Approximate representation of a class of associative functions by a monotone 1-place function and addition (Q1340023)

Motivated by the theorem of Kolmogorov on the representation of continuous functions of several variables by superpositions of functions of one variable and by sums of functions the authors consider so-called triangular norms. These are associative binary operations \(*\) on the interval \([0, 1]\) which satisfy axioms on commutativity, monotonicity, and identity. One main result of the paper states that for any continuous triangular norm, any finite subset \(A\subset [0, 1]\) and any \(m\in \mathbb{N}\) there exists a strictly increasing function \(f: A\to I\) such that for all \(x_i\), \(y_i\in A\), \[ \mathop{{\prod}^*}^m_{i= 1} x_i> \mathop{{\prod}^*}^m_{i= 1} y_i\Rightarrow \sum^m_{i= 1} f(x_i)> \sum^m_{i= 1} f(y_i). \] This can be used to simplify the theorem of Kolmogorov in some special cases and in an approximate manner.