Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2025 / iii / Paper 106 / 2 / a / Solution

Choose a norm-dense sequence $(f_n)$ in the unit sphere of the separable dual $X^{\ast }$. For every $n$, choose $x_n\in B_X$ with $|f_n(x_n)|>1/2$. If a functional $f\in X^{\ast }$ vanished on the closed linear span of the $x_n$, normalize it and choose $f_n$ with $\Vert f-f_n\Vert <1/4$; then $|f(x_n)|>1/4$, a contradiction. The Hahn-Banach theorem therefore shows that the span of $(x_n)$ is dense, so $X$ is separable.

Choose a norm-dense sequence $(u_n)$ in $B_X$. On $B_{X^{\ast }}$ defineWeak-star convergence implies convergence in this metric. Conversely, metric convergence gives convergence on the dense set $(u_n)$, and the uniform norm bound on the dual ball extends it to every $u\in X$. Thus $d_{\ast }$ metrizes the weak-star topology, proving weak-star metrizability of the dual ball.

Similarly, for a norm-dense sequence $(f_n)$ in $B_{X^{\ast }}$,metrizes the weak topology on $B_X$. Indeed, convergence against the dense functionals extends to every $f\in X^{\ast }$ because $x-y$ remains norm bounded.

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