Let R be the real numbers and let (R,dR) be the real line, that is, R equipped with the absolute value metric. Let a,b∈R satisfy a≤b, and let [a,b] be the closed interval with endpoints a and b.
Let f:[a,b]→R be continuous on [a,b], as a map from the subset [a,b] of (R,dR) into (R,dR).
Then there exist points xmin,xmax∈[a,b] such that
f(xmin)≤f(x)≤f(xmax)for every x∈[a,b].