3.11.E: Problems on Limits of Sequences (Exercises)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
See also Chapter 2, §13.
Prove that if xm→0 and if {am} is bounded in E1 or C, then
amxm→0.
This is true also if the xm are vectors and the am are scalars (or vice versa).
[Hint: If {am} is bounded, there is a K∈E1 such that
(∀m)|am|<K.
As xm→0,
(∀ε>0)(∃k)(∀m>k)|xm|<εK(why?),
so |amxm|<ε.]
Prove Theorem 1( ii ).
[Hint: By Corollary 2(ii)(iii) in §14, we must show that amxm−aw→0. Now
amxm−aq=am(xm−q)+(am−a)q.
where xm−q→0 and am−a→0 by Corollary 2 of §14. Hence by Problem 1,
am(xm−q)→0 and (am−a)q→0
(treat q as a constant sequence and use Corollary 5 in §14). Now apply Theorem 1(i).]
Prove that if am→a and a≠0 in E1 or C, then
(∃ε>0)(∃k)(∀m>k)|am|≥ε.
(We briefly say that the am are bounded away from 0, for m>k.) Hence prove the boundedness of {1am} for m>k.
[Hint: For the first part, proceed as in the proof of Corollary 1 in §14, with xm=am, p=a, and q=0.
For the second part, the inequalities
(∀m>k)|1am|≤1ε
lead to the desired result. ]
Prove that if am→a≠0 in E1 or C, then
1am→1a.
Use this and Theorem 1( ii) to prove Theorem 1( iii), noting that
xmam=xm⋅1am.
[Hint: Use Note 3 and Problem 3 to find that
(∀m>k)|1am−1a|=1|a||am−a|1|am|,
where {1am} is bounded and 1|a||am−a|→0. (Why?)
Hence, by Problem 1,|1am−1a|→0. Proceed. ]
Prove Corollaries 1 and 2 in two ways:
(i) Use Definition 2 of Chapter 2, §13 for Corollary 1(a), treating infinite limits separately; then prove (b) by assuming the opposite and exhibiting a contradiction to (a).
(ii) Prove (b) first by using Corollary 2 and Theorem 3 of Chapter 2, §13; then deduce (a) by contradiction.
Prove Corollary 3 in two ways (cf. Problem 5).
Prove Theorem 4 as suggested, and also without using Theorem 1(i).
Prove Theorem 2.
[Hint: If ¯xm→¯p, then
(∀ε>0)(∃q)(∀m>q)ε>|¯xm−¯p|≥|xmk−pk|.(Why?)
Thus by definition xmk→pk,k=1,2,…,n.
Conversely, if so, use Theorem 1(i)( ii ) to obtain
n∑k=1xmk→ek→n∑k=1pk→ek,
with →ek as in Theorem 2 of §§1-3].
In Problem 8, prove the converse part from definitions. ( Fix ε>0, etc. )
Find the following limits in E1, in two ways: (i) using Theorem 1, justifying each step; (ii) using definitions only.
(a) limm→∞m+1m; (b) limm→∞3m+22m−1 (c) limn→∞11+n2; (d) limn→∞n(n−1)1−2n2
[ Solution of (a) by the first method: Treat
m+1m=1+1m
as the sum of xm=1 (constant) and
ym=1m→0 (proved in §14).
Thus by Theorem 1(i),
m+1m=xm+ym→1+0=1.
Second method: Fix ε>0 and find k such that
(∀m>k)|m+1m−1|<ε.
Solving for m, show that this holds if m>1ε. Thus take an integer k>1ε, so
(∀m>k)|m+1m−1|<ε.
Caution: One cannot apply Theorem 1 (iii) directly, treating (m+1)/m as the quotient of xm=m+1 and am=m, because xm and am diverge in E1. (Theorem 1 does not apply to infinite limits.) As a remedy, we first divide the numerator and denominator by a suitable power of m( or n).]
Prove that
|xm|→+∞ in E∗ iff 1xm→0(xm≠0).
Prove that if
xm→+∞ and ym→q≠−∞ in E∗,
then
xm+ym→+∞.
This is written symbolically as
"+∞+q=+∞ if q≠−∞."
Do also
"−∞+q=−∞ if q≠+∞."
