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Signed and Complex Measures Hahn and Jordan — Examples
1 · Prerequisites
- Absolute and Conditional Convergence; Rearrangement; Products
- Areas of Elementary Plane Figures
- Binary Operations, Monoids, Groups and Subgroups
- Bounded Variation and the Riemann–Stieltjes Integral
- Compactness
- Compactness in Metric Spaces
- Completeness, Completion, and Uniform Continuity
- Construction of the Natural Numbers
- Construction of the Real Numbers via Cauchy Sequences
- Construction of the Real Numbers via Dedekind Cuts
- Continuity, IVT, EVT, and Uniform Continuity
- Cosets, Index and Lagrange's Theorem
- Countability and Uncountability
- Divisibility, Euclidean Domains, Principal Ideal Domains and Unique Factorisation
- Filters and Ultrafilters
- Finite Counting, Factorials and Binomial Coefficients
- Foundations of the Real Numbers for Analysis
- Ideals, Quotient Rings and the Isomorphism Theorems for Rings
- Lebesgue Measure on Euclidean Space
- Lebesgue-Stieltjes Measures and Distribution Functions
- Limits of Real Functions
- limsup, liminf, and Subsequential Limits
- Linear Independence, Bases and Dimension
- Linear Transformations, Rank-Nullity and Quotient Spaces
- Measurable Functions and Simple Approximation
- Measures and Their Basic Properties
- Metric Spaces
- Monotone Functions, Discontinuities, and Continuity Sets
- Monotone Sequences, Bolzano-Weierstrass, and Cauchy Completeness
- Normal Subgroups and Quotient Groups
- Order, Zorn's Lemma, and the Axiom of Choice
- Outer Measure and the Caratheodory Extension Theorem
- Polynomial Rings, the Division Algorithm and Roots
- Relations, Functions, and Quotients
- Rings, Subrings, Integral Domains and Fields
- Rⁿ as a Normed Space; Vector-Valued Functions
- Roots, Rational Powers, and Classical Inequalities
- Sequences and Limits
- Series: Convergence and the Nonnegative Tests
- Sigma Algebras and Borel Sets
- Signed and Complex Measures Hahn and Jordan
- Simple Field Extensions and the Construction of the Complex Numbers
- Subspaces, Products, and Quotients
- Suprema and Infima
- The Cantor Set, Baire Category, and Measure Zero in ℝ
- The Lebesgue Integral and the Convergence Theorems
- The Riemann Integral in Rᵐ and Jordan Content
- The Riemann Integral: Definition and Integrability
- The Topology of Euclidean Space
- The ZFC Axioms and the Basic Set Constructions
- Topological Spaces and Continuity
- Topology of ℝ
- Vector Spaces, Linear Subspaces, Span and Direct Sums
2 · Summary
The companion page keeps the concrete decompositions and the failure modes next to the theorem chain: atomic and density examples first, then the exact nonuniqueness seam for Hahn sets, the gap between and , and the finite-partition or finite-additivity claims that break when their missing hypotheses are removed.
3 · Logical flowchart
4 · Definitions, theorems and proofs
None yet.
5 · Examples, counterexamples and false statements
The signed measure delta_1 minus delta_-1 has the obvious Hahn and Jordan decomposition
Example
On , let Then is positive, is negative, and
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The Dirac set functions and .
The Dirac set function at a point is the indicator-valued set function on measurable sets. (The Dirac set function at a point)
Hahn decomposition splits a signed measure into a positive part and a negative part, and Jordan decomposition records the corresponding measures. (Hahn decomposition for signed measures, unique up to total-variation-null sets, Jordan decomposition of a signed measure into unique mutually singular positive parts)
Verification
By [L1], for every measurable one has [L1, L2] . If is measurable, then , so . If is measurable, then , so . Thus is positive and is negative.
Since , step 1.1 gives a Hahn decomposition. [L2, step 1.1] The Jordan measures are therefore and , so by [L2]. ∎
The signed measure with density sin x on [0,2pi] exhibits the nonuniqueness of Hahn decompositions
Example
Let be Lebesgue measure on and define Then is a Hahn decomposition, and so is because the points and are -null.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The signed measure on .
A real density defines a finite signed measure whose canonical Hahn sets are and . (A real L^1 density defines a finite signed measure with its canonical Hahn and Jordan data)
Hahn decompositions are unique only up to null sets. (Hahn decomposition for signed measures, unique up to total-variation-null sets)
On , one has on , on , and exactly at .
Verification
By [A1], the density theorem [L1] makes positive and negative for . Thus is a Hahn decomposition.
