A map is a contraction if there is a constant such that
for every .
The contraction mapping theorem states that a contraction of a nonempty complete metric space has a unique fixed point, and that the iterates from every starting point converge to it. To prove this, choose and put . Then
so, for ,
Thus is Cauchy and converges, by completeness, to some . A contraction is continuous, so
If is another fixed point, then
forcing .
For the Newton map
one has and
On the given neighbourhood,
Since , choose a closed interval centred at and contained in so small that there. Then
so and is a contraction on the complete interval . The local contraction proof for Newton iteration therefore shows that is the unique fixed point of on .