Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2023 / ib / Paper 1 / 10G / Solution

A Cauchy sequence $(x_n)$ in a metric space $(M,d)$ satisfies: for every $\epsilon >0$ there is $N$ such that $d(x_m,x_n)<\epsilon$ whenever $m,n\ge N$. A complete metric space is one in which every Cauchy sequence converges to a point of the space.

Every Cauchy sequence is bounded. Choose $N$ such that $d(x_n,x_N)<1$ for $n\ge N$, and putThen every term lies in the ball $B(x_N,R)$.

Now suppose $M$ is complete and $(F_n)$ is a decreasing sequence of nonempty closed sets with $\mathrm{diam}{F}_n\to 0$. Choose $x_n\in F_n$. Given $\epsilon >0$, choose $N$ with $\mathrm{diam}{F}_N<\epsilon$. For $m,n\ge N$, both points lie in $F_N$, so $d(x_m,x_n)<\epsilon$. Completeness gives $x_n\to x\in M$. For each fixed $N$, the tail lies in the closed set $F_N$, hence $x\in F_N$. Therefore

Conversely, assume the nested-set property and let $(x_n)$ be Cauchy. DefineThese sets are nonempty, closed, and decreasing. The Cauchy property implies $\mathrm{diam}{F}_n\to 0$; taking a closure does not change the diameter. Choose $x\in {\bigcap }_n{F}_n$. Since $x_n,x\in F_n$,Thus every Cauchy sequence converges and $M$ is complete. This proves the Cantor intersection theorem characterization.

The contraction mapping theorem states that a contraction of a nonempty complete metric space has a unique fixed point.

For each $\lambda \in \Lambda$, the map $T_{\lambda }(x)=T(\lambda ,x)$ is a contraction with the common constant $k$, so it has a unique fixed point $x^{\ast }(\lambda )$. This defines the required unique function. Fix ${\lambda }_0$. The fixed-point identities and the triangle inequality giveConsequentlyThe numerator tends to zero as $\lambda \to {\lambda }_0$ by the assumed continuity for the fixed point $x^{\ast }({\lambda }_0)$. Hence $x^{\ast }$ is continuous, an instance of continuous dependence of the fixed point of a uniform contraction.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.