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While studying for my exams, I came across this question and I'm trying to think about an intelligent way to solve it (the context is Lebesgue integration):

Let $f:\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$, a continuous function (please see note below) on every bounded interval. Show that if $f$ and $f'$ are integrable in $\mathbb{R}$ (meaning $\displaystyle \int_{\mathbb{R}} f(x) dx < \infty$ and $\displaystyle\int_{\mathbb{R}} f'(x) dx < \infty$), then:

$$\lim_{x \to \infty} f(x) = \lim_{x \to -\infty} f(x) = 0$$

and:

$$\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f'(x)dx = 0$$

Definitions:

I Don't know how it's called in English: for every $\epsilon > 0$ there is a $\delta > 0$ such that for every ${[x_i, y_i]_{i=1}^{n}}$, if $\sum (y_i - x_i) < \delta$, then $\sum |f(y_i) - f(x_i)| < \epsilon$

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    I believe that you are thinking of [abslute continuity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_continuity). Is that correct?2012-02-24
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    Yep. You provide us the definition of absolute continuity.2012-02-24
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    @JavaMan, you forgot the $ in \int_{\mathbb{R}} f'(x) dx < \infty).2012-02-24
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    @JavaMan Yes, this is it, thank you :)2012-02-24
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    @leo: Thanks for pointing that out. It seems someone else fixed it in the meantime.2012-02-24
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    @Hila, please note that $f(x)$ don't depends on $n$, so $$\lim_{n\to\infty}f(x)=f(x).$$ Then that you are asking for is: $f$ integrable and $f'$ integrable, implies, $f$ and $f'$ are equal to the constant function $0$ and $\int_{-\infty}^\infty f'=0$. In that case, there is lots of counterexamples2012-02-24
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    You problem, remembers me this one: Let $f$ a function absolutely continuous on any interval of the form $[-n,n]$, with $n$ a positive integer. If $f$ and $f'$ are integrables, then $$\lim_{n\to\infty}f\chi_{[n,n+1]}=\lim_{n\to\infty}f'\chi_{[n,n+1]}=0$$ and $$\int_{-\infty}^\infty f'=0$$2012-02-24
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    @leo: I assume $\lim_{n \to \infty} f(x)$ is meant to be $\lim_{x \to \infty} f(x)$.2012-02-24
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    @leo Yes, it was supposed to be x...2012-02-24
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    @DavidMitra No, this is how we defined it. Although we proved that f is integrable iff |f| is, so it doesn't really matter.2012-02-24
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    Ah, yes. Sorry for the noise.2012-02-24

1 Answers 1

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I presume you know that under these assumptions, the fundamental theorem of calculus (FTC) holds and we have $f(b) - f(a) = \int_a^b f'(x) dx$.

First try showing that $f(x)$ is Cauchy as $x \to \infty$: if $a,b$ are very large then $|f(b) - f(a)|$ must be very small. (Use FTC and the fact that $f'$ is integrable.) This implies that $\lim_{x \to \infty} f(x)$ exists. Show that the integrability of $f$ means the limit must be 0. The argument as $x \to -\infty$ is identical.

Finally, note that $\int_{-m}^m f'(x)dx = f(m) - f(-m) \to 0$ as $m \to \infty$. Use dominated convergence to conclude $\int_\mathbb{R} f'(x)dx =0$.

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    And then, why is $\int_{\mathbb{R}} f' = 0$?2012-02-24
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    @Hila: I edited to add this.2012-02-24