The points and are -null because there. Moving those null points from to preserves positivity and negativity, so is another Hahn decomposition. It is distinct from and compatible with the uniqueness clause of [L2].
An atomic signed measure on Z has total variation three
Example
On , define Then is a finite signed measure, its positive set is the even integers, its negative set is the odd integers, and
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The set function on .
Jordan decomposition gives positive and negative parts for a signed measure, and the total variation is their sum. (Jordan decomposition of a signed measure into unique mutually singular positive parts, For a signed measure, total variation is nu-plus plus nu-minus, finite partitions suffice, and nu-plus and nu-minus are extremal)
The absolutely summable series equals .
Verification
The defining series is absolutely convergent on every subset of [L1, A1] , so is countably additive. If contains only even integers, then every term in the series for is nonnegative; if contains only odd integers, every term is nonpositive. Thus the even integers form a positive set and the odd integers form a negative set.
The Jordan positive part is therefore the even-atom measure [L1, A1, step 1.1] ∎ and the negative part is . Hence [L1] gives by [A1].
Cantor measure minus Lebesgue measure on [0,1] is already in Jordan form
Example
Assume the Axiom of Countable Choice. Let be the Cantor measure and let . Then is a signed measure whose Jordan decomposition is already
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The Cantor measure and the restricted Lebesgue measure on .
The Cantor measure is a singular probability measure concentrated on the Cantor set , and . (The Cantor measure is a singular atomless probability measure concentrated on the Cantor set)
Jordan decomposition is the unique decomposition of a signed measure into mutually singular positive parts. (Jordan decomposition of a signed measure into unique mutually singular positive parts)
Verification
By [L1], vanishes on measurable subsets of , [L1, L2] while vanishes on measurable subsets of because . Thus . Both are positive measures, so is a signed measure already written as a difference of mutually singular positive measures.
The uniqueness clause in [L2] now forces [L2, step 1.1] ∎ Hence is already in Jordan form.
The complex density e^{ix} dlambda has total variation 2pi
Example
On , define Then is a complex measure and
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The density on .
A complex density defines a complex measure with . (A complex L^1 density defines a complex measure whose total variation is |h| dmu)
One has for every real .
Verification
The function is bounded on the finite interval , [L1, A1] so it lies in . Therefore [L1] makes a complex measure.
Applying [L1] and then [A1] on the whole interval gives [L1, A1, step 1.1] ∎
Finite partitions need not attain complex total variation
Statement refuted
For every complex measure, some finite measurable partition attains the total-variation supremum.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The complex measure on .
For this measure, . (A complex L^1 density defines a complex measure whose total variation is |h| dmu)
If has positive Lebesgue measure, then , because equality in the triangle inequality would force to have constant argument almost everywhere on .
For every there is a countable partition of into intervals so short that .
Counterexample
Let be a finite measurable partition of . Every [L1, A1] piece of positive measure satisfies the strict inequality from [A1], and the null pieces contribute . Therefore So no finite partition attains the total variation value .
By [A2], countable partitions can produce sums arbitrarily close to . [L1, A2, step 1.1] Combining this with step 1.1 and [L1] shows that the total-variation value is not attained by any finite partition. ∎
Moving a total-variation-null set changes a Hahn decomposition
Statement refuted
A Hahn decomposition is literally unique, not merely unique up to total-variation-null sets.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The zero signed measure on the discrete measurable space , where .
Hahn decompositions are unique only up to null sets. (Hahn decomposition for signed measures, unique up to total-variation-null sets)
A set is null exactly when its total variation is . (A set is null for a signed measure exactly when its total variation is zero there)
Counterexample
Because every measurable subset of has -value , every [L1] measurable set is both positive and negative. Thus are both Hahn decompositions.
The two decompositions are different, but the moved set is [L1, L2, step 1.1] ∎ -null and therefore has total variation by [L2]. This is exactly the allowed nonuniqueness in [L1].
Total variation can exceed the absolute value of the set value
Statement refuted
For every signed measure or complex measure and every measurable set , one has .
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The signed measure on the discrete measurable space , where .
The Dirac set function at a point is the indicator-valued measurable set function. (The Dirac set function at a point)
Total variation is the supremum of countable partition sums of . (The total variation |nu|(E) from countable measurable partitions)
Counterexample
By [L1], one has , so [L1] .
The two singletons and form a measurable partition of [L1, L2, step 1.1] ∎ , and [L1] gives Therefore [L2] yields , refuting the claim.
A finitely additive finite-valued set function can have infinite total variation
Statement refuted
Every finitely additive finite-valued set function has finite total variation.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The algebra of finite disjoint unions of half-open intervals and the function for , with .
Here "finitely additive" means and for disjoint in the domain algebra.
