On functions of finite Baire index (Q2565232)

For a real bounded function \(f\) defined on a separable metric space \(K\), an oscillation (Baire) index \(i(f)\) is defined such that \(f\) is continuous iff \( i(f)=0\). The set of differences of bounded semicontinuous functions defined on \(K\) is denoted by \(DBSC(K)\) and is organized as a Banach algebra. The closure of the set of simple functions in \(DBSC(K)\) is denoted by \(SD(K)\). It is proved that \(SD(K)\) contains each function \(f\) with \(i(f)<\infty ,\) and that \(SD(K)\neq DBSC(K)\) if the \(n\)th derived set of \(K\) is nonempty for all \(n\in \mathbb{N}\).