# Why are the Bellman operators contractions?

In these slides, it is written

\begin{align} \left\|T^{\pi} V-T^{\pi} U\right\|_{\infty} & \leq \gamma\|V-U\|_{\infty} \tag{9} \label{9} \\ \|T V-T U\|_{\infty} & \leq \gamma\|V-U\|_{\infty} \tag{10} \label{10} \end{align} where

• $$F$$ is the space of functions on domain $$\mathbb{S}$$.
• $$T^{\pi}: \mathbb{F} \mapsto \mathbb{F}$$ is the Bellman policy operator
• $$T: \mathbb{F} \mapsto \mathbb{F}$$ is the Bellman optimality operator

In slide 19, they say that equality $$9$$ follows from

\begin{align} {\scriptsize \left\| T^{\pi} V-T^{\pi} U \right\|_{\infty} = \max_{s} \gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr} \left( s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) \left| V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - U \left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| \\ \leq \gamma \left(\sum \operatorname{Pr} \left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s)\right)\right) \max _{s^{\prime}}\left|V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right| \\ \leq \gamma\|U-V\|_{\infty} } \end{align}

Why is that? Can someone explain to me this derivation?

They also write that inequality \ref{10} follows from

\begin{align} {\scriptsize \|T V-T U\|_{\infty} = \max_{s} \left| \max_{a} \left\{ R(s, a) + \gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr} \left( s^{\prime} \mid s, a \right) V \left( s^{\prime} \right) \right\} -\max_{a} \left\{R(s, a)+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right) U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right\} \right| \\ \leq \max _{s, a}\left|R(s, a)+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) -R(s, a)-\gamma \sum \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| \\ = \gamma \max _{s, a}\left|\sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right)\left(V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right)\right| \\ \leq \gamma\left(\sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right)\right) \max _{s^{\prime}}\left|\left(V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right)\right| \\ \leq \gamma\|V-U\|_{\infty} } \end{align}

Can someone explain to me also this derivation?

• Which particular bits do you not understand? It would also be good if you introduced some of the notation, e.g. what is $T$ here? I assume it is some kind of bellman backup operator but that is just a guess. Also, what is $U$ here? it looks like it'll be a value function but without specifics it is hard to comment. – David Ireland Jul 31 '20 at 9:32
• @DavidIreland the first inequality in (10) can be understood using |maxA - maxB| <= max| A - B| However, I am not sure about the two inequalities at the very last line of the proof – kevin Jul 31 '20 at 9:51

The inequality \begin{align} \left\|T^{\pi} V-T^{\pi} U\right\|_{\infty} & \leq \gamma\|V-U\|_{\infty} \label{1}\tag{1}, \end{align} where $$U$$ and $$V$$ are two value functions, follows from the definition of Bellman policy operator (at slide 16)

\begin{align} T^{\pi} V(s) &\triangleq R(s, a)+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) \\ &=R(s, \pi(s))+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s)\right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right), \; \forall s \in S \tag{2}\label{2}, \end{align} where $$\triangleq$$ means "defined as". Note the $$\pi$$ in the definition, hence the name Bellman policy operator (BPO), and note that the BPO holds for all $$s$$.

To prove (\ref{1}), first recall that $$\left\|\mathbf {x} \right\|_{\infty } \triangleq \max _{i}\left|x_{i}\right|.$$ In the case of value functions $$V$$ and $$U$$, we have $$\left\|V - U \right\|_{\infty } \triangleq \max_{s \in S}\left|V(s) - U(s) \right|.$$

Note also that $$Pr$$ is always non-negative (specifically, between $$0$$ and $$1$$).

Successively, we expand the left-hand side of (\ref{1}) by applying the definition (\ref{2}) and using the properties just mentioned

\begin{align} {\scriptsize \left\|T^{\pi} V-T^{\pi} U\right\|_{\infty} = \left\| \left( R(s, \pi(s))+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right) - \left( R(s, \pi(s))+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right) \right\|_{\infty} }% =\\ {\scriptsize \max_{s \in S} \left| \left( R(s, \pi(s))+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right) - \left( R(s, \pi(s))+\gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right) \right| }% = \\ \max_{s \in S} \left| \gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - \gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| = \\ \gamma \max_{s \in S} \left| \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| = \\ \gamma \max_{s \in S} \left| \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s)\right) \left ( V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right) \right| = \\ \gamma \max_{s \in S} \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s)\right) \left| V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| \end{align}

Now, note that

• $$\max _{s^{\prime}}\left|V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right| = \| V - U \|_{_{\infty}}$$
• $$\alpha x + (1- \alpha) x = x$$ for $$\alpha \in [0, 1]$$
• $$\left| V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| \leq \max_{s' \in S} \left| V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - U\left(s^{\prime}\right) \right|$$

NOTE: I am not completely sure about all these steps. I need to think about them a little bit more (but later). I encourage you to try to spot wrong derivations!!

I am assuming you are aware of the meaning of the notations. I will provide an informal explanation.

From your comment I am guessing you have difficulty in this portion in the 1st equation:

\begin{align} {\scriptsize \max_{s} \gamma \sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr} \left( s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s) \right) \left| V\left(s^{\prime}\right) - U \left(s^{\prime}\right) \right| \\ \leq \gamma \left(\sum \operatorname{Pr} \left(s^{\prime} \mid s, \pi(s)\right)\right) \max _{s^{\prime}}\left|V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right| \\ \leq \gamma\|U-V\|_{\infty} } \end{align}

The first inequality arises simply due to the fact that you are assigning a probability $$1$$ to the succesor state which has the maximum difference under the $$2$$ value functions, whereas previously you wee maximizing the entire equation with respect to a state $$s$$, and hence certain probabilities get assigned to low value diiference states as well (i.e $$|U(s') - V(s')|$$ is small compared to the largest value difference), whereas now you just pick the maximum difference between a succesor state, under the 2 value functions $$V,U$$ and assign the entire probability to it i.e ($$(\sum_{s'}Pr(s'|s, \pi(s))) = 1$$).

The second inequality is due to the fact, that now instead of selecting from a successor state, you select the maximum difference under the 2 value functions ($$U(s),V(s)$$) from the entire state space.

In the 2nd equation:

\begin{align} {\scriptsize \gamma \max _{s, a}\left|\sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right)\left(V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right)\right| \\ \leq \gamma\left(\sum_{s^{\prime}} \operatorname{Pr}\left(s^{\prime} \mid s, a\right)\right) \max _{s^{\prime}}\left|\left(V\left(s^{\prime}\right)-U\left(s^{\prime}\right)\right)\right| \\ \leq \gamma\|V-U\|_{\infty} } \end{align}

The first inequality is again due to the same reasoning as above, that you assign the entire probability to the succesor state with highest value difference (under $$U,V$$) the maximum probability. And the second inequality is also due to the same reasoning as the 1st equation. You look for the maximum difference in the entire state space instead of just among successor states.

NOTE: In general succesor states can be the entire state space with those unreachable from state having $$Pr(s'|s) = 0$$, in that case the last inequality will become equality in both the equations.

• @nbro simply use | max(A) - max(B) | <= max| A - B | as well as E(X) <= max(X) together with the knowledge of sum(Pr)=1 will do the work – kevin Aug 14 '20 at 7:01