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Let $(X,\mathcal{M},\mu)$ be a measure space and suppose $\{f_n\}$ are non-negative measurable functions decreasing pointwise to $f$. Suppose also that $\int f_1 \lt \infty$. Then $$\int_X f~d\mu = \lim_{n\to\infty}\int_X f_n~d\mu.$$

Atempt:

Since $\{f_n\}$ are decreasing, and converges pointwise to $f$, then $\{-f_n\}$ is increasing pointwise to $f$. So by the monotone convergence theorem $$ \int_X -f~d\mu = \lim_{n\to\infty}\int_X -f_n ~d\mu$$ and so $$\int_X f~d\mu = \lim_{n\to\infty}\int_X f_n~d\mu.$$

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    Your attempt is on the right track but is not quite right. In particular, you might think about the hypothesis $\int f_1 < \infty$ and whether you've used it. **Hint**: What do you know about $g_n = f_1 - f_n$?2012-03-24
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    @cardinal: oh yes....$g_n \geq 0$...Thanks2012-03-24
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    Yes, $g_n \geq 0$...and, *what else*? Davide's answer lays out the details. (+1 for showing your work.)2012-03-24
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    @Cardinal...Is not homework. I saw it being used here: http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/86676/ and thought I might try and prove it.2012-03-24
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    Fair enough. Sorry, being a "standard" result, it sounded a bit like homework. Cheers. :)2012-03-24
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    @Cardinal: Thats okay...Cheers to you to. :)2012-03-24
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    Why not invoking the dominated convergence theorem with dominating function $f_1$?2017-08-09

1 Answers 1

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The problem is that $-f_n$ increases to $-f$ which is not non-negative, so we can't apply directly to $-f_n$ the monotone convergence theorem. But if we take $g_n:=f_1-f_n$, then $\{g_n\}$ is an increasing sequence of non-negative measurable functions, which converges pointwise to $f_1-f$. Monotone convergence theorem yields: $$\lim_{n\to +\infty}\int_X (f_1-f_n)d\mu=\int_X\lim_{n\to +\infty} (f_1-f_n)d\mu=\int_X f_1d\mu-\int_X fd\mu$$ so $\lim_{n\to +\infty}\int_X f_nd\mu=\int_X fd\mu$.

Note that the fact that there is an integrable function in the sequence is primordial, indeed, if you take $X$ the real line, $\mathcal M$ its Borel $\sigma$-algebra and $\mu$ the Lebesgue measure, and $f_n(x)=\begin{cases} 1&\mbox{ if }x\geq n\\\ 0&\mbox{ otherwise} \end{cases}$ the sequence $f_n $ decreases to $0$ but $\int_{\mathbb R}f_nd\lambda =+\infty$ for all $n$.

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    (+1) I was composing my comment simultaneously. We even managed to match notation. :)2012-03-24
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    Thanks again...I should have thought about it more:)2012-03-24
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    @cardinal Nice proof, yet I have a question: You say that $g_n:= f-f_n$ is an increasing sequence of function, I understand this, but why is she positive? I've thought that since $f_n$ is decreasing to f than $f_n \ge f \forall n$ but this would mean that $f-f_n$ is negative. Where is my error? I can't find it Thank you in advance if you answer :-)2014-01-17
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    I used it with $f_1$ not $f$.2014-01-17
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    @Ale. $f_1\geq f_n$, since $f_n$ being decreasing and hence $f_1-f_n\geq 0$ for each $n$.2016-06-30
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    @AlwaysNeedHelp The last three lines of my post give an example of what could happen.2017-11-14