Math 121c: Topics in Geometric Combinatorics, Spring 2012 Problems-
A set S ⊂ Rn is a convex cone if it is a convex set, and for any x ∈ S and λ ≥ 0, λx ∈ S. Let S ⊂ Rn. The convex cone generated by S, written coco(S), is the smallest convex cone containing S.
(a) Draw a few pictures to get used to coco(S).
(b) Prove that coco(S) = {i=1∑mλix(i): m ∈ N, λi ≥ 0, x(i) ∈ S for i ∈ {1, 2, . . . , m}}.
(c) Adapt the proof of Caratheodory's Theorem to show that if S ⊂ Rn, any point x ∈ coco(S) can be written as i=1∑m λix(i) with λi ≥ 0, x(i) ∈ S for all i, and {x(1), x(2), . . . , x(m)} linearly independent.
(d) If S is a compact convex set must coco(S) be closed (in the usual topology on Rn)? If so, why? If not, is the statement true when S is finite?