Can a function be neither convex nor concave everywhere?












3












$begingroup$


For a simpliest example, define continuous $f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally convex in neighborhood $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y>f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



$f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally concave in $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y<f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$ and $|U|>3$. Is it possible? (I guess yes)



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all measure non zero neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$. Is it possible? (I guess no)










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes in both cases. Take a look at this for an idea.
    $endgroup$
    – metamorphy
    Dec 20 '18 at 10:50
















3












$begingroup$


For a simpliest example, define continuous $f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally convex in neighborhood $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y>f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



$f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally concave in $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y<f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$ and $|U|>3$. Is it possible? (I guess yes)



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all measure non zero neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$. Is it possible? (I guess no)










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes in both cases. Take a look at this for an idea.
    $endgroup$
    – metamorphy
    Dec 20 '18 at 10:50














3












3








3





$begingroup$


For a simpliest example, define continuous $f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally convex in neighborhood $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y>f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



$f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally concave in $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y<f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$ and $|U|>3$. Is it possible? (I guess yes)



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all measure non zero neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$. Is it possible? (I guess no)










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$




For a simpliest example, define continuous $f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally convex in neighborhood $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y>f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



$f:mathbb Rtomathbb R$ to be locally concave in $Usubsetmathbb R$ if ${y<f(x)|xin U}$ is a convex set.



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$ and $|U|>3$. Is it possible? (I guess yes)



Say $f$ is neither convex nor concave everywhere if $f$ is neither locally concave nor convex in all measure non zero neighborhood set $Usubsetmathbb R$. Is it possible? (I guess no)







real-analysis functions continuity convex-analysis






share|cite|improve this question















share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question








edited Dec 26 '18 at 20:29







High GPA

















asked Dec 20 '18 at 10:36









High GPAHigh GPA

899420




899420








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes in both cases. Take a look at this for an idea.
    $endgroup$
    – metamorphy
    Dec 20 '18 at 10:50














  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes in both cases. Take a look at this for an idea.
    $endgroup$
    – metamorphy
    Dec 20 '18 at 10:50








1




1




$begingroup$
Yes in both cases. Take a look at this for an idea.
$endgroup$
– metamorphy
Dec 20 '18 at 10:50




$begingroup$
Yes in both cases. Take a look at this for an idea.
$endgroup$
– metamorphy
Dec 20 '18 at 10:50










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















7












$begingroup$

The Weierstrass function provides an example of a function that is continuous but not convex or concave in any open neighborhood.



Weierstrass function



The reason being that it has infinitely fine oscillation everywhere (since it is a fractal). It is defined by the infinite series
$$
f(x):=sum_{n=0}^infty a^n cos(b^n pi x)
$$

where $a,bin Bbb R$ satisfy certain assumptions. You can read more about it in the wikipedia link I provided.



To see why this function has such properties, we recall that if $f$ is convex/concave, then it is (locally) Lipschitz. However, Rademacher's theorem says that a Lipschitz continuous function is differentiable almost everywhere, which contradicts the fact that our $f$ is nowhere differentiable.






share|cite|improve this answer











$endgroup$













    Your Answer





    StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
    return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
    StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
    StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
    });
    });
    }, "mathjax-editing");

    StackExchange.ready(function() {
    var channelOptions = {
    tags: "".split(" "),
    id: "69"
    };
    initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

    StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
    // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
    if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
    StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
    createEditor();
    });
    }
    else {
    createEditor();
    }
    });

    function createEditor() {
    StackExchange.prepareEditor({
    heartbeatType: 'answer',
    autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
    convertImagesToLinks: true,
    noModals: true,
    showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
    reputationToPostImages: 10,
    bindNavPrevention: true,
    postfix: "",
    imageUploader: {
    brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
    contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
    allowUrls: true
    },
    noCode: true, onDemand: true,
    discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
    ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
    });


    }
    });














    draft saved

    draft discarded


















    StackExchange.ready(
    function () {
    StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3047391%2fcan-a-function-be-neither-convex-nor-concave-everywhere%23new-answer', 'question_page');
    }
    );

    Post as a guest















    Required, but never shown

























    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes








    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    7












    $begingroup$

    The Weierstrass function provides an example of a function that is continuous but not convex or concave in any open neighborhood.



