Past exam of the functional analysis I course of the University of Oxford 2023 3 c ii Solution 2026-10-25
Let . Since both linear functionals have operator norm one, for every the triangle inequality givesTaking the essential supremum proves .
For the reverse bound, continuity and the extreme value theorem give with . Choose complex of modulus one so that , taking if . The continuous functionhas supremum norm one by the triangle inequality and its endpoint values. Since ,The output is continuous, so its L-infinity norm equals its supremum norm, including when is an endpoint. Therefore , and the exact operator norm isThis is the norm of a two-endpoint interpolation projection.