Prove similarly that
"(+∞)⋅q=+∞ if q>0"
and
"(+∞)⋅q=−∞ if q<0."
[Hint: Treat the cases q∈E1,q=+∞, and q=−∞ separately. Use definitions.]
Find the limit (or lim_ and ¯lim) of the following sequences in E∗:
(a) xn=2⋅4⋯2n=2nn!;
(b) xn=5n−n3;
(c) xn=2n4−n3−3n2−1;
(d) xn=(−1)nn!;
(e) xn=(−1)nn!.
[Hint for (b):xn=n(5−n2); use Problem 11.]
Use Corollary 4 in §14, to find the following:
(a) limn→∞(−1)n1+n2;
(b) limn→∞1−n+(−1)n2n+1.
Find the following.
(a) limn→∞1+2+⋯+nn2;
(b) limn→∞∑nk=1k2n3+1;
(c) limn→∞∑nk=1k3n4−1.
[Hint: Compute ∑nk=1km using Problem 10 of Chapter 2, §§5-6.]
What is wrong with the following "solution" of (a):1n2→0,2n2→0, etc.; hence the limit is 0?
For each integer m≥0, let
Smn=1m+2m+⋯+nm.
Prove by induction on m that
limn→∞Smn(n+1)m+1=1m+1.
[Hint: First prove that
(m+1)Smn=(n+1)m+1−1−m−1∑i=0(m+1i)Smi
by adding up the binomial expansions of (k+1)m+1,k=1,…,n.]
Prove that
limn→∞qn=+∞ if q>1;limn→∞qn=0 if |q|<1;limn→∞1n=1.
[Hint: If q>1, put q=1+d,d>0. By the binomial expansion,
qn=(1+d)n=1+nd+⋯+dn>nd→+∞.(Why?)
If |q|<1, then |1q|>1; so lim|1q|n=+∞; use Problem 10.]
Prove that
limn→∞nqn=0 if |q|>1, and limn→∞nqn=+∞ if 0<q<1.
[Hint: If |q|>1, use the binomial as in Problem 16 to obtain
|q|n>12n(n−1)d2,n≥2, so n|q|n<2(n−1)d2→0.
Use Corollary 3 with
xn=0,|zn|=n|q|n, and yn=2(n−1)d2
to get |zn|→0; hence also zn→0 by Corollary 2( iii) of §14. In case 0<q<1, use 10.]
Let r,a∈E1. Prove that
limn→∞nra−n=0 if |a|>1.
[Hint: If r>1 and a>1, use Problem 17 with q=a1/r to get na−n/r→0. As
0<nra−n=(na−n/r)r≤na−n/r→0,
obtain nra−n→0.
If r<1, then nra−n<na−n→0. What if a<−1?]
(Geometric series.) Prove that if |q|<1, then
limn→∞(a+aq+⋯+aqn−1)=a1−q.
[Hint:
a(1+q+⋯+qn−1)=a1−qn1−q,
where qn→0, by Problem 16.]
Let 0<c<+∞. Prove that
limn→∞n√c=1.
[ Hint: If c>1, put n√c=1+dn,dn>0. Expand c=(1+dn)n to show that
0<dn<cn→0,
so dn→0 by Corollary 3.]
Investigate the following sequences for monotonicity, lim_, ¯lim, and lim. (In each case, find suitable formula, or formulas, for the general term.)
(a) 2,5,10,17,26,…;
(b) 2,−2,2,−2,…;
(c) 2,−2,−6,−10,−14,…;
(d) 1,1,−1,−1,1,1,−1,−1,…;
(e) 3⋅21,4⋅64,5⋅109,6⋅1416,….
Do Problem 21 for the following sequences.
(a) 12⋅3,−83⋅4,274⋅5,−645⋅6,1256⋅7,…;
(b) 29,−59,89,−139,…;
(c) 23,−25,47,−49,611,−613,…
(d) 1,3,5,1,1,3,5,2,1,3,5,3,…,1,3,5,n,…;
(e) 0.9,0.99,0.999,…;
(f) +∞,1,+∞,2,+∞,3,…;
(g)−∞,1,−∞,12,…,−∞,1n,….
Do Problem 20 as follows: If c≥1,{n√c}↓.(Why?) By Theorem 3, p=limn→∞n√c exists and
(∀n)1≤p≤n√c, i.e., 1≤pn≤c.
