Measure Theory – Integral Computed with Respect to a Sub-?-Algebra

measure-theoryreal-analysis

Let $\mathcal M_0$ be a $\sigma$-algebra that is contained in a $\sigma$-algebra $\mathcal M$ of subsets of a set $X$, $\mu$ a measure on $\mathcal M$ and $\mu_0$ the restriction of $\mu$ to $\mathcal M_0$. Let $f$ be a nonnegative real-valued function that is measurable with respect to $\mathcal M_0$ (and hence with respect to $\mathcal M$ as well). Then the set of all nonnegative simple functions $\phi\le f$ measurable with respect to $\mathcal M_0$ is a subset of the set of all nonnegative simple functions $\psi\le f$ measurable with respect to $\mathcal M$, and so
$$
\int_Xf\,d\mu_0\le\int_Xf\,d\mu.
$$
Can this inequality be strict?

Best Answer

No, you have equality.

This is because you can find a nondecreasing sequence of nonnegative, $\mathcal M_0$-measurable functions $(\phi_n)$ such that $\phi_n(x)\to f(x)$ for all $x\in X$. By the monotone convergence theorem applied to $\mu$ and $\mu_0$ it follows that $\int fd\mu=\int fd\mu_0$.