A measure space is a foundational concept in measure theory, providing the structure to measure sizes of different sets. It is defined as a triplet \((X, \mathcal{M}, \mu)\), where:
- \(X\) is the set under consideration,
- \(\mathcal{M}\) is a \(\sigma\)-algebra of subsets of \(X\), and
- \(\mu\) is a measure function that assigns a non-negative value to each set in \(\mathcal{M}\), reflecting its size or probability.
The measure \(\mu\) captures the idea of 'size' in a mathematical sense, extending beyond lengths and areas to include more abstract 'sizes' of sets, crucial in fields like probability and real analysis.
In our exercise, \(\lambda(E) = \int_{E} f \, d\mu\) represents a measure defined through integration, asserting how an integral can create a new measure, \(\lambda\), based on an existing measure, \(\mu\). This concept is key in forming an understanding of how different measures can interact in integration and analysis.