[Math] Inner product of continuous functions

inner-products

I'm sure i'm missing something but i've come to this definition of inner product:

$$\langle f, g \rangle = \int_a^b f(x)g(x) \ dx$$

For functions $F:[a,b]\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$

Now, I know that there are periodic functions whose integral is $0$ while the function iteself is not $0$ everywhere. How do we know there is not such a function, non nul, such that

$$ \int_a^b f(x)f(x) \ dx = 0$$

and thus invalidating one of the axioms of inner product?

Best Answer

This is because you square the function when you multiply it with itself. No square is negative, so the integral is positive definite, just like the inner product. The only case where the integral evaluates to 0 is if all values are 0 on the interval of interest, and therefore it is the 0 vector function

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