    Weierstrass function



    The reason being that it has infinitely fine oscillation everywhere (since it is a fractal). It is defined by the infinite series
    $$
    f(x):=sum_{n=0}^infty a^n cos(b^n pi x)
    $$

    where $a,bin Bbb R$ satisfy certain assumptions. You can read more about it in the wikipedia link I provided.



    To see why this function has such properties, we recall that if $f$ is convex/concave, then it is (locally) Lipschitz. However, Rademacher's theorem says that a Lipschitz continuous function is differentiable almost everywhere, which contradicts the fact that our $f$ is nowhere differentiable.






    share|cite|improve this answer











    $endgroup$


















      7












      $begingroup$

      The Weierstrass function provides an example of a function that is continuous but not convex or concave in any open neighborhood.



      Weierstrass function



      The reason being that it has infinitely fine oscillation everywhere (since it is a fractal). It is defined by the infinite series
      $$
      f(x):=sum_{n=0}^infty a^n cos(b^n pi x)
      $$

      where $a,bin Bbb R$ satisfy certain assumptions. You can read more about it in the wikipedia link I provided.



      To see why this function has such properties, we recall that if $f$ is convex/concave, then it is (locally) Lipschitz. However, Rademacher's theorem says that a Lipschitz continuous function is differentiable almost everywhere, which contradicts the fact that our $f$ is nowhere differentiable.






      share|cite|improve this answer











      $endgroup$
















        7












        7








        7





        $begingroup$

        The Weierstrass function provides an example of a function that is continuous but not convex or concave in any open neighborhood.



        Weierstrass function



        The reason being that it has infinitely fine oscillation everywhere (since it is a fractal). It is defined by the infinite series
        $$
        f(x):=sum_{n=0}^infty a^n cos(b^n pi x)
        $$

        where $a,bin Bbb R$ satisfy certain assumptions. You can read more about it in the wikipedia link I provided.



        To see why this function has such properties, we recall that if $f$ is convex/concave, then it is (locally) Lipschitz. However, Rademacher's theorem says that a Lipschitz continuous function is differentiable almost everywhere, which contradicts the fact that our $f$ is nowhere differentiable.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$



        The Weierstrass function provides an example of a function that is continuous but not convex or concave in any open neighborhood.



        Weierstrass function



        The reason being that it has infinitely fine oscillation everywhere (since it is a fractal). It is defined by the infinite series
        $$
        f(x):=sum_{n=0}^infty a^n cos(b^n pi x)
        $$

        where $a,bin Bbb R$ satisfy certain assumptions. You can read more about it in the wikipedia link I provided.



        To see why this function has such properties, we recall that if $f$ is convex/concave, then it is (locally) Lipschitz. However, Rademacher's theorem says that a Lipschitz continuous function is differentiable almost everywhere, which contradicts the fact that our $f$ is nowhere differentiable.







        share|cite|improve this answer














        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer








        edited Dec 20 '18 at 15:20

























        answered Dec 20 '18 at 10:57









        BigbearZzzBigbearZzz

        8,80421652




        8,80421652






























            draft saved

            draft discarded




















































            Thanks for contributing an answer to Mathematics Stack Exchange!


            • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

            But avoid



            • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

            • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


            Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


            To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




            draft saved


            draft discarded














            StackExchange.ready(
            function () {
            StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3047391%2fcan-a-function-be-neither-convex-nor-concave-everywhere%23new-answer', 'question_page');
            }
            );

            Post as a guest















            Required, but never shown





















































            Required, but never shown














            Required, but never shown












            Required, but never shown







            Required, but never shown

































            Required, but never shown














            Required, but never shown












            Required, but never shown







            Required, but never shown







            Popular posts from this blog

            Wiesbaden

            Marschland

            Dieringhausen