1 Introduction and preliminaries

In 1940, Ulam [1] proposed the following question concerning the stability of group homomorphisms:

Let G1 be a group and let G2 be a metric group with the metric d(., .). Given ϵ > 0, does there exist a δ > 0 such that if a function h : G1G2 satisfies the inequality d(h(xy), h(x)h(y)) < δ for all x, yG1, then there exists a homomorphism H : G1G1 with d(h(x), H(x)) < ϵ for all xG1?

In next year, Hyers [2] answers the problem of Ulam under the assumption that the groups are Banach spaces and then generalized by Aoki [3] and Rassias [4] for additive mappings and linear mappings, respectively. Since then several stability problems for various functional equations have been investigated in [512].

The stability problem for the cubic functional equation was proved by Jun and Kim [5] for mappings f: XY, where X is a real normed space and Y is a Banach space. Later on, the problem of stability of cubic functional equation were discussed by many mathematician.

An interesting and important generalization of the notion of a metric space was introduced by Menger [13] under the name of statistical metric space, which is now called a probabilistic metric space. An important family of probabilistic metric spaces is that of probabilistic normed spaces. The theory of probabilistic normed spaces is important as a generalization of deterministic results of linear normed spaces. The theory of probabilistic normed spaces was initiated and developed in [14, 15] and further it was extended to random 2-normed spaces by Goleţ [16] using the concept of 2-norm of Gahler [17]. For more details of probabilistic and random/fuzzy 2-normed space, we refer to [1822] and references therein.

In this article, we establish Hyers-Ulam stability concerning the cubic functional equations in random 2-normed spaces which is quite a new and interesting idea to study with.

In this section, we recall some notations and basic definitions used in this article.

A distribution function is an element of Δ+, where Δ+ = {f : ℝ → [0, 1]; f is left-continuous, nondecreasing, f(0) = 0 and f(+∞) = 1} and the subset D+ ⊆ Δ+ is the set D+ = {f ∈ Δ+; l-f(+∞) = 1}. Here l-f(+∞) denotes the left limit of the function f at the point x. The space Δ+ is partially ordered by the usual point-wise ordering of functions, i.e., fg if and only if f(x) ≤ g(x) for all x ∈ ℝ. For any a ∈ ℝ, H a is a distribution function defined by

H a ( x ) = 0 if x a ; 1 if x > a .

The set Δ, as well as its subsets, can be partially ordered by the usual pointwise order: in this order, H0 is the maximal element in Δ+.

A triangle function is a binary operation on Δ+, namely a function τ : Δ+ × Δ+ → Δ+ that is associative, commutative nondecreasing and which has ε0 as unit, that is, for all f, g, h ∈ Δ+, we have:

  1. (i)

    τ(τ(f, g), h) = τ(f, τ(g, h)),

  2. (ii)

    τ(f, g) = τ(g, f),

  3. (iii)

    τ(f, g) = τ(g, f) whenever fg,

  4. (iv)

    τ(f, H 0) = f.

A t-norm is a continuous mapping * : [0, 1] × [0, 1] → [0, 1] such that ([0, 1], *) is abelian monoid with unit one and c * da * b if ca and db for all a, b, c, d ∈ [0, 1].

The concept of 2-normed space was first introduced in [17] and further studied in [2325].

Let X is a linear space of a dimension d, where 2 ≤ d < ∞. A 2-normed on X is a function ∥., .∥ : X × X → ℝ satisfying the following conditions, for every x, yX (i) ∥x, y∥ = 0 if and only if x and y are linearly dependent; (ii) ∥x, y∥ = ∥y, x∥; (iii) ∥αx, y∥ = |α|∥x, y∥, α ∈ ℝ; (iv) ∥x + y, z∥ ≤ ∥x, z∥ + ∥y, z∥. In this case (X, ∥., . ∥) is called a 2-norm space.

Example 1.1. Take X = ℝ2 being equipped with the 2-norm ∥x, y∥ = the area of the parallelogram spanned by the vectors x and y, which may be given explicitly by the formula

x , y = x 1 y 2 - x 2 y 1 , where x = ( x 1 , x 2 ) , y = ( y 1 , y 2 ) .

Recently, Goleţ [16] introduced the notion of random 2-normed space and further studied by Mursaleen [26].

