Some common fixed point theorems for weakly compatible mappings

Jungck's [G. Jungck, Compatible mappings and common fixed points, Int. J. Math. Math. Sci. 9 (1986) 771-779] notion of compatible mappings is further extended and used to prove some common fixed point theorems for weakly compatible non-self mappings in complete convex metric spaces. We improve on the method of proof used by Rhoades [B.E. Rhoades, A fixed point theorem for non-self set-valued mappings, Int. J. Math. Math. Sci. 20 (1997) 9-12] and Ahmed and Rhoades [A. Ahmed, B.E. Rhoades, Some common fixed point theorems for compatible mappings, Indian J. Pure Appl. Math. 32 (2001) 1247-1254] and obtain generalization of some known results. In particular, a theorem by Rhoades [B.E. Rhoades, A fixed point theorem for non-self set-valued mappings, Int. J. Math. Math. Sci. 20 (1997) 9-12] is generalized and improved. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.