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This is an exercise problem(#2 in section 3.2) from 'A course in probability theory'.

If $E(\vert X \vert ) < \infty$ and $\lim_{n \to \infty} P(A_n) = 0,$ then $\lim_{n \to \infty} \int_{A_n} X \ dP = 0.$

I tried using the modulus inequality of integrals but I cannot get the result. Thank you.

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3 Answers 3

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The answer given by @d.k.o. is almost correct: Let us assume that $\int_{A_n} X \, dP \not \to 0$. Then there is some $\epsilon > 0$ and a subsequence $A_{n_k}$ with $|\int_{A_{n_k}} X \, dP | \geq \epsilon$ for all $k$.

Now, since $P(A_n) \to 0$, we can choose a further subsequence $A_{n_{k_\ell}}$ (which we call $B_\ell$ for brevity) with $P(B_\ell) \leq 2^{-\ell}$. In particular, $\sum_\ell P(B_\ell) <\infty$, so that the Borel Cantelli lemma implies $P(B_\ell \text{ i.o.}) = 0$ ($B_\ell$ infinitely often). This means $\chi_{B_\ell} \to 0$ almost surely.

Now we can use the dominated convergence theorem to conclude

$$ \int_{B_\ell} X \, dP \to 0, $$

which is in contradiction to $|\int_{A_{n_k}} X \, dP|\geq \epsilon$ for all $k$.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you very much. I understand now! $\endgroup$
    – nobe301
    Jul 11, 2015 at 21:35
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The function $$\mu (A) =\int_A |X(\omega ) | dP(\omega ) $$ is a finite measure since $$E (|X|) <\infty .$$ Since $P(A) =0$ implies that $\mu (A) =0$ the measure $\mu $ is absolutely continuous with respect to the measure $P.$ Hence the condition $P(A_n ) \to 0 $ implies $\mu (A_n ) \to 0 $ and therefore if $P(A_n ) \to 0 $ we have $$\left |\int_{A_n} X(\omega )dP(\omega )\right|\leqslant \int_{A_n } |X(\omega )| dP(\omega ) =\mu (A_n ) \to 0.$$

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  • $\begingroup$ It is true that $P(A_n) \to 0$ implies $\mu(A_n) \to 0$, but why exactly? For example if $\mu$ is an infinite measure, this does not hold in general. $\endgroup$
    – PhoemueX
    Jul 11, 2015 at 10:33
  • $\begingroup$ but $\mu$ is finite. $\endgroup$
    – user235708
    Jul 11, 2015 at 10:43
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, what I am saying is that you should provide the argument, since it is nontrivial (and essentially equivalent to what the OP wants to show). $\endgroup$
    – PhoemueX
    Jul 11, 2015 at 10:59
  • $\begingroup$ Thank you. I understand the proof but as @PhoemueX mentioned, it would have been better if you gave a proof of the limit argument. $\endgroup$
    – nobe301
    Jul 11, 2015 at 21:39
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Since $X1_{A_n}\xrightarrow{p}0$ and $|X1_{A_n}|\le |X|$ with $\mathbb{E}|X|<\infty$ the dominated convergence theorem (for sequences converging in prob.) implies that $\mathbb{E}X1_{A_n}\rightarrow 0$.

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  • $\begingroup$ It is not true in general that $1_{A_n} \to 0$ almost surely. Consider for example the sequence of sets $[0,1], [0,1/2], [1/2, 1], [0,1/3], [1/3, 2/3], [2/3, 1], \dots$. $\endgroup$
    – PhoemueX
    Jul 11, 2015 at 10:27
  • $\begingroup$ But $\mathbb{E}[\lim1_{A_n}]=0$ ... $\endgroup$
    – user140541
    Jul 11, 2015 at 10:50
  • $\begingroup$ No, with my example above, for evey $x \in [0,1]$ there are infinitely many $n$ with $1_{A_n} = 1$. $\endgroup$
    – PhoemueX
    Jul 11, 2015 at 11:00
  • $\begingroup$ Assuming the limit $\lim 1_{A_n}$ exists (almost everywhere), which is not the case in general, in particular not for the example given above. $\endgroup$
    – PhoemueX
    Jul 11, 2015 at 11:12

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