Min Operation is Associative

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Theorem

The min operation is associative:

$\map \min {\map \min {x, y}, z} = \map \min {x, \map \min {y, z} }$

Thus we are justified in writing $\map \min {x, y, z}$.


Proof

To simplify our notation:

Let $\map \min {x, y}$ be (temporarily) denoted $x \underline \vee y$.


There are the following cases to consider:

$(1): \quad x \le y \le z$
$(2): \quad x \le z \le y$
$(3): \quad y \le x \le z$
$(4): \quad y \le z \le x$
$(5): \quad z \le x \le y$
$(6): \quad z \le y \le x$


Taking each one in turn:

$(1): \quad$ Let $x \le y \le z$. Then:
\(\ds x \underline \vee \paren {y \underline \vee z}\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee y\) \(\ds = x\)
\(\ds \paren {x \underline \vee y} \underline \vee z\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = x\)


$(2): \quad$ Let $x \le z \le y$. Then:
\(\ds x \underline \vee \paren {y \underline \vee z}\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = x\)
\(\ds \paren {x \underline \vee y} \underline \vee z\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = x\)


$(3): \quad$ Let $y \le x \le z$. Then:
\(\ds x \underline \vee \paren {y \underline \vee z}\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee y\) \(\ds = y\)
\(\ds \paren {x \underline \vee y} \underline \vee z\) \(=\) \(\ds y \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = y\)


$(4): \quad$ Let $y \le z \le x$. Then:
\(\ds x \underline \vee \paren {y \underline \vee z}\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee y\) \(\ds = y\)
\(\ds \paren {x \underline \vee y} \underline \vee z\) \(=\) \(\ds y \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = y\)


$(5): \quad$ Let $z \le x \le y$. Then:
\(\ds x \underline \vee \paren {y \underline \vee z}\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = z\)
\(\ds \paren {x \underline \vee y} \underline \vee z\) \(=\) \(\ds x \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = z\)


$(6): \quad$ Let $z \le y \le x$. Then:
\(\ds x \underline \vee \paren {y \underline \vee z}\) \(=\) \(\ds y \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = z\)
\(\ds \paren {x \underline \vee y} \underline \vee z\) \(=\) \(\ds y \underline \vee z\) \(\ds = z\)


Thus in all cases it can be seen that the result holds.

$\blacksquare$


Also see