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Int Value

This document provides a proof of the intermediate value theorem using an epsilon-delta approach. It first states the theorem - that if a continuous function f is defined on the interval [a,b] and f(a) < c < f(b), then there exists a point x0 in (a,b) where f(x0) = c. It then defines a set S consisting of all points x where f(x) < c, and uses the completeness axiom to show S has a supremum x0. It rules out the possibilities that f(x0) < c or f(x0) > c, showing f(x0) must equal c.

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Sushil Bishnoi
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49 views

Int Value

This document provides a proof of the intermediate value theorem using an epsilon-delta approach. It first states the theorem - that if a continuous function f is defined on the interval [a,b] and f(a) < c < f(b), then there exists a point x0 in (a,b) where f(x0) = c. It then defines a set S consisting of all points x where f(x) < c, and uses the completeness axiom to show S has a supremum x0. It rules out the possibilities that f(x0) < c or f(x0) > c, showing f(x0) must equal c.

Uploaded by

Sushil Bishnoi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MAT 319

Proof of the intermediate value theorem

We will give a proof that is slightly different from the one in the book, in particular, it uses -δ-approach
rathen than sequences. (Please read the proof in the book, it’s also a good proof!)
We will need the following lemma (a version was proved in class, another version is on the homework).
We don not include a proof here.
Lemma 1. (1) Suppose f is a function continuous at a point z, and f (z) > c. Then there is δ > 0 such
that for every x ∈ (z − δ, z + δ), we have f (x) > c (as long as x ∈ dom(f )).
(2) Suppose f is a function continuous at a point z, and f (z) < c. Then there is δ > 0 such that for every
x ∈ (z − δ, z + δ), we have f (x) < c (as long as x ∈ dom(f )).
Now we prove the intermediate value theorem: suppose f is continuous on [a, b], f (a) < c, f (b) > c. We
need to show that there is a point x0 ∈ (a, b) such that f (x0 ) = c.
Since f (a) < c, Lemma 1 implies that f (x) stays less than c for x close to a. Let’s travel from a towards
b, and see how far we can get while the values of f stay less than c. To make this precise, consider the set
S = {x ∈ [a, b] : f (x) < c, and the values of f are less than c at all points between a and x}.
You can actually show that the set S is just an interval starting at a. Importantly for us, S is non-empty
(because it contains a), and S is bounded, because S ⊂ [a, b]. By Completeness Axiom, S has a supremum.
Consider x0 = sup S. We will show that f (x0 ) = c. Indeed, we will rule out the possibilities f (x0 ) < c
and f (x0 ) > c; this will mean f (x0 ) = c.
First, let’s assume f (x0 ) > c. Then by Lemma 1, there is δ > 0 such that for all x ∈ (x0 − δ, x0 + δ)
we have f (x) > c. This means (why?) that the interval (x0 − δ, x0 + δ) contains no points of S. But ths
contradicts (why?) the fact that x0 = sup S.
Now, let’s assume that f (x0 ) < c. In this case, we will show that the set S extends to the right of x0 ,
so x0 cannot be an upper bound for S. This will again give a contradiction. Indeed: by Lemma 1, there is
δ > 0 such that for all x ∈ (x0 − δ, x0 + δ) we have f (x) < c. Now, since x0 = sup S, there must (why?) be
a point x0 ∈ S such that x0 − δ < x0 ≤ x0 . But now we have that f (x) < c for all points between a and x0 ,
including x0 (why?), and then f (x) < c for all points between x0 and x0 + δ. But this means (why?) that
the set S contains points x with x > x0 , a contradiction with x0 = sup S. 
Please make sure you can answer all the “why?”. Make a picture to understand this proof better.

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