Every measurable function is the limit a.e of a sequence of continuous functions

measure-theoryreal-analysis

Problem. Prove that every measurable function is the limit a.e of a sequence of continuous functions

  • "a.e" mean almost everywhere

  • Here, $m$ is the Lebesgue measure

Idea. Let $\psi = \sum_{1}^{n}a_{j}\chi_{R_{j}}$ be a step function where $R_{j}$ are closed rectangles. Each $R_{j} \subset \mathbb{R}^{d}$ is of the form $R_{j} = \prod_{1}^{d}[a_{i},b_{i}]$. For $\chi_{[a_{i},b_{i}]}$ consider
$$g_{[a_{i},b_{i}]}(x) = \begin{cases}
1,& x \in [a_{i},b_{i}]\\
0,& x \geq b_{i} + \epsilon\;\mathrm{ou}\;x\leq a_{i} – \epsilon\\
\frac{1}{\epsilon}(x – a_{i} + \epsilon), & x \in (a_{i}-\epsilon,a_{i})\\
1 – \frac{1}{\epsilon}(x – b_{i}),& x \in (b_{i},b_{i} + \epsilon)
\end{cases}$$

that is continuous and igual to $\chi_{[a_{i},b_{i}]}$ a.e. Thus, for $R_{j}$, $\chi_{R_{j}} = g_{R_{j}}$ a.e. Since $\psi$ is finite linear combination of $n$ characteristics functions defined in rectangles, then $\psi = \sum_{1}^{n}a_{j}g_{R_{j}}$ a.e.

Now, let $f$ be a measurable function. Then there is a sequence of step functions tht converges pointwise to $f$ a.e. Let $g_{k}$ be a continuous function with $\psi_{k} = g_{k}$ a.e. Let $Y$ be a null set such that the sequence of step function doesn't converges to $f$ and $X_{k}$ a set of measure at most $2^{-k}$ such that $\psi_{k} \neq g_{k}$. Thus, if
$$x \in \bigcup_{n=1}^{\infty}\bigcap_{k=n}^{\infty}(X_{k}^{c}\setminus Y)$$
then there is $n$ such that for $k>n$ we have $\psi_{k}(x) = g_{k}(x)$. Therefore, for this $x$, define
$$f(x) = \lim_{k \to \infty}\psi_{k}(x) = \lim_{k \to \infty}g_{k}(x).$$
Now, define
$$Z = \left(\bigcup_{n=1}^{\infty}\bigcap_{k=n}^{\infty}(X_{k}^{c}\setminus Y)\right)^{c} = Y \cup \left(\bigcup_{n=1}^{\infty}\bigcap_{k=n}^{\infty}X_{k}\right)$$
and so,
\begin{eqnarray*}
m(Z) & \leq & m(Y) + m\left(\bigcup_{n=1}^{\infty}\bigcap_{k=n}^{\infty}X_{k}\right)\\
& \leq & m\left(\bigcup_{n=1}^{\infty}\bigcap_{k=n}^{\infty}X_{k}\right)\\
& \leq & m\left(\bigcup_{n=k}^{\infty}X_{k}\right)\\
& \leq & \sum_{k=n}^{\infty}m(X_{k})\\
& \leq & \sum_{k=n}^{\infty}2^{-k} = 2^{1-n}
\end{eqnarray*}

and when $n \to \infty$, $m(Z) = 0$. For $x \not\in Z$, $g_{n} \to f$ pointwise.


This is the idea that I know to prove it, but I'm trying to get a different proof, a little more intuitive maybe. Somebody knows?

Best Answer

Well, let $f$ be a measurable function, without loss of generality you can consider $f\geq 0$, now you can approximate $f$ by simple functions. Now, between them, in the possible discontinuities, cut an $\epsilon=2^{-k-1}$ (where k is the number of the addens in the simple aproximation) and glue by a line making them continuous. Now, you have to play with the epsilon and you are ready.