Let X be a linear space of a dimension greater than one, τ is a triangle function, and :X×X Δ + . Then ℱ is called a probabilistic 2-norm on X and ( X , , τ ) a probabilistic 2-normed space if the following conditions are satisfied:

  1. (i)

    x , y ( t ) = H 0 ( t ) if x and y are linearly dependent, where x , y ( t ) denotes the value of x , y at t ∈ ℝ,

  2. (ii)

    x , y H 0 if x and y are linearly independent,

  3. (iii)

    x , y = y , x for every x, y in X,

  4. (iv)

    α x , y ( t ) = x , y ( t α ) for every t > 0, α ≠ 0 and x, yX,

  5. (v)

    x + y , z τ ( x , z , y , z ) whenever x, y, zX.

If (v) is replaced by

(v') x + y , z ( t 1 + t 2 ) x , z ( t 1 ) * y , z ( t 2 ) , for all x, y, zX and t 1 , t 2 0 + , then triple ( X , , * ) is called a random 2-normed space (for short, RTN-space).

Example 1.2. Let (X, ∥., .∥) be a 2-normed space with ∥x, z∥ = ∥x1z2 - x2z1∥, x = (x1, x2), z = (z1, z2) and a * b = ab for a, b ∈ [0, 1]. For all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX, consider

x , z ( t ) = t t + x , z if t > 0 0 if t 0 ;

Then ( X , , * ) is a random 2-normed space.

Remark 1.3. Note that every 2-normed space (X, ∥., .∥) can be made a random 2-normed space in a natural way, by setting x , y ( t ) = H 0 ( t - x , y ) , for every x, yX, t > 0 and a * b = min{a, b}, a, b ∈ [0, 1].

2 Stability of cubic functional equation

In the present section, we define the notion of convergence, Cauchy sequence and completeness in RTN-space and determine some stability results of the cubic functional equation in RTN-space.

The functional equation

f ( 2 x + y ) + f ( 2 x - y ) = 2 f ( x + y ) + 2 f ( x - y ) + 12 f ( x )
(1)

is called the cubic functional equation, since the function f(x) = cx3 is its solution. Every solution of the cubic functional equation is said to be a cubic mapping.

We shall assume throughout this article that X and Y are linear spaces; ( X , , * ) and ( Z , , * ) are random 2-normed spaces; and ( Y , , * ) is a random 2-Banach space.

Let φ be a function from X × X to Z. A mapping f : XY is said to be φ-approximately cubic function if

E x , y , z ( t ) φ ( x , y ) , z ( t ) ,
(2)

for all x, yX, t > 0 and nonzero zX, where

E x , y = f ( 2 x + y ) + f ( 2 x - y ) - 2 f ( x + y ) - 2 f ( x - y ) - 12 f ( x ) .

We define:

We say that a sequence x = (x k ) is convergent in ( X , , * ) or simply ℱ-convergent to if for every ϵ > 0 and θ ∈ (0, 1) there exists k0 ∈ ℕ such that x k - , z ( ε ) >1-θ whenever kk0 and nonzero zX. In this case we write - lim k x k = and is called the ℱ-limit of x = (x k ).

A sequence x = (x k ) is said to be Cauchy sequence in ( X , , * ) or simply ℱ-Cauchy if for every ϵ > 0, θ > 0 and nonzero zX there exists a number N = N(ϵ, z) such that lim x n - x m , z ( ε ) > 1 - θ for all n, mN. RTN-space ( X , , * ) is said to be complete if every ℱ-Cauchy is ℱ-convergent. In this case ( X , , * ) is called random 2-Banach space.

Theorem 2.1. Suppose that a function φ : X × XZ satisfies φ(2x, 2y) = αφ(x, y) for all x, yX and α ≠ 0. Let f : XY be a φ-approximately cubic function. If for some 0 < α < 8,

φ ( 2 x , 2 y ) , z ( t ) α φ ( x , y ) , z ( t ) ,
(3)

and lim n φ ( 2 n x , 2 n y ) , z ( 8 n t ) =1 for all x, yX, t > 0 and nonzero zX. Then there exists a unique cubic mapping C : XY such that

C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( ( 8 - α ) t ) ,
(4)

for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX.

Proof. For convenience, let us fix y = 0 in (2). Then for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX

f ( 2 x ) 8 - f ( x ) , z t 16 φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t ) .
(5)

Replacing x by 2nx in (5) and using (3), we obtain

f ( 2 n + 1 x ) 8 n + 1 - f ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z t 16 ( 8 n ) φ ( 2 n x , 0 ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t / α n ) ,

for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX; and for all n ≥ 0. By replacing t by αnt, we get

f ( 2 n + 1 x ) 8 n + 1 - f ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z α n t 16 ( 8 n ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t ) .
(6)

