Questions in the Proof of Riesz-Fischer Theorem and Bessel’s Inequality (Rudin’s RCA)

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I have some questions about Theorem 4.17 of Rudin's Real and Complex Analysis, attached below.


  1. Inequality 4.14(5) is $$\sum_{\alpha\in F} |\hat x(\alpha)|^2 \le \|x\|^2$$
    How does the above inequality holding for every finite set $F\subset A$ guarantee Bessel's inequality (1)? I think we can extend the inequality to countable sets by taking the limit, but what about uncountable sets? I saw here that the uncountable case is actually not possible, but I do not quite understand the reasoning. In Rudin's book, it is shown that if $\varphi\in \ell^2(A)$ then $\{\alpha\in A: \varphi(\alpha)\ne 0\}$ is at most countable. Is this related?
  2. Just want to confirm, $\|x\|^2$ cannot possibly be infinite, right? I guess that is how the author concludes that $\hat x \in \ell^2(A)$ (using Bessel's inequality).
  3. How does Theorem 4.14(a) show that $f$ is an isometry of $P$ onto the dense subspace of $\ell^2(A)$ consisting of those functions whose support is a finite subset of $A$?

Attached for reference:
Theorem 4.17:
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Theorem 4.14(a):
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Best Answer

  1. Take a look at 4.15 in Rudin. The sum in question on the LHS is defined as the supremum of all finite sums. So, if the inequality holds for all finite sums, it holds for the supremum as well.
  2. You're right, $\|x\|$ and hence $\|x\|^2$ are finite. So, $\sum_{\alpha\in A}|\hat{x}(\alpha)|^2\leq \|x\|^2<\infty$ and thus $\hat{x}\in \ell^2(A)$.
  3. Unwind the definitions.