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Let $f:[a,b]\to \mathbb{R}$ be continuous. If it were unbounded, one could choose $x_n\in [a,b]$ with $|f(x_n)|>n$. The Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem gives a subsequence $x_{n_j}\to x\in [a,b]$, but continuity would then give $f(x_{n_j})\to f(x)$, contradicting unboundedness.

Now let $M=\sup f([a,b])$. Choose $x_n$ with $f(x_n)>M-1/n$. A convergent subsequence and continuity give $f(x)=M$ at its limit. Applying the same argument to $-f$ shows that the infimum is attained. This proves the extreme value theorem on a closed bounded interval.

The functionis continuous and bounded, but attains neither its infimum $0$ nor its supremum $1$. For the second example, enumerate the rationals in $[0,1]$ as $(q_n)$ and setEvery nondegenerate interval contains infinitely many rational numbers, hence some $q_n$ with arbitrarily large $n$; therefore $\psi$ is unbounded on every such interval.

For the running extrema, compactness lets us writeThe function $f$ is uniformly continuous on $[a,b]$. Given $\epsilon >0$, choose $\delta >0$ such that $|f(u)-f(v)|<\epsilon$ whenever $|u-v|<\delta$. If $x<y$ and $y-x<\delta$, every new value $f(\xi )$ with $x\le \xi \le y$ is at most $f(x)+\epsilon \le M(x)+\epsilon$. Since $M(y)\ge M(x)$,Interchanging $x,y$ handles the other order. Applying this argument to $-f$ proves continuity of $m$ as well.

Finally fix $T>0$ and put $h(x)=g(x+T)-g(x)$. For each positive integer $n$, there must be some $x_n>n$ with $|h(x_n)|<1/n$. Otherwise, for some $n$ the continuous function $h$ would satisfy $|h(x)|\ge 1/n$ on the interval $(n,\infty )$. By the intermediate value theorem, $h$ would have a constant sign there. The valueswould then increase or decrease by at least $1/n$ at every step, contradicting boundedness of $g$. Thus $x_n\to \infty$ and

For $n\ge 0$, putEach $S_n$ is closed, the hypothesis gives $\mathbb{R}={\bigcup }_n{S}_n$, and $E_n\subset E_{n+1}$ because a function that vanishes on an open set has derivative zero there.

The open setis dense. Indeed, inside any nonempty open interval choose a nondegenerate closed subinterval $J$. The complete metric space $J$ is covered by the closed sets $J\cap S_n$, so the Baire's theorem makes one of them contain a relative open interval, which lies in some $E_n$.

On each connected component $I$ of $\Omega$, the function $F$ is one polynomial. To see this, any compact subinterval $K\subset I$ is covered by the increasing family $(E_n)$. A finite subcover therefore gives $K\subset E_N$ for some $N$, and $F^{(N)}=0$ on $K$. Hence $F$ is polynomial on $K$; overlapping compact intervals force these polynomials to agree throughout $I$.

Let $D=\mathbb{R}\setminus \Omega$. This closed set has no isolated points. Otherwise, on the two sides of an isolated point $x$, $F$ would equal polynomials. Smoothness makes all their one-sided derivatives agree at $x$, so the two polynomials are identical and extend across $x$. Some derivative would then vanish on a neighborhood of $x$, contrary to $x\in D$.

Suppose that $D$ is nonempty. It is complete andis a countable closed cover. A second application of Baire's theorem gives an index $k$ and an open interval $U_0$ such thatChoose $x_0\in D\cap U_0$ and a bounded open interval $U$ centred at $x_0$ whose closure lies in $U_0$.

Because $D$ has no isolated points, every $x\in D\cap U$ is approached by distinct points of $D\cap U$. Difference quotients first give $F^{(k+1)}(x)=0$, and induction gives

No component of $\Omega$ meeting $U$ can cross $x_0$, so it has an endpoint in $D\cap U$. If its polynomial had degree $d\ge k$, then its $d$th derivative would approach a nonzero constant at that endpoint, contradicting the preceding display. Its degree is therefore less than $k$, so $F^{(k)}$ also vanishes on the part of that component in $U$. We conclude that $F^{(k)}=0$ throughout $U$, which says $U\subset E_k\subset \Omega$ and contradicts $D\cap U\ne \varnothing$.