I know that this question has been asked here before but I want to use a different approach. Here is the question.
A function f:R→R is such that
f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y),∀x,y∈R(1)
I want to show that if f is continuous at 0, it is continuous on R.
MY WORK
Since (1) holds for all x∈R, we let x=x−y+y
Then,
f(x−y+y)=f(x−y)+f(y)
f(x−y)=f(x)−f(y)
Let x0∈R,ϵ> and y=x−x0,∀x∈R. Then,
f(x−(x−x0))=f(x)−f(x−x0)
f(x0)=f(x)−f(x−x0)
f(y)=f(x0)−f(x)
HINTS BY MY PDF:
Let x0∈R,ϵ> and y=x−x0,∀x∈R. Then, show that |f(x0)−f(x)|=|f(y)−f(0)|
Using this equation and the continuity of f at 0, establish properly that
|f(y)−f(0)|<ϵ,
in some neighbourhood of 0.
My problem is how to put this hint together to complete the proof. Please, I need assistance, thanks!
Answer
We want to show that
$$\forall \epsilon>0, \exists r>0:|x-y|
But f(x)−f(y)=f(x−y) because f(y)+f(x−y)=f(y+(x−y))=f(x) as you have noticed.
Now, take u=x−y. By continuity at 0, we can write:
$$\forall \epsilon>0, \exists r>0:|u-0|
It's easy to see that f(0)=0, because f(0)=f(0+0)=f(0)+f(0). Hence
$$\forall \epsilon>0, \exists r>0:|(x-y)-0|
Hence, f is continuous at any y∈R.
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