In mathematics, the notion of a cliquish function is similar to, but weaker than, the notion of a continuous function and quasi-continuous function. All (quasi-)continuous functions are cliquish but the converse is not true in general.
Definition
Let X {\displaystyle X} be a topological space. A real-valued function f : X → R {\displaystyle f:X\rightarrow \mathbb {R} } is cliquish at a point x ∈ X {\displaystyle x\in X} if for any ϵ > 0 {\displaystyle \epsilon >0} and any open neighborhood U {\displaystyle U} of x {\displaystyle x} there is a non-empty open set G ⊂ U {\displaystyle G\subset U} such that
| f ( y ) − f ( z ) | < ϵ ∀ y , z ∈ G {\displaystyle |f(y)-f(z)|<\epsilon \;\;\;\;\forall y,z\in G}Note that in the above definition, it is not necessary that x ∈ G {\displaystyle x\in G} .
Properties
- If f : X → R {\displaystyle f:X\rightarrow \mathbb {R} } is (quasi-)continuous then f {\displaystyle f} is cliquish.
- If f : X → R {\displaystyle f:X\rightarrow \mathbb {R} } and g : X → R {\displaystyle g:X\rightarrow \mathbb {R} } are quasi-continuous, then f + g {\displaystyle f+g} is cliquish.
- If f : X → R {\displaystyle f:X\rightarrow \mathbb {R} } is cliquish then f {\displaystyle f} is the sum of two quasi-continuous functions .
Example
Consider the function f : R → R {\displaystyle f:\mathbb {R} \rightarrow \mathbb {R} } defined by f ( x ) = 0 {\displaystyle f(x)=0} whenever x ≤ 0 {\displaystyle x\leq 0} and f ( x ) = 1 {\displaystyle f(x)=1} whenever x > 0 {\displaystyle x>0} . Clearly f is continuous everywhere except at x=0, thus cliquish everywhere except (at most) at x=0. At x=0, take any open neighborhood U of x. Then there exists an open set G ⊂ U {\displaystyle G\subset U} such that y , z < 0 ∀ y , z ∈ G {\displaystyle y,z<0\;\forall y,z\in G} . Clearly this yields | f ( y ) − f ( z ) | = 0 ∀ y ∈ G {\displaystyle |f(y)-f(z)|=0\;\forall y\in G} thus f is cliquish.
In contrast, the function g : R → R {\displaystyle g:\mathbb {R} \rightarrow \mathbb {R} } defined by g ( x ) = 0 {\displaystyle g(x)=0} whenever x {\displaystyle x} is a rational number and g ( x ) = 1 {\displaystyle g(x)=1} whenever x {\displaystyle x} is an irrational number is nowhere cliquish, since every nonempty open set G {\displaystyle G} contains some y 1 , y 2 {\displaystyle y_{1},y_{2}} with | g ( y 1 ) − g ( y 2 ) | = 1 {\displaystyle |g(y_{1})-g(y_{2})|=1} .
- Ján Borsík (2007–2008). "Points of Continuity, Quasi-continuity, cliquishness, and Upper and Lower Quasi-continuity". Real Analysis Exchange. 33 (2): 339–350.
- T. Neubrunn (1988). "Quasi-continuity". Real Analysis Exchange. 14 (2): 259–308. doi:10.2307/44151947. JSTOR 44151947.