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Mazur–Ulam theorem

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Surjective isometries are affine mappings

In mathematics, the Mazur–Ulam theorem states that if V {\displaystyle V} and W {\displaystyle W} are normed spaces over R and the mapping

f : V W {\displaystyle f\colon V\to W}

is a surjective isometry, then f {\displaystyle f} is affine. It was proved by Stanisław Mazur and Stanisław Ulam in response to a question raised by Stefan Banach.

For strictly convex spaces the result is true, and easy, even for isometries which are not necessarily surjective. In this case, for any u {\displaystyle u} and v {\displaystyle v} in V {\displaystyle V} , and for any t {\displaystyle t} in [ 0 , 1 ] {\displaystyle } , write r = u v V = f ( u ) f ( v ) W {\displaystyle r=\|u-v\|_{V}=\|f(u)-f(v)\|_{W}} and denote the closed ball of radius R around v by B ¯ ( v , R ) {\displaystyle {\bar {B}}(v,R)} . Then t u + ( 1 t ) v {\displaystyle tu+(1-t)v} is the unique element of B ¯ ( v , t r ) B ¯ ( u , ( 1 t ) r ) {\displaystyle {\bar {B}}(v,tr)\cap {\bar {B}}(u,(1-t)r)} , so, since f {\displaystyle f} is injective, f ( t u + ( 1 t ) v ) {\displaystyle f(tu+(1-t)v)} is the unique element of f ( B ¯ ( v , t r ) B ¯ ( u , ( 1 t ) r ) = f ( B ¯ ( v , t r ) ) f ( B ¯ ( u , ( 1 t ) r ) = B ¯ ( f ( v ) , t r ) B ¯ ( f ( u ) , ( 1 t ) r ) , {\displaystyle f{\bigl (}{\bar {B}}(v,tr)\cap {\bar {B}}(u,(1-t)r{\bigr )}=f{\bigl (}{\bar {B}}(v,tr){\bigr )}\cap f{\bigl (}{\bar {B}}(u,(1-t)r{\bigr )}={\bar {B}}{\bigl (}f(v),tr{\bigr )}\cap {\bar {B}}{\bigl (}f(u),(1-t)r{\bigr )},} and therefore is equal to t f ( u ) + ( 1 t ) f ( v ) {\displaystyle tf(u)+(1-t)f(v)} . Therefore f {\displaystyle f} is an affine map. This argument fails in the general case, because in a normed space which is not strictly convex two tangent balls may meet in some flat convex region of their boundary, not just a single point.

See also

Aleksandrov–Rassias problem

References

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