Difference-set overlap bound on an interval 2026-10-03
Measurable additive function is continuous 2026-09-29
Every Lebesgue-measurable additive function is continuous. Small-value preimages are measurable; one of their integer dilates has positive measure, so the Steinhaus theorem puts a neighbourhood of zero in their difference set. Additivity then makes small on that neighbourhood.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 ii Paper 3 26J g Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
First intersect with a sufficiently large bounded interval to obtain a finite positive-measure set. By the Lebesgue density theorem, this set has a density-one point . Hence, for every , some sufficiently small interval centred at satisfieswhich is the high-density interval in a positive-measure subset of the real line.
To obtain the final claim, choose , put , and translate into . WritePart (f), after rescaling the interval length, givesThus contains an open interval around zero, which is the Steinhaus theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 1 23I a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
For and , define their convolution byIt is bounded becauseIf , thenContinuity of translation in makes the right-hand side tend to zero with , uniformly in . Thus the convolution of L infinity and L1 functions is bounded and continuous.
Now let and . ThenAt zero this equals . By continuity it remains positive throughout some open neighbourhood of zero. Positivity at means that some satisfies and , so . HenceThis is the Steinhaus theorem.
The conclusion also holds when . Since is the union of bounded balls, some measurable subset has finite positive measure. Its difference set lies inside and already contains a neighbourhood of zero.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2020 ii Paper 1 23I b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
To prove continuity, fix and putThese sets are measurable and , so at least one has positive Lebesgue measure. Part (ii) gives , and therefore also has positive measure. By the Steinhaus theorem, contains an open neighbourhood of zero. Part (i) givesThis proves continuity at zero. Finally,as , so is continuous at every . Thus every such map is an instance of the theorem that a measurable additive function is continuous.