On a theorem of van der Corput (Q1187147)

Let \(E\) be a topological vector space and let \(f:E\to\mathbb{R}\) satisfy the congruence \(f(x+y)-f(x)-f(y)\in\mathbb{Z}\). The authors prove that there exists a linear continuous function \(g:E\to\mathbb{R}\) such that \(f(x)- g(x)\in\mathbb{Z}\) for every \(x\in E\), provided that \(f(U)\cap(W+\mathbb{Z})=\emptyset\) for some non-void and open sets \(U\subset E\) and \(W\subset\mathbb{R}\). The result generalizes a theorem of \textit{J. F. van der Corput} [Euclides 17, 55-75 (1940; FDM 66.1236)]. The paper also contains a result concerning the case where \(\mathbb{R}\) is replaced by a topological vector space \(F\). Some other conditions guaranteeing that a solution of the congruence can be approximated by a linear function \(\pmod\mathbb{Z}\) are given.