Show that the distance of $x^\ast$ to $C$ is the maximum of distances from $x^\ast$ to closed half-spaces $H\supseteq C$

convex optimizationconvex-analysislinear algebra

This Q&A is in response to the follow up question asked in here.

Let $C\subseteq \mathbb{R}^n$ be a closed convex set, and $x^\ast \in C^c$. Define the Euclidean distance from $x^\ast$ to $C$ by $d_C(x^\ast) = ||x^\ast – \Pi_C(x^\ast)||_2 = \min_{z\in C}||x^\ast – z||_2$, where $\Pi_C(x^\ast)$ is the projection of $x^\ast$ onto $C$.

Show that the distance from $x^\ast$ to $C$ is the maximum among the distances from $x^\ast$ to closed half-spaces $H$ containing $C$, i.e., $d_C(x^\ast)=\max_{C\subseteq H}d_H(x^\ast)$, where the max is taken over all closed half-spaces $H$'s containing $C$.

Best Answer

The case $d_C(x^\ast)\geq\max_{C\subseteq H}d_H(x^\ast)$ is trivial.

Note that it has been shown in the preceding question that $C\subseteq H_\ast \equiv \overline{H}^-(a,\gamma)$, where $H_\ast$ is a closed half space, $a = x^\ast - \Pi_C(x^\ast)$ and $\gamma = \langle x^\ast, \Pi_C(x^\ast) \rangle$, and in fact, $d_C(x^\ast) = d_{H_\ast}(x^\ast)$. Suppose $d_C(x^\ast)\not\leq\max_{C\subseteq H}d_H(x^\ast)$. Then $d_C(x^\ast)>\max_{C\subseteq H}d_H(x^\ast)$, and it's clear we have a contradiction.