The Hahn-Banach theorem is a fundamental result in functional analysis, which extends the notion of linear functionals. It states that if is a sublinear function and is a linear functional defined on a subspace of a normed space such that for all , then there exists an extension of to the entire space that preserves linearity and satisfies the same inequality, i.e.,
This theorem is crucial because it guarantees the existence of bounded linear functionals, allowing for the separation of convex sets and facilitating the study of dual spaces. The Hahn-Banach theorem is widely used in various fields such as optimization, economics, and differential equations, as it provides a powerful tool for extending solutions and analyzing function spaces.
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