Norming functional 2026-10-14
For a nonzero vector in a real or complex normed vector space, a norming functional is a continuous linear functional satisfying the displayed conditions. The Hahn-Banach theorem extends the functional sending to on its one-dimensional span. Consequently , with equality at , giving a supporting linear lower bound for the norm. At zero the zero functional can be used as a supporting functional.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 6 4 Solution 2026-10-14
The weak topology is the coarsest topology making every continuous linear functional in continuous. A basic neighborhood of imposes finitely many inequalities , and a sequence converges weakly precisely when each converges to . The Hahn-Banach theorem makes the dual separate points, so the weak topology is Hausdorff.
Here is a proof of the requested weak subsequence property, the compact-to-sequential direction of the Eberlein-Šmulian theorem. Let be the closed linear span of the countable set . It is a separable Banach space. The Hahn-Banach theorem separates points outside a closed vector subspace from that subspace, so is weakly closed in . Therefore is weakly compact.
Choose a countable dense set in the unit sphere of , and choose norming functionals with and . They separate points: for , a sufficiently close to gives . This is a countable norming family. Extend the functionals to by the Hahn-Banach theorem. The evaluation mapis weakly continuous and injective. Its domain is compact and its target Hausdorff, so it is a homeomorphism onto its image: images of closed subsets are compact, hence closed. A countable product of real or complex lines is metrizable, for example by . Thus has a compact metrizable weak topology. Compact metric spaces are sequentially compact, giving a subsequence with . If the result is immediate. We did not assert that a separable Banach space has a separable dual or that its weak topology is generally metrizable.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 5 5 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
First use independent fair signs , the Rademacher distribution convention for Bernoulli random variables in this setting. Let with uniform probability, write and . We prove the sharp Rademacher second-moment inequality by a complete finite-cube calculation.
For a function on this cube define the coordinate-flip generator on a hypercubewhere flips just coordinate . The Walsh characters form an orthonormal basis: distinct characters have expectation-zero product, and there are of them. Flipping a coordinate in changes its sign and other flips leave it unchanged, so . Expand the real function as . Since , changing variables shows that whenever is odd. ThusThis derives the even-function spectral gap on a hypercube, rather than assuming it.
At each vertex with , choose a norming functional of norm one satisfying , supplied by the Hahn-Banach theorem. For complex take real parts in the following inequalities. At a vertex with , use the zero functional. The supporting inequality for the norm givesBut , since every coefficient is a degree-one Walsh character. Summing the preceding inequalities with factor therefore proves . As ,Rearranging and taking square roots yieldsNo completeness of is needed. The constant is sharp: with two identical nonzero scalar coefficients, the absolute sum is zero with probability and twice the coefficient magnitude with probability .
If Bernoulli instead means fair variables , write and . Add an independent fair sign and apply the proved estimate to . Conditional on either sign of , has the same distribution as , by symmetry of the sign sum. Hence for , proving the same bound in that convention.
The constant is documented in the primary sharp-constant study.
Fairness is essential. For a general Bernoulli random variable with success probability , a single nonzero scalar coefficient gives . Thus the printed term cannot be read as permitting arbitrary Bernoulli probabilities.