Absolute Value Function is Completely Multiplicative/Proof 2
Theorem
Let $x, y \in \R$ be real numbers.
Then:
- $\size {x y} = \size x \size y$
where $\size x$ denotes the absolute value of $x$.
Thus the absolute value function is completely multiplicative.
Proof
Let $x$ and $y$ be considered as complex numbers which are wholly real.
That is:
- $x = x + 0 i, y = y + 0 i$
From Complex Modulus of Real Number equals Absolute Value, the absolute value of $x$ and $y$ equal the complex moduli of $x + 0 i$ and $y + 0 i$.
Thus $\cmod x \cmod y$ can be interpreted as the complex modulus of $x$ multiplied by the complex modulus of $y$.
By Complex Modulus of Product of Complex Numbers:
- $\cmod x \cmod y = \cmod {x y}$
As $x$ and $y$ are both real, so is $x y$.
Thus by Complex Modulus of Real Number equals Absolute Value, $\cmod {x y}$ can be interpreted as the absolute value of $x y$ as well as its complex modulus.
$\blacksquare$