delta }_x$ is a continuous bijection $K\to \Delta (C(K))$, using separation of points by continuous functions. Compactness and the Hausdorff property make it a homeomorphism. Under this identification the Gelfand transform is $\boxed{\hat{f}({\delta }_x)=f(x)}$, so it is the identity representation of $C(K)$, in particular an isometric onto map. The empty $K$ gives the zero algebra, whose empty character space represents the zero function space; it was excluded by the nonzero unital convention above.

Now let $A$ be a commutative unital C-star algebra. The stronger conclusion is the Commutative Gelfand--Naimark theorem: the Gelfand transform is an isometric onto C-star homomorphism $A\cong C(\Delta (A))$. We prove the additional assertions without assuming this conclusion.

First every character of an algebra respects the C-star algebra involution. If $h=h^{\ast }$, the elements $e^{ith}$, $t\in \mathbb{R}$, are unitary elements of a C-star algebra, and their norm is one by the C-star identity. Continuity and multiplicativity give $\chi (e^{ith})=e^{it\chi (h)}$. Thus $|e^{it\chi (h)}|\le 1$ for every real $t$, forcing $\chi (h)$ to be real. Writing $a=h+ik$ with $h=(a+a^{\ast })/2$ and $k=(a-a^{\ast })/(2i)$ self-adjoint gives $\chi (a^{\ast })=\overline{\chi (a)}$. Therefore the range of $\Gamma$ is closed under complex conjugation.

Every element of commutative $A$ is a Normal element of a C-star algebra. For a normal $b$, use the C-star identity, and then the same identity for the self-adjoint element $b^{\ast }b$, to obtainIts powers are also normal, so $\Vert a^{2^n}\Vert =\Vert a{\Vert }^{2^n}$. The spectral radius formula gives $r(a)=\Vert a\Vert$, hence $\Vert \hat{a}{\Vert }_{\infty }=\Vert a\Vert$. The Gelfand transform is therefore an isometry, and its range is complete and closed in the supremum norm. It contains constants, separates points and is closed under complex conjugation. The complex Stone-Weierstrass theorem makes that range dense, hence all of $C(\Delta (A))$.

The approximation step in Stone-Weierstrass theorem can also be seen directly here. For a unital conjugation-closed point-separating subalgebra $B\subseteq C(K)$, the real-valued part of its uniform closure is closed under absolute values, by polynomial approximation to $|t|$ on bounded intervals, hence under pointwise maxima and minima. Its real-valued functions separate points. Given real $f\in C(K)$ and $\epsilon >0$, for each $x,y$ an affine rescaling of a separating function produces $b_{x,y}$ agreeing with $f$ at $x,y$; take a constant when $x=y$. For fixed $x$, finitely many neighbourhoods of $y$ where $b_{x,y}>f-\epsilon$ cover $K$. Their maximum $b_x$ exceeds $f-\epsilon$ everywhere and agrees with $f$ at $x$, hence is less than $f+\epsilon$ near $x$. Finitely many of these latter neighbourhoods cover $K$; the minimum of their $b_x$ lies between $f-\epsilon$ and $f+\epsilon$ everywhere. Approximate real and imaginary parts separately. This proves the density used above and completes the C-star algebra conclusion.

Removing any interior point $a$ from the Euclidean closed unit ball allows a retraction onto its unit sphere. For $v=x-a\ne 0$, the positive root of $|a+tv{|}^2=1$ isThen $r(x)=a+\tau (x)v$ is a continuous map on the punctured closed unit ball, has norm one, and fixes its boundary because $\tau (x)=1$ there. The quadratic equation has one positive and one negative root since $|a|<1$, so the chosen root is unambiguous.

The closed unit ball $B$ in the infinite-dimensional real Hilbert space ${\ell }^2$ admits a retraction onto its unit sphere. Write $S$ for the forward unilateral shift operator and set $F(x)=\sqrt{1-\Vert x{\Vert }^2}{e}_0+Sx$. Then $\Vert F(x)\Vert =1$ and $F(x)\ne x$: equality would force all coordinates of $x$ to coincide, hence vanish, contradicting $F(0)=e_0$.

For $d=x-F(x)$, setThe nonvanishing denominator makes $r$ a continuous map. Expanding its squared norm gives $\Vert r(x)\Vert =1$. On $\Vert x\Vert =1$, the fraction is one, so $r(x)=x$. Thus the finite-dimensional no-retraction theorem does not extend to this closed unit ball.