Norm-preserving extensions and best approximations (Q1329298)

Let \(X\) be a real normed space and \(k\) a positive integer. A subspace \(M\) of \(X\) is said to have the property \((k-U)\) if every \(M\) has at least \(k\) linearly independent norm-preserving extensions to \(X\). The subspace \(M\) is called \(k\)-Chebyshevian if \(\dim P_ M(x)\leq k- 1\) for each \(x\in X\backslash M\), where \(P_ M\) denotes the metric projection of \(X\) onto \(M\) and \(\dim P_ M(x)= \dim\text{span}[P_ M(x)- y_ 0]\), for any \(y_ 0\in M\). The main result of this paper is the following extension of a result of \textit{R. R. Phelps} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 95, 238-255 (1960; Zbl 0096.311)]. The space \(M\) has property \((k-U)\) if and only if its annihilator \(M^ \perp\) is \(k\)-Chebyshevian in \(X^*\). For \(k= 1\) one obtains the above-mentioned result of R. R. Phelps. The relation between \((k-U)\) and \(k\)-smoothness properties of the space \(X\) is also discussed.