I'm self-studying from the book Understanding Analysis by Stephen Abbott, and I have the feeling that the author is being careless about limit points in his theorems or I am not understanding something (probably the latter). For instance, for the following theorem:
(Algebraic Continuity Theorem). Assume $f: A \to \mathbb{R}$ and $g: A \to \mathbb{R}$ are continuous at a point $c \in A$. Then:
- $kf(x)$ is continuous at $c$ for all $k \in \mathbb{R}$;
- $f(x) + g(x)$ is continuous at $c$;
- $f(x)g(x)$ is continuous at $c$; and
- $f(x)/g(x)$ is continuous at $c$, provided the quotient is defined.
Proof. All of these statements can be quickly derived from Theorem$^1$ and
Theorem$^2$ (see below for the two theorems).
The only way I am able to prove the above theorem is by using theorem$^2$ part 2. However, part 2 is only true if the point $c \in A$ is a limit point. Since, for the above theorem, this is not a restriction on $c$, I don't understand how to prove it. Any help is much appreciated.
As an extra question: as far as I understand part 1 and part 3 of theorem$^2$ hold also true for continuous functions at $c$ if $c$ is not a limit point, right? What about part 4 of theorem$^2$? Does $c$ is need to be a limit point, or is this not necessary?
$^1$ (Algebraic Limit Theorem for Functional Limits). Let $f$ and $g$ be functions defined on a domain $A \subseteq \mathbb{R}$, and assume $\lim_{x\to c} f(x) = L$ and $\lim_{x \to c}g(x) = M$ for some limit point $c$ of $A$. Then:
- $ \lim_{x \to c} kf(x) = kL$ for all $k \in \mathbb{R}$,
- $\lim_{x \to c} [ f(x) + g(x)] = L + M$,
- $\lim_{x \to c} [f(x)g(x)] = LM$, and
- $\lim_{x \to c} f(x)/g(x) = L/M$, provided $M \neq 0$.
$^2$ (Characterizations of Continuity). Let $f : A \to \mathbb{R}$ and $c \in A$ be a limit point of $A$ [emphasis mine]. The function $f$ is continuous at $c$ if, and only if, any one of the following conditions is met:
- For all $\epsilon > 0$, there exists a $\delta > 0$ such that $|x-c| < \delta$ (and $x \in A$) implies $|f(x) – f(c)| < \epsilon$;
- $\lim_{x \to c} f(x) = f(c)$;
- For all $V_\epsilon (f(c))$, there exists a neighborhood $V_\delta (c)$ with the property that $x \in V_\delta(c)$ (and $ x \in A$) implies $f(x) \in V_\epsilon(f(c))$;
- If $(x_n) \to c$ (with $x_n \in A$), then $f(x_n) \to f(c)$.
For completeness, I will also write down the way the author defines functional limits and continuity:
Definition$^3$. Let $f: A \to \mathbb{R}$, and let $c$ be a limit point of the domain $A$. We say that $\lim_{x \to c} f(x) = L$ provided that, for all $\epsilon > 0$, there exists a $\delta > 0$ such that whenever $0 < |x-c| < \delta$ (and $x \in A$) it follows that $|f(x)-L| < \epsilon$.
Definition$^4$. A function $f: A \to \mathbb{R}$ is continuous at a point $c \in A$ if, for all $\epsilon > 0$, there exists a $\delta > 0$ such that whenever $|x-c| < \delta$ (and $x \in A$) it follows that $|f(x)-f(c)| < \epsilon$.
Best Answer
I will try to prove the Algebraic Continuity Theorem without using part 2 of Characterizations of Continuity; if I succeed, then I can conclude that for the Algebraic Continuity Theorem the point $c \in A$ does not need to be a limit point.