Define and extend by finite additivity to . Then is finite-valued on every member of .
For and , one has and , so . The series diverges.
For a finitely additive real-valued set function on an algebra, its total variation on means
Counterexample
By [A2], the value of on a finite disjoint union of half-open intervals is the sum of the endpoint increments of , so [A1] makes a finitely additive finite-valued set function on .
For each , partition the interval by the ordered points . The resulting finite partition sum for is at least By [A3], these lower bounds diverge with , so [A4] gives even though every value of is finite.
FALSE: a signed measure can take both +infinity and -infinity
Statement
False claim. A signed measure may take the value on one measurable set and the value on another.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The definition of a signed measure.
A signed measure takes at most one infinite sign. (A signed measure is countably additive and takes at most one infinite value)
Refutation
The displayed claim asserts exactly the negation of the second clause in [L1] [L1].
Therefore no signed measure satisfies the claim, and the statement is [L1, step 1.1] ∎ false.
FALSE: a Hahn decomposition is unique
Statement
False claim. Every signed measure has exactly one Hahn decomposition.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The zero signed measure on the discrete measurable space , where .
Hahn decompositions are unique only up to null sets. (Hahn decomposition for signed measures, unique up to total-variation-null sets)
Refutation
Every measurable subset of is both positive and negative for the zero [L1] measure, so both are Hahn decompositions.
These decompositions are different, so exact uniqueness fails. This is [L1, step 1.1] ∎ compatible with [L1] because the differing set is null.
FALSE: total variation always equals the absolute value of the set value
Statement
False claim. For every signed measure or complex measure and every measurable set , one has .
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The signed measure on the discrete measurable space , where .
The Dirac set function at a point is indicator-valued. (The Dirac set function at a point)
Total variation is the supremum of measurable partition sums. (The total variation |nu|(E) from countable measurable partitions)
Refutation
By [L1], one has , so .
The partition gives partition sum [L1, L2, step 1.1] ∎ , so [L2] yields . Hence .
FALSE: agreement on a generating pi-system always determines a signed measure
Statement
False claim. If two signed measures agree on a generating pi-system, then they agree on the whole generated sigma-algebra.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The two-point space with sigma-algebra , and the family .
A pi-system is a nonempty family closed under binary intersections. (Pi-systems)
A signed measure is any countably additive set function with the at-most-one-infinite-sign convention. (A signed measure is countably additive and takes at most one infinite value)
Refutation
The family is a pi-system by [L1], and [L1, L2] because complements and unions recover and . Define signed measures They agree on the generating pi-system element .
However while , so the signed measures are not [L2, step 1.1] ∎ equal on the generated sigma-algebra. Therefore the claim is false.
FALSE: finite values and finite additivity force finite total variation
Statement
False claim. Every finitely additive finite-valued set function has finite total variation.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The interval algebra on , the function , and the set function .
Here "finitely additive" means and for disjoint in the source algebra.
The points and satisfy , and diverges.
For a finitely additive real-valued set function on an algebra, define
Refutation
The endpoint-increment formula makes finitely additive on , and every value of is a finite real number.
Using the partition points from [A2] gives finite partition sums bounded below by for arbitrarily large . Because those lower bounds diverge, [A3] gives infinite total variation.
FALSE: finite partitions always suffice for complex total variation
Statement
False claim. For every complex measure, some finite measurable partition of each measurable set attains the total variation.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: The complex measure on .
For this measure, . (A complex L^1 density defines a complex measure whose total variation is |h| dmu)
If has positive measure, then .
Refutation
Let be any finite measurable partition of . [L1, A1] Applying [A1] on each positive-measure piece and summing gives
By [L1], the total variation of the whole interval is exactly , so [L1, step 1.1] ∎ step 1.1 shows that no finite partition attains it. Therefore the claim is false.
Sources
- John K. Hunter, Measure Theory, Example 6.14
- Richard F. Bass, Real Analysis for Graduate Students, Example 12.3
- Richard F. Bass, Real Analysis for Graduate Students, Chapter 12
- John K. Hunter, Measure Theory, Example 6.20
- Richard F. Bass, Real Analysis for Graduate Students, Example 12.7
- Richard F. Bass, Real Analysis for Graduate Students, Exercise 13.4
- Sheldon Axler, Measure, Integration & Real Analysis, Chapter 9A
- John K. Hunter, Measure Theory, Theorem 6.18
- Jordan decomposition and variation of finitely additive charges, standard counterexample family
- John K. Hunter, Measure Theory, Definition 6.13
- Measure uniqueness on pi-systems requires positivity or a stronger hypothesis
- Variation of finitely additive interval charges