It follows from f ( 2 n x ) 8 n -f ( x ) = k = 0 n = 1 f ( 2 k + 1 x ) 8 k + 1 - f ( 2 k x ) 8 k and (6) that

f ( 2 n x ) 8 n - f ( x ) , z k = 0 n - 1 α k t 16 ( 8 k ) k = 0 n - 1 f ( 2 k + 1 x ) 8 k + 1 - f ( 2 k x ) 8 k , z α k t 16 ( 8 k ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t ) ,
(7)

for all xX, t > 0 and n > 0 where j = 1 n a j = a 1 * a 2 ** a n . By replacing x with 2mx in (7), we have

f ( 2 n + m x ) 8 n + m - f ( 2 m x ) 8 m , z k = 0 n - 1 α k t 16 ( 8 ) k + m φ ( 2 m x , 0 ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t / α m ) .

Thus

f ( 2 n + m x ) 8 n + m - f ( 2 m x ) 8 m , z k = m n + m - 1 α k t 16 ( 8 ) k φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t ) ,

for all xX, t > 0, m > 0, n ≥ 0 and nonzero zX. Hence

f ( 2 n + m x ) 8 n + m - f ( 2 m x ) 8 m , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z t k = m n + m - 1 α k 16 ( 8 ) k ,
(8)

for all xX, t > 0 m ≥ 0, n ≥ 0 and nonzero zX. Since 0 < α < 8 and k = 0 ( α 8 ) k <, the Cauchy criterion for convergence shows that ( f ( 2 n x ) 8 n ) is a Cauchy sequence in ( Y , , * ) . Since ( Y , , * ) is complete, this sequence converges to some point C(x) ∈ Y. Fix xX and put m = 0 in (8) to obtain

f ( 2 n x ) 8 n - f ( x ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z t k = 0 n - 1 α k 16 ( 8 ) k ,

for all t > 0, n > 0 and nonzero zX. Thus we obtain

C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) C ( x ) - f ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z ( t / 2 ) * f ( 2 n x ) 8 n - f ( x ) , z ( t / 2 ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z t k = 0 n - 1 a k 8 ( 8 ) k ,

for large n. Taking the limit as n → ∞ and using the definition of RTN-space, we get

C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( ( 8 - α ) t ) .

Replace x and y by 2nx and 2ny, respectively, in (2), we have

E 2 n x , 2 n y 8 n , z ( t ) φ ( 2 n x , 2 n y ) , z ( 8 n t ) ,

for all x, yX, t > 0 and nonzero zX. Since

lim n φ ( 2 n x , 2 n y ) , z ( 8 n t ) = 1 ,

we observe that C fulfills (1). To Prove the uniqueness of the cubic function C, assume that there exists a cubic function D : XY which satisfies (4). For fix xX, clearly C(2nx) = 8nC(x) and D(2nx) = 8nD(x) for all n ∈ ℕ. It follows from (4) that

C ( x ) - D ( x ) , z ( t ) = C ( 2 n x ) 8 n - D ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z ( t ) C ( 2 n x ) 8 n - f ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z t 2 * f ( 2 n x ) 8 n - D ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z t 2 φ ( 2 n x , 0 ) , z 8 n ( 8 - α ) t 2 φ ( x , 0 ) , z 8 n ( 8 - α ) t 2 α n .

Therefore

φ ( x , 0 ) , z 8 n ( 8 - α ) t 2 α n = 1 .

Thus C ( x ) - D ( x ) , z ( t ) =1 for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX. Hence C(x) = D(x).

Example 2.2. Let X be a Hilbert space and Z be a normed space. By ℱ and , we denote the random 2-norms given as in Example 1.1 on X and Z, respectively. Let φ : X × XZ be defined by φ(x, y) = 8(∥x2 + ∥y2)zο, where zο is a fixed unit vector in Z. Define f : XX by f(x) = ∥x2x + ∥x2xο for some unit vector xοX. Then

E x , y , z ( t ) = t t + 8 x , z 2 + 2 y , z 2 t t + 8 x , z 2 + 8 y , z 2 = φ ( x , y ) , z ( t ) .

Also

φ ( 2 x , 0 ) , z ( t ) = t t + 32 x , z 2 = 4 φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( t ) .

Thus,

lim n φ ( 2 n x , 2 n y ) , z ( 8 n t ) = lim n 8 n t 8 n t + 8 ( 4 n ) ( x , z 2 + y , z 2 ) = 1 .

Hence, conditions of Theorem 2.1 for α = 4 are fulfilled. Therefore, there is a unique cubic mapping C : XX such that C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( 4 t ) for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX.

