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How to prove that

If $\;f,g:\big[0,+\infty\big)\to\big[0,+\infty\big)\;$ are continuous functions and

$\;f(x)=O\big(g(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to 0;,\;$ then

$\;F(x)=O\big(G(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to 0;,$

where $\;\displaystyle F(x)=\int_0^x f(t)dt\;$ and $\;\displaystyle G(x)=\int_0^x g(t)dt\;.$ can I assume that $f(x) = O(\mid x \mid ^a)$ and $g(x) = O(\mid x \mid ^b)$?

whdsm
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  • I am very confused. What is your question? –  May 07 '21 at 05:37
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    @MathIsLife12 I think they are asking how to prove "If $f(x)=O(g(x))$, then $F(x)=O(G(x))$ where $F(x)=\int_0^x f(y) , dy$ and $G(x) = \int_0^x g(y) , dy$." – angryavian May 07 '21 at 05:43

1 Answers1

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It is not true, there are a counterexample :

$f(x)=\begin{cases} \sin x\quad\text{ if }x\in\big[0,\pi\big]\\ 0\qquad\;\text{ if }x\in\big]\pi,+\infty\big[ \end{cases}\quad,$

$g(x)=0\quad\text{ for all }x\in\big[0,+\infty\big[\;.$

It results that

$f,g:\big[0,+\infty\big[\to\big[0,+\infty\big[\;$ are continuous functions ,

$f(x)=O\big(g(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to+\infty\;,$

indeed there exist $\;M=1>0\;$ and $\;x_0=\pi\;$ such that

$0\leqslant f(x)\leqslant Mg(x)\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_0\;.$

But

$F(x)\ne O\big(G(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to+\infty\;,$

indeed

$F(x)=\displaystyle\int_0^x f(t)dt=\begin{cases} 1-\cos x\quad\text{ if }x\in\big[0,\pi\big]\\ 2\qquad\qquad\text{ if }x\in\big]\pi,+\infty\big[ \end{cases}\;,$

$G(x)=\displaystyle\int_0^x g(t)dt= 0\quad\text{ for all }x\in\big[0,+\infty\big[\;,$

consequently there do not exist any $\;M>0\;$ and any $x_0\geqslant0\;$ such that

$0\leqslant F(x)\leqslant MG(x)\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_0\;.$


Addendum :

If we want that the property of the original poster is true, it is necessary to add another hypothesis.

An additional hypothesis could be the following one :

there exists $\;x^*\geqslant0\;$ such that $\;g(x^*)>0\;.$


Theorem :

If $\;f,g:\big[0,+\infty\big[\to\big[0,+\infty\big[\;$ are continuous functions ,

there exists $\;x^*\geqslant0\;$ such that $\;g(x^*)>0\;$ and

$f(x)=O\big(g(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to+\infty\;,\;$ then

$\;F(x)=O\big(G(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to+\infty\;,$

where $\;\displaystyle F(x)=\int_0^x f(t)dt\;$ and $\;\displaystyle G(x)=\int_0^x g(t)dt\;.$

Proof :

From hypothesis we know that

$f(x)=O\big(g(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to+\infty\;,$

so there exist $\;M>0\;$ and $\;x_0\geqslant0\;$ such that

$0\leqslant f(x)\leqslant Mg(x)\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_0\;.\quad\color{blue}{(*)}$

Since $\;g(x)\;$ is a non-negative continuous function and there exists $\;x^*\geqslant0\;$ such that $\;g(x^*)>0\;,\;$ then it follows that

$\displaystyle\int_0^{x^*+1}g(t)dt>0\;.$

By letting $\;x_1=\max\big\{x_0,\;x^*+1\big\}>0\;,\;$ we get that

$\displaystyle\int_0^{x_1}g(t)dt\geqslant\int_0^{x^*+1}g(t)dt>0\;.$

Moreover, by letting $\;N=\max\left\{M,\;\dfrac{\int_0^{x_1}f(t)dt}{\int_0^{x_1}g(t)dt}\right\},$

we get that :

$\displaystyle\int_0^{x_1}f(t)dt\leqslant N\!\int_0^{x_1}g(t)dt\;.\quad\color{blue}{(**)}$

From $\;(*)\;$ it follows that

$\displaystyle\int_{x_1}^x\!\!\!f(t)dt\leqslant M\!\!\int_{x_1}^x\!\!\!g(t)dt\leqslant N\!\!\int_{x_1}^x\!\!\!g(t)dt\;\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_1\;,$

$\displaystyle\int_{x_1}^x\!f(t)dt\leqslant N\!\!\int_{x_1}^x\!g(t)dt\;\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_1\;.\quad\color{blue}{(*\!*\!*)}$

By adding the inequalities $\;(**)\;$ and $\;(*\!*\!*)\;,\;$ we get that

$\displaystyle\int_0^x\!f(t)dt\leqslant N\!\!\int_0^x\!g(t)dt\;\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_1\;.$

Hence, there exist $\;N>0\;$ and $\;x_1>0\;$ such that

$0\leqslant F(x)\leqslant NG(x)\;$ for all $\;x\geqslant x_1\;$

and it means that

$F(x)=O\big(G(x)\big)\;$ as $\;x\to+\infty\;.$

Angelo
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