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By $X$ we denote an infinite-dimensional normed space (it seems to be obvious that the case of finite dimension is not suitable). Let $X_0$ be a closed subspace of $X$ and $x\in X$. Then there is the distance $d(x,X_0)$ between $x$ and $X_0$ defined as $\inf\{||x-t||:t\in X_0\}$. It is easy to see that $X_0$ is not compact subspace, hence we cannot state that $\exists x_0\in X_0$ $d(x,x_0)=d(x,X_0)$. So, could you help me to build such example?

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Such minimizer exists and is unique if $X$ is uniformly convex and complete. On the other hand, in every non-reflexive Banach space there is a closed hyperplane for which minimizer does not exist, see Theorem 5 in

James, R. C., Characterizations of reflexivity, Stud. Math. 23, 205-216 (1964). ZBL0113.09303.

Lastly, in a reflexive Banach space the minimizer always exists but need not be unique.

Moishe Kohan
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