ProofComplete

Convergence Theorems - Key Proof

ProofProof of the Dominated Convergence Theorem

We prove the Dominated Convergence Theorem using Fatou's Lemma.

Given: fnβ†’ff_n \to f a.e., and ∣fnβˆ£β‰€g|f_n| \leq g where gg is integrable.

To prove: ∫Xf dΞΌ=lim⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌ\int_X f \, d\mu = \lim_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu

Proof:

Step 1: First, ∣fβˆ£β‰€g|f| \leq g a.e., so ff is integrable. Also, gΒ±fnβ‰₯0g \pm f_n \geq 0 and gΒ±fβ‰₯0g \pm f \geq 0.

Step 2: We have (gβˆ’fn)β†’(gβˆ’f)(g - f_n) \to (g - f) a.e. Since gβˆ’fnβ‰₯0g - f_n \geq 0, by Fatou's Lemma: ∫X(gβˆ’f) dμ≀lim inf⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«X(gβˆ’fn) dΞΌ\int_X (g - f) \, d\mu \leq \liminf_{n \to \infty} \int_X (g - f_n) \, d\mu

Step 3: Since gg is integrable: ∫Xg dΞΌβˆ’βˆ«Xf dμ≀lim inf⁑nβ†’βˆž(∫Xg dΞΌβˆ’βˆ«Xfn dΞΌ)\int_X g \, d\mu - \int_X f \, d\mu \leq \liminf_{n \to \infty} \left(\int_X g \, d\mu - \int_X f_n \, d\mu\right)

∫Xg dΞΌβˆ’βˆ«Xf dΞΌβ‰€βˆ«Xg dΞΌβˆ’lim sup⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌ\int_X g \, d\mu - \int_X f \, d\mu \leq \int_X g \, d\mu - \limsup_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu

Subtracting ∫Xg dΞΌ\int_X g \, d\mu (which is finite): βˆ’βˆ«Xf dΞΌβ‰€βˆ’lim sup⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌ- \int_X f \, d\mu \leq - \limsup_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu

Thus: lim sup⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌβ‰€βˆ«Xf dΞΌ\limsup_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu \leq \int_X f \, d\mu

Step 4: Similarly, applying Fatou's Lemma to g+fnβ†’g+fg + f_n \to g + f: ∫X(g+f) dμ≀lim inf⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«X(g+fn) dΞΌ\int_X (g + f) \, d\mu \leq \liminf_{n \to \infty} \int_X (g + f_n) \, d\mu

∫Xg dΞΌ+∫Xf dΞΌβ‰€βˆ«Xg dΞΌ+lim inf⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌ\int_X g \, d\mu + \int_X f \, d\mu \leq \int_X g \, d\mu + \liminf_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu

Thus: ∫Xf dμ≀lim inf⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌ\int_X f \, d\mu \leq \liminf_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu

Step 5: Combining Steps 3 and 4: ∫Xf dμ≀lim inf⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dμ≀lim sup⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌβ‰€βˆ«Xf dΞΌ\int_X f \, d\mu \leq \liminf_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu \leq \limsup_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu \leq \int_X f \, d\mu

Therefore all inequalities are equalities, and lim⁑nβ†’βˆžβˆ«Xfn dΞΌ\lim_{n \to \infty} \int_X f_n \, d\mu exists and equals ∫Xf dΞΌ\int_X f \, d\mu.

β– 
Remark

The proof shows that DCT essentially follows from two applications of Fatou's Lemma, using the dominating function to control the behavior from above and below. The key is that gg integrable allows us to subtract ∫Xg dΞΌ\int_X g \, d\mu from both sides without introducing indeterminate forms.

The second part of DCT, that ∫X∣fnβˆ’fβˆ£β€‰dΞΌβ†’0\int_X |f_n - f| \, d\mu \to 0, follows by applying the first part to the sequence ∣fnβˆ’f∣|f_n - f|, which is dominated by 2g2g and converges to 00 pointwise.