Exercise 1.2.9

Given a function f : D → R and a subset B ⊆ R , let f − 1 ( B ) be the set of all points from the domain D that get mapped into B ; that is, f − 1 ( B ) = { x ∈ D : f ( x ) ∈ B } . This set is called the preimage of B .

(a)
Let f ( x ) = x 2 . If A is the closed interval [ 0 , 4 ] and B is the closed interval [ − 1 , 1 ] , find f − 1 ( A ) and f − 1 ( B ) . Does f − 1 ( A ∩ B ) = f − 1 ( A ) ∩ f − 1 ( B ) in this case? Does f − 1 ( A ∪ B ) = f − 1 ( A ) ∪ f − 1 ( B ) ?
(b)
The good behavior of preimages demonstrated in (a) is completely general. Show that for an arbitrary function g : R → R , it is always true that g − 1 ( A ∩ B ) = g − 1 ( A ) ∩ g − 1 ( B ) and g − 1 ( A ∪ B ) = g − 1 ( A ) ∪ g − 1 ( B ) for all sets A , B ⊆ R

Answers

(a)
f − 1 ( A ) = [ − 2 , 2 ] , f − 1 ( B ) = [ − 1 , 1 ] , f − 1 ( A ∩ B ) = [ − 1 , 1 ] = f − 1 ( A ) ∩ f − 1 ( B ) , f − 1 ( A ∪ B ) = [ − 2 , 2 ] = f − 1 ( A ) ∪ f − 1 ( B )
(b)
First let x ∈ g − 1 ( A ∩ B ) meaning g ( x ) ∈ A ∩ B implying g ( x ) ∈ A and g ( x ) ∈ B which is the same as x ∈ g − 1 ( A ) and x ∈ g − 1 ( B ) meaning x ∈ g − 1 ( A ) ∩ g − 1 ( B ) .

Second let x ∈ g − 1 ( A ) ∩ g − 1 ( B ) , this is the same as x ∈ g − 1 ( A ) and x ∈ g − 1 ( B ) which is the same as g ( x ) ∈ A and g ( x ) ∈ B implying g ( x ) ∈ A ∩ B and thus x ∈ g − 1 ( A ∩ B ) . Thus g − 1 ( A ∩ B ) = g − 1 ( A ) ∩ g − 1 ( B ) .

Seeing g − 1 ( A ∪ B ) = g − 1 ( A ) ∪ g − 1 ( B ) is obvious. see 1.2.7 (d).

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2022-01-27 00:00
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