By a modification in the proof of Theorem 2.1, one can easily prove the following:

Theorem 2.3. Suppose that a function φ : X × XZ satisfies φ ( x / 2 , y / 2 ) = 1 α φ ( x , y ) for all x, yX and α ≠ 0. Let f : XY be a φ-approximately cubic function. If for some α > 8

φ ( x / 2 , y / 2 ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , y ) , z ( α t )

and lim n 8 n φ ( 2 - n x , 2 - n y ) , z ( t ) =1 for all x, yX, t > 0 and nonzero zX. Then there exists a unique cubic mapping C : XY such that

C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) φ ( x , 0 ) , z ( ( α - 8 ) t ) ,

for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX.

3 Continuity in random 2-normed spaces

In this section, we establish some interesting results of continuous approximately cubic mappings.

Let f : ℝ → X be a function, where ℝ is endowed with the Euclidean topology and X is an random 2-normed space equipped with random 2-norm ℱ. Then, f is said to be random 2-continuous or simply ℱ-continuous at a point sο ∈ ℝ if for all ϵ > 0 and all 0 < α < 1 there exists δ > 0 such that

f ( s x ) - f ( s x ) , z ( ε ) α ,

for each s with 0 < |s - sο| < δ and nonzero zX.

A mapping f : XY is said to be (p, q)-approximately cubic function if, for some p, q and some zοZ,

E x , y , z ( t ) ( x p + y q ) z , z ( t ) ,

for all x, yX, t > 0 and nonzero zX.

Theorem 3.2. Let X be a normed space and let f : XY be a (p, q)-approximately cubic function. If p, q < 3, there exists a unique cubic mapping C : XY such that

C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) x p z , z ( ( 8 - 2 p ) t ) ,
(9)

for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX. Furthermore, if for some xX and all n ∈ ℕ, the mapping g : ℝ → Y defined by g(s) = f(2nsx) is ℱ-continuous. Then the mapping sC(sx) from ℝ to Y is ℱ-continuous; in this case, C(rx) = r3C(x) for all r ∈ ℝ.

Proof. Suppose that a function φ : X × XZ satisfies φ(x, y) = (∥xp+∥yq)zο. Existence and uniqueness of the cubic mapping C satisfying (9) are deduced from Theorem 2.1. Note that for each xX, t ∈ ℝ and n ∈ ℕ, we have

C ( x ) - f ( 2 n x ) 8 n , z ( t ) = C ( 2 n x ) - f ( 2 n x ) , z ( 8 n t ) 2 n p x p z , z ( 8 n ( 8 - 2 p ) t ) = x p z , z 8 n ( 8 - 2 p ) t 2 n p .
(10)

Fix xX and sο ∈ ℝ. Given ϵ > 0 and 0 < α < 1. From (10) follows that

C ( s x ) - f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n , z ( t ) x p z , z 8 n ( 8 - 2 p ) t s p 2 n p x p z , z 8 n ( 8 - 2 p ) t ( 1 + s ) p 2 n p ,

for all |s - sο| < 1 and s ∈ ℝ. Since lim n 8 n ( 8 - 2 p ) t ( 1 + s ) p 2 n p =, there exists nο ∈ ℕ such that

C ( s x ) - f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n , z ε 3 α ,

for all |s - sο| < 1 and s ∈ ℝ. By the ℱ-continuity of the mapping tf ( 2 n t x ) , there exists δ < 1 such that for each s with 0 < |s - sο| < δ, we have

f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n - f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n , z ε 3 α .

It follows that

C ( s x ) - C ( s x ) , z ( ε ) C ( s x ) - f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n , z ε 3 * f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n - f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n , z ε 3 * C ( s x ) - f ( 2 n s x ) 8 n , z ε 3 α ,

for each s with 0 < |s - sο| < δ. Hence, the mapping sC(sx) is ℱ-continuous.

Now, we use the ℱ-continuity of sC(sx) to establish that C ( r x ) = r 3 C ( x ) for all rο ∈ ℝ. For each r, ℚ is a dense subset of ℝ, we have C(rx) = r3C(x). Fix rο ∈ ℝ and t > 0. Then, for 0 < α < 1 there exists δ > 0 such that

C ( r x ) - C ( r x ) , z ( t / 3 ) α ,

for each r ∈ ℝ and 0 < |r - rο| < δ. Choose a rational number r with 0 < |r - rο| < δ and r 3 - r 3 <1-α. Then

C ( r x ) - r 3 C ( x ) , z ( t ) C ( r x ) - C ( r x ) , z ( t / 3 ) * C ( r x ) - r 3 C ( x ) , z ( t / 3 ) * r 3 C ( x ) - r 3 C ( x ) , z ( t / 3 ) α * 1 * C ( x ) , z ( t / 3 ( 1 - α ) ) .

