Questions tagged [lebesgue-integral]

For questions about integration, where the theory is based on measures. It is almost always used together with the tag [measure-theory], and its aim is to specify questions about integrals, not only properties of the measure.

The idea of Lebesgue integral is the following: we give to a simple non-negative function $\sum_{j=1}^Na_j\chi_{S_j}$, where $a_j\geq 0$ and $S_j>0$ the value $\sum_{j=1}^Na_j\mu(S_j)$. Then we define the integral of a measurable non-negative function as $$\int_X f(x)d\mu(x):=\sup\left\lbrace \int_X g(x)\mathrm{d}\mu(x) \mid 0\leq g\leq f,\ g \text{ simple}\right\rbrace.$$ For a measurable function, write $f=\max(f,0)-\max(-f,0)$ to give a value to $\int_X f(x)\mathrm{d}\mu(x)$.

The major interest is that we can integrate functions which are defined in an arbitrary set, provided we have fixed a $\sigma$-algebra and a measure on it.

When dealing with a function $f\colon[a,b]\longrightarrow\mathbb R$, with $a,b\in\mathbb R$ and $a\lt b$, the Lebesgue integral is more general than the Riemann integral: if a function is Riemann-integrable, then it is Lebesgue-integrable (and the integrals are the same), but there are functions (such as characteristic function $\chi_{[a,b]\cap\mathbb Q}$) which are Lebesgue-integrable, but not Riemann-integrable.

7905 questions
236
votes
7 answers

$L^p$ and $L^q$ space inclusion

Let $(X, \mathcal B, m)$ be a measure space. For $1 \leq p < q \leq \infty$, under what condition is it true that $L^q(X, \mathcal B, m) \subset L^p(X, \mathcal B, m)$ and what is a counterexample in the case the condition is not satisfied?
126
votes
3 answers

Does convergence in $L^p$ imply convergence almost everywhere?

If I know $\| f_n - f \|_{L^p(\mathbb{R})} \to 0$ as $n \to \infty$, do I know that $\lim_{n \to \infty}f_n(x) = f(x)$ for almost every $x$?
187239
  • 1,335
122
votes
8 answers

Lebesgue integral basics

I'm having trouble finding a good explanation of the Lebesgue integral. As per the definition, it is the expectation of a random variable. Then how does it model the area under the curve? Let's take for example a function $f(x) = x^2$. How do we…
65
votes
3 answers

Functions that are Riemann integrable but not Lebesgue integrable

I know there are functions which are Riemann integrable but not Lebesgue integrable, for instance, $$\int_{\mathbb{R}} \frac{\sin(x)}{x} \mathrm{d}x$$ Is Riemann integrable and it is easily shown that its value is $\pi $, nevertheless, it is not…
user438666
  • 2,200
  • 1
  • 11
  • 25
51
votes
8 answers

Why do we restrict the definition of Lebesgue Integrability?

The function $f(x) = \sin(x)/x$ is Riemann Integrable from $0$ to $\infty$, but it is not Lebesgue Integrable on that same interval. (Note, it is not absolutely Riemann Integrable.) Why is it we restrict our definition of Lebesgue Integrability to…
51
votes
8 answers

How much do we really care about Riemann integration compared to Lebesgue integration?

Let me ask right at the start: what is Riemann integration really used for? As far as I'm aware, we use Lebesgue integration in: probability theory theory of PDE's Fourier transforms and really, anywhere I can think of where integration is used…
49
votes
6 answers

What is the intuition behind Chebyshev's Inequality in Measure Theory

Chebyshev's Inequality Let $f$ be a nonnegative measurable function on $E .$ Then for any $\lambda>0$, $$ m\{x \in E \mid f(x) \geq \lambda\} \leq \frac{1}{\lambda} \cdot \int_{E} f. $$ What exactly is this inequality telling us? Is this saying…
41
votes
2 answers

Category Theory and Lebesgue Integration.

I'm wondering if there's any Category Theory floating around in the theory of Lebesgue Integration. To avoid things becoming too broad, let's keep this focused on the basics. Here's how I see the general set up (missing a few details to keep things…
Shaun
  • 47,747
35
votes
3 answers

What does it mean to be an $L^1$ function?

I am struggling to understand what the space $L^1$ is, and what it means for a function to be $L^1$. A friend told me that a function $f$ is $L^1$ if $\int_\mathbb{R} |f|$ is finite. It is $L^2$ if $(\int_\mathbb{R} |f|^2)^{1/2}$ Firstly is this…
fourier1234
  • 1,667
35
votes
4 answers

Generalisation of Dominated Convergence Theorem

Wikipedia claims, if $\sigma$-finite the Dominated convergence theorem is still true when pointwise convergence is replaced by convergence in measure, does anyone know where to find a proof of this? Many thanks! Statement of the theorem: Let $\mu$…
33
votes
4 answers

Is Dirichlet function Riemann integrable?

"Dirichlet function" is meant to be the characteristic function of rational numbers on $[a,b]\subset\mathbb{R}$. On one hand, a function on $[a,b]$ is Riemann integrable if and only if it is bounded and continuous almost everywhere, which the…
31
votes
2 answers

Showing that $f = 0 $ a.e. if for any measurable set $E$, $\int_E f = 0$

Let $(X, \mathcal{B}, \mu)$ be a measure space and $f$ a measurable function on $X$ and suppose that $\forall E \in \mathcal{B}$ we have that $\int_E f = 0$. Then I want to show that $f = 0$ almost everywhere (a.e.). Suppose for sake of…
George
  • 823
30
votes
1 answer

Why is the Monotone Convergence Theorem more famous than it's stronger cousin?

I am reading Stein & Shakarchi. On page 62 we have the Monotone Convergence Theorem: Suppose $\{f_n\}$ is a sequence of non-negative measurable functions with $f_n\nearrow f.$ Then $\displaystyle \lim_{n \to \infty} \int f_n = \int f$. However,…
30
votes
2 answers

The Lebesgue integral of an integrable function is continuous

Let $a\in \mathbb{R}$ be fixed, and $f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ a Lebesgue integrable function. Define $F:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ by $$F(x)=\int_a^xf(t)\mathrm{d}t$$ for all $t\in \mathbb{R}$. Prove that $F$ is continuous. Using…
Ducky
  • 2,116
29
votes
2 answers

Is there a solution manual for Royden fourth edition?

I bought the fourth edition of Royden Real Analysis, this book is awesome and it's quite different from the third edition, which has less exercises. I have the solution manual for the third edition. Is there a solution manual for the fourth…
1
2 3
99 100