Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford / 2015 / Prelims / Mathematics II / 4 / a / ii / Solution

Suppose the continuous function $f$ did not have uniform continuity on $[a,b]$. Negating its definition gives ${\epsilon }_0>0$ such that for every $n\ge 1$ there are $x_n,y_n\in [a,b]$ withThe Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem, which states that every bounded sequence of real numbers has a convergent subsequence, gives $x_{n_k}\to p$. The inequalities $a\le x_{n_k}\le b$ imply $p\in [a,b]$. By the triangle inequality,Since continuous functions preserve convergent sequences, both $f(x_{n_k})$ and $f(y_{n_k})$ tend to $f(p)$. Their difference therefore tends to zero, contradicting its absolute value being at least ${\epsilon }_0$. This proves the Heine-Cantor theorem in the required setting: $f$ has uniform continuity on $[a,b]$.