Lipschitz extensions and approximations (Q2195163)

Let \((X,d)\) be a metric space, \(Y\) a subset of \(X\) and \(f:Y\to\mathbb{R}\) an \(L\)-Lipschitz functions. It is well-known that the functions given by \[ F_-(x)=\sup\{f(y)-Ld(x,y):y\in Y\} \] and \[ F_+(x)=\inf\{f(y)+Ld(x,y):y\in Y\}, \] for all \(x\in X,\) are \(L\)-Lipschitz extensions of \(f\) and any other \(L\)-Lipschitz extension \(F\) satisfies \(F_-\le F\le F_+\). These functions were used by \textit{McShane} [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 40, 837--842 (1934; JFM 60.0973.02)], in his proof of the existence of Lipschitz extensions. Later they were rediscovered several times. Actually, as points out the author, their use can be traced back to \textit{F.Hausdorff} [Math. Z. 5, 292--309 (1919; JFM 47.0240.01)]. The preamble of the paper contains a brief but thorough historical survey on this topic. The author shows that the definitions of the functions \(F_-\) and \(F_+\) can be adapted to obtain extensions of pointwise Lipschitz functions, giving so a new proof to a result of \textit{J. Czipszer} and \textit{L. Gehér} [Acta Math. Acad. Sci. Hung. 6, 213--220 (1955; Zbl 0064.05406)], on the extension of functions in this class. He also proves the existence of locally Lipschitz extensions. The obtained results are applied to obtain approximation results for various classes of functions (continuous, semi-continuous, uniformly continuous) by Lipschitz, locally Lipschitz or Lipschitz in the small functions.