Assume in addition that the probability space is a metric space, continuous integrable functions are dense in , and the diameters of its partition cells tend to zero at each point. For a continuous , the oscillation average tends to zero because every point in is within its diameter of . For , the upper limit of the oscillation of is bounded by the partition maximal function of plus . The first-crossing maximal inequality for refining partitions and Chebyshev's inequality bound the measure where this exceeds by . Approximation proves the displayed almost everywhere assertion. Refinement supplies the maximal estimate; shrinking diameter supplies the approximation argument. Without shrinking diameter, a constant partition generally converges only to its cell averages.
Past exam of the real and harmonic analysis course of the University of Oxford 2008 4 b ii Solution 2026-10-31
The first-crossing maximal inequality for refining partitions follows from countable disjointness and the strict average bound:Thus this partition maximal operator has weak-type constant one.
The conclusion of differentiation along refining metric partitions isThe crucial geometric property is shrinking diameter, not merely refinement: since and , continuity makes the corresponding oscillation tend to zero for every continuous test function. Continuous approximation and the maximal inequality then transfer this to , exactly as before: the exceptional-set bound is for an oscillation threshold . Countability makes the maximal function measurable, and positive cell measure makes every average defined. Refinement supplied the disjoint first-crossing argument; shrinking diameter supplies differentiation.