Monotone class theorem
In measure theory and probability, the monotone class theorem connects monotone classes and sigma-algebras. The theorem says that the smallest monotone class containing an algebra of sets is precisely the smallest 𝜎-algebra containing It is used as a type of transfinite induction to prove many other theorems, such as Fubini's theorem.
Definition of a monotone class
    
A monotone class is a family (i.e. class) of sets that is closed under countable monotone unions and also under countable monotone intersections. Explicitly, this means has the following properties:
- if and then and
- if and then
Monotone class theorem for sets
    
Monotone class theorem for sets — Let be an algebra of sets and define to be the smallest monotone class containing Then is precisely the 𝜎-algebra generated by ; that is,
Monotone class theorem for functions
    
Monotone class theorem for functions — Let be a π-system that contains and let be a collection of functions from to with the following properties:
- If then
- If and then and
- If is a sequence of non-negative functions that increase to a bounded function then
Then contains all bounded functions that are measurable with respect to which is the sigma-algebra generated by
Proof
    
The following argument originates in Rick Durrett's Probability: Theory and Examples.[1]
The assumption (2), and (3) imply that is a 𝜆-system. By (1) and the π−𝜆 theorem, Statement (2) implies that contains all simple functions, and then (3) implies that contains all bounded functions measurable with respect to
Results and applications
    
As a corollary, if is a ring of sets, then the smallest monotone class containing it coincides with the sigma-ring of
By invoking this theorem, one can use monotone classes to help verify that a certain collection of subsets is a sigma-algebra.
The monotone class theorem for functions can be a powerful tool that allows statements about particularly simple classes of functions to be generalized to arbitrary bounded and measurable functions.
See also
    
- π-𝜆 theorem
- π-system – Family of sets closed under intersection
- Dynkin system – Family closed under complements and countable disjoint unions
Citations
    
- Durrett, Rick (2010). Probability: Theory and Examples (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 276. ISBN 978-0521765398.
References
    
- Durrett, Richard (2019). Probability: Theory and Examples (PDF). Cambridge Series in Statistical and Probabilistic Mathematics. Vol. 49 (5th ed.). Cambridge New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-47368-2. OCLC 1100115281. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
| Families of sets over | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is necessarily true of or, is closed under: | Directed by | F.I.P. | ||||||||
| π-system |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |   | 
| Semiring |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| Semialgebra (Semifield) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| Monotone class |  |  |  |  |  | only if | only if |  |  |   | 
| 𝜆-system (Dynkin System) |  |  |  | only if |  |  | only if  or they are disjoint |  |  | Never | 
| Ring (Order theory) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |   | 
| Ring (Measure theory) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| δ-Ring |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| 𝜎-Ring |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| Algebra (Field) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| 𝜎-Algebra (𝜎-Field) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Never | 
| Dual ideal |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |   | 
| Filter |  |  |  | Never | Never |  |  |  |   | |
| Prefilter (Filter base) |  |  |  | Never | Never |  |  |  |   | |
| Filter subbase |  |  |  | Never | Never |  |  |  |   | |
| Topology |  |  |  |  |  |  |  (even arbitrary unions) |  |  | Never | 
| Is necessarily true of or, is closed under: | directed downward | finite intersections | finite unions | relative complements | complements in | countable intersections | countable unions | contains | contains | Finite Intersection Property | 
| Additionally, a semiring is a π-system where every complement  is equal to a finite disjoint union of sets in  | ||||||||||