Thus C ( r x ) - r 3 C ( x ) , z ( t ) =1. Hence, we conclude that C ( r x ) = r 3 C ( x ) .

Remark 3.2. We can also prove Theorem 3.1 for the case when p, q > 3. In this case, there exists a unique cubic mapping C : XY such that C ( x ) - f ( x ) , z ( t ) x p z , z ( ( 2 p - 8 ) t ) for all xX, t > 0 and nonzero zX.

4 Approximately and conditional cubic mapping in random 2-normed spaces

In this section, we obtain completeness in RTN-space through the existence of some solution of a stability problem for cubic functional equation.

A mapping f : ℕ∪{0} → X is said to be approximately cubic if for each α ∈ (0, 1) there exists some n α ∈ ℕ such that E ( n , m ) , z ( 1 ) α, for all n ≥ 2mn α and nonzero zX.

By a conditional cubic mapping, we mean a mapping f : ℕ ∪ {0} → X such that (1) holds whenever x ≥ 2y.

It can be easily verified that for each conditional cubic mapping f : ℕ ∪ {0} → X, we have f(2n) = 23nf(1).

Theorem 4.1. Let ( X , , * ) be a RTN-space such that for each approximately cubic mapping f : ℕ ∪ {0} → X, there exists a conditional cubic mapping C : ℕ ∪ {0} → X, such that

lim n C ( n ) - f ( n ) , z ( 1 ) = 1 ,

for nonzero zX. Then ( X , , * ) is a random 2-Banach space.

Proof. Let (x n ) be a Cauchy sequence in a RTN-space. By induction on k, we can find a strictly increasing sequence (n k ) of natural numbers such that

x n - x m , z 1 ( 10 k ) 3 1 - 1 k ,

for each n, mn k and nonzero zX. Let y k = x n k and define f : ℕ ∪ {0} → X by f(k) = k3y k . Let α ∈ (0, 1). and find some nο ∈ ℕ such that 1- 1 n >α. One can easily verified that

E k , j , z ( 1 ) y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 20 k 3 * y 2 k + j - y k - j , z 1 20 k 3 * y 2 k + j - y k , z 1 40 k 3 * y 2 k - j - y k , z 1 80 k 3 * y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 120 k 2 j * y k - j - y k + j , z 1 60 k 2 j * y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 60 k j 2 * y 2 k - j - y k - j , z 1 60 k j 2 * y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 10 j 3 * y k - j - y k + j , z 1 20 j 3 ,

for each k ≥ 2j, and nonzero zX. Then

y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 20 k 3 y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 20 ( k + j ) 3 y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 10 3 ( k + j ) 3 α ,

for j > nο and nonzero zX. Since k-j k 2 and k - jj, we have

y 2 k + j - y k - j , z 1 20 k 3 y 2 k + j - y k - j , z 1 10 3 ( k - j ) 3 α , y k - j - y k + j , z 1 60 k 2 j y k - j - y k + j , z 1 10 3 ( k - j ) 3 α , y 2 k - j - y k - j , z 1 60 k j 2 y 2 k - j - y k - j , z 1 10 3 ( k - j ) 3 α , y k - j - y k + j , z 1 20 j 3 y 2 k - j - y k - j , z 1 10 3 ( k - j ) 3 α .

Clearly

y 2 k + j - y k , z 1 40 k 3 y 2 k + j - y k , z 1 10 3 k 3 α , y 2 k - j - y k , z 1 80 k 3 y 2 k - j - y k , z 1 10 3 k 3 α , and y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 60 k j 2 y 2 k + j - y k + j , z 1 10 3 ( k + j ) 3 α .

The inequalities 2k - jj and 2k - j > k imply

y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 120 k 2 j y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 120 ( 2 k - j ) 3 y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 10 3 ( 2 k - j ) 3 α y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 10 j 3 y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 10 ( 2 k - j ) 3 y 2 k + j - y 2 k - j , z 1 10 3 ( 2 k - j ) 3 α .

Therefore E k , j , z ( 1 ) α. This shows that f is approximately cubic type mapping. By our assumption, there exists a conditional cubic mapping C : ℕ ∪ {0} → X, such that lim k C ( k ) - f ( k ) , z ( 1 ) =1. In particular, lim k C ( 2 k ) - f ( 2 k ) , z ( 1 ) =1. This means that

lim k C ( 1 ) - y 2 k , z 1 2 3 k = 1

Hence the subsequence ( y 2 k ) converges to y = C(1). Therefore, the Cauchy sequence (x n ) also converges to y.