Step functions vs piecewise continiuty

118 Views Asked by At

Definition: A function $f :[a, b] \Rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ is said to be piece-wise continuous if there exists a partition $a = t_{0} < t_{1} <...<t_m =b $, such that for each $k$, the restriction of $f$ to the open interval $(t_k,t_{k+1})$ is continuous, and extends to a continuous function in the closed interval $[t_k ,t_k + 1 ]$.

Definition: A function $g: [a, b] → R$ is called a step function if there exists a partition $(t_0, t_1, t_2,..., t_m)$ of $[a, b]$, and numbers $(c_0, c_1, c_2, ..., c_m)$, such that $g(x) = c$ for $t_j< x <t_{j+1}$, $j = 0,1,2,..., m - 1.$ In other words g is constant on each open interval $(t_{j} ,t_{j+1})$.

My question:

Considering and comparing of two these definitons can we say that step functions are piecewise continious on the closed intervals?

P.S.

as mentioned on the coment by @copper.hat "The only question here is if the constant functions can be extended to a continuous function on the closed interval". But in my opinion it is not so diffucult. Just we can define limit values to the end points.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

9
On

(I'm unable to add to the thread as I don't yet have rep 50 :P)

But in my opinion it is not so diffucult. Just we can define limit values to the end points.

An implicit part of your definition of piece-wise continuous is that the subfunctions, $f_k$, you have for each interval $[t_k, t_{k+1}]$ must agree on endpoints i.e.

$$f_{k}(t_{k+1}) = f_{k+1}(t_{k+1})$$

So consider what happens to these endpoints on a generic step function