In mathematics, a function on the real numbers is called a step function if it can be written as a finite linear combination of indicator functions of intervals. Informally speaking, a step function is a piecewise constant function having only finitely many pieces.

An example of step functions (the red graph). In this function, each constant subfunction with a function value αi (i = 0, 1, 2, ...) is defined by an interval Ai and intervals are distinguished by points xj (j = 1, 2, ...). This particular step function is right-continuous.

Definition and first consequences

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A function   is called a step function if it can be written as [citation needed]

 , for all real numbers  

where  ,   are real numbers,   are intervals, and   is the indicator function of  :

 

In this definition, the intervals   can be assumed to have the following two properties:

  1. The intervals are pairwise disjoint:   for  
  2. The union of the intervals is the entire real line:  

Indeed, if that is not the case to start with, a different set of intervals can be picked for which these assumptions hold. For example, the step function

 

can be written as

 

Variations in the definition

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Sometimes, the intervals are required to be right-open[1] or allowed to be singleton.[2] The condition that the collection of intervals must be finite is often dropped, especially in school mathematics,[3][4][5] though it must still be locally finite, resulting in the definition of piecewise constant functions.

Examples

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The Heaviside step function is an often-used step function.
  • A constant function is a trivial example of a step function. Then there is only one interval,  
  • The sign function sgn(x), which is −1 for negative numbers and +1 for positive numbers, and is the simplest non-constant step function.
  • The Heaviside function H(x), which is 0 for negative numbers and 1 for positive numbers, is equivalent to the sign function, up to a shift and scale of range ( ). It is the mathematical concept behind some test signals, such as those used to determine the step response of a dynamical system.
 
The rectangular function, the next simplest step function.

Non-examples

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  • The integer part function is not a step function according to the definition of this article, since it has an infinite number of intervals. However, some authors[6] also define step functions with an infinite number of intervals.[6]

Properties

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  • The sum and product of two step functions is again a step function. The product of a step function with a number is also a step function. As such, the step functions form an algebra over the real numbers.
  • A step function takes only a finite number of values. If the intervals   for   in the above definition of the step function are disjoint and their union is the real line, then   for all  
  • The definite integral of a step function is a piecewise linear function.
  • The Lebesgue integral of a step function   is   where   is the length of the interval  , and it is assumed here that all intervals   have finite length. In fact, this equality (viewed as a definition) can be the first step in constructing the Lebesgue integral.[7]
  • A discrete random variable is sometimes defined as a random variable whose cumulative distribution function is piecewise constant.[8] In this case, it is locally a step function (globally, it may have an infinite number of steps). Usually however, any random variable with only countably many possible values is called a discrete random variable, in this case their cumulative distribution function is not necessarily locally a step function, as infinitely many intervals can accumulate in a finite region.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Step Function".
  2. ^ "Step Functions - Mathonline".
  3. ^ "Mathwords: Step Function".
  4. ^ https://study.com/academy/lesson/step-function-definition-equation-examples.html [bare URL]
  5. ^ "Step Function".
  6. ^ a b Bachman, Narici, Beckenstein (5 April 2002). "Example 7.2.2". Fourier and Wavelet Analysis. Springer, New York, 2000. ISBN 0-387-98899-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Weir, Alan J (10 May 1973). "3". Lebesgue integration and measure. Cambridge University Press, 1973. ISBN 0-521-09751-7.
  8. ^ Bertsekas, Dimitri P. (2002). Introduction to Probability. Tsitsiklis, John N., Τσιτσικλής, Γιάννης Ν. Belmont, Mass.: Athena Scientific. ISBN 188652940X. OCLC 51441829.