Every set of finite measure can be written as the disjoint union of finitely many measurable sets with measure $\le \epsilon$

lebesgue-measurereal-analysis

Let $E\subseteq \mathbb{R}$. Show that if $E$ has finite measure and $\epsilon>0,$ then $E$ is the disjoint union of a finite number of measurable sets, each of which has measure at most $\epsilon$.

I want to use the Caratheodory condition of measurability. Let $\{I_x\}$ be a finite family of intervals such that length of each $I_{x}<\epsilon$, then $L(I_x)=m^*(E\cap I_x)+m^*(E^c\cap I_x).$ We can see $m^*(E\cap I_x)<\epsilon$, but then I can't go on.
This problem comes from Royden's Real Analysis (page 40).

Best Answer

Let $E_n = E \cap [n\epsilon,(n+1)\epsilon)$, we have $\sum_k m E_k < \infty$.

Choose $K$ such that $\sum_{|k| >K} m E_k < \epsilon$. Let $E'=\cup_{|k|>K} E_k$.

Then $E_{-K},E_{-K+1},...,E_K, E'$ are disjoint, measurable and each have measure $\le \epsilon$.