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For a strictly decreasing positive sequence ${ϵ}_n\to 0$, put $a_0={ϵ}_0-{ϵ}_1$ and $a_k={ϵ}_{3^{k-1}}-{ϵ}_{3^k}$ for $k\ge 1$. These are positive with sum ${ϵ}_0$. The positive lacunary Chebyshev series $f_{ϵ}={\sum }_k{a}_k{T}_{3^k}$ has error ${ϵ}_0$ at degree zero and error ${ϵ}_{3^{K-1}}\ge {ϵ}_n$ whenever $3^{K-1}\le n<3^K$. This proves the lower-bound form of Bernstein's lethargy theorem with an explicit continuous function.

The original PDF has indices $3^k$; the exponent is lost in the TeX transcription. This lacunary indexing is essential to the positive lacunary Chebyshev series argument below.

Let $K$ be the least nonnegative integer with $3^K>n$, so $K=0$ for $n=0$. DefineFor $K=0$ the sum is empty and means the zero polynomial. Each included Chebyshev polynomial has degree at most $n$. Also $|T_j(x)|\le 1$ on the interval, so summability of the positive coefficients gives uniform convergence by the Weierstrass M-test, andChoose $L=3^K$ and the $L+1$ points $x_j=\cos (j\pi /L)$, $0\le j\le L$. For every omitted index $k\ge K$, the integer $3^{k-K}$ is odd. Consequently,Every term of the tail has the same sign at a given point, and thereforeThis shows both that the error norm is exactly $A_K$ and that it alternates at $L+1\ge n+2$ distinct points. The points are in decreasing order; reversing their order still gives alternation. The Chebyshev alternation theorem proves that this partial sum is the unique best uniform approximation. HenceIn particular, $p_0=0$ and $E_0(f_0)={\sum }_{k=0}^{\infty }{a}_k$. The equal signs of all tail terms at the same extrema are the reason positivity and the odd integer frequency ratios are useful.

An explicit construction gives Bernstein's lethargy theorem in the requested inequality form. SetStrict decrease makes every coefficient positive. Telescoping and the limit assumption giveThusdefines a continuous function by the Weierstrass M-test and the uniform limit theorem. Apply the positive lacunary Chebyshev series calculation. At $n=0$,For $n\ge 1$, choose $K\ge 1$ so that $3^{K-1}\le n<3^K$. Its error isTherefore the function satisfiesThis explicit Chebyshev construction for Bernstein lethargy also has $E_n(f_{ϵ})\to 0$. It shows that continuity imposes no universal speed of convergence of best polynomial approximation, even though convergence itself follows from the Weierstrass approximation theorem.