By Problem 16,p cannot be >1, so p=1.
In case 0<c<1, consider n√1/c and use Theorem 1( iii) .
Prove the existence of limxn and find it when xn is defined inductively by
(i) x1=√2,xn+1=√2xn;
(ii) x1=c>0,xn+1=√c2+xn;
(iii) x1=c>0,xn+1=cxnn+1; hence deduce that limn→∞cnn!=0.
[Hint: Show that the sequences are monotone and bounded in E1 (Theorem 3).
For example, in (ii) induction yields
xn<xn+1<c+1.( Verify! )
Thus limxn=limxn+1=p exists. To find p, square the equation
xn+1=√c2+xn( given )
and use Theorem 1 to get
p2=c2+p.(Why?)
Solving for p (noting that p>0), obtain
p=limxn=12(1+√4c2+1);
similarly in cases (i) and (iii). ]
Find limxn in E1 or E∗ (if any), given that
(a) xn=(n+1)q−nq,0<q<1;
(b) xn=√n(√n+1−√n);
(c) xn=1√n2+k;
(d) xn=n(n+1)cn, with |c|<1;
(e) xn=n√∑mk=1ank, with ak>0;
(f) xn=3⋅5⋅7⋯(2n+1)2⋅5⋅8⋯(3n−1).
[Hints:
(a) 0<xn=nq[(1+1n)q−1]<nq(1+1n−1)=nq−1→0.(Why?)
(b) xn=11+√1+1/n, where 1<√1+1n<1+1n→1, so xn→12. (Why?)
(c) Verify that
n√n2+n≤xn≤n√n2+1,
so xn→1 by Corollary 3. (Give a proof.)
(d) See Problems 17 and 18.
(e) Let a=max(a1,…,am). Prove that a≤xn≤an√m. Use Problem 20.]
The following are some harder but useful problems of theoretical importance.
The explicit hints should make them not too hard.
Let {xn}⊆E1. Prove that if xn→p in E1, then also
limn→∞1nn∑i=1xi=p
(i.e., p is also the limit of the sequence of the arithmetic means of the xn).
[Solution: Fix ε>0. Then
(∃k)(∀n>k)p−ε4<xn<p+ε4.
Adding n−k inequalities, get
(n−k)(p−ε4)<n∑i=k+1xi<(n−k)(p+ε4).
With k so fixed, we thus have
(∀n>k)n−kn(p−ε4)<1n(xk+1+⋯+xn)<n−kn(p+ε4).
Here, with k and ε fixed,
limn→∞n−kn(p−ε4)=p−ε4.
Hence, as p−12ε<p−14ε, there is k′ such that
(∀n>k′)p−ε2<n−kn(p−ε4).
Similarly,
(∃k′′)(∀n>k′′)n−kn(p+ε4)<p+ε2.
Combining this with (i), we have, for K′=max(k,k′,k′′),
(∀n>K′)p−ε2<1n(xk+1+⋯+xn)<p+ε2.
Now with k fixed,
limn→∞1n(x1+x2+⋯+xk)=0.
Hence
(∃K′′)(∀n>K′′)−ε2<1n(x1+⋯+xk)<ε2.
Let K=max(K′,K′′). Then combining with (ii), we have
(∀n>K)p−ε<1n(x1+⋯+xn)<p+ε,
and the result follows.
Show that the result of Problem 26 holds also for infinite limits p=±∞∈E∗.
Prove that if xn→p in E∗(xn>0), then
limn→∞n√x1x2⋯xn=p.
[Hint: Let first 0<p<+∞. Given ε>0, use density to fix δ>1 so close to 1 that
p−ε<pδ<p<pδ<p+ε.
As xn→p,
(∃k)(∀n>k)p4√δ<xn<p4√δ.
Continue as in Problem 26, replacing ε by δ, and multiplication by addition (also subtraction by division, etc., as shown above). Find a similar solution for the case p=+∞. Note the result of Problem 20.]
Disprove by counterexamples the converse implications in Problems 26 and 27. For example, consider the sequences
1,−1,1,−1,…
and
12,2,12,2,12,2,…
Prove the following.
(i) If {xn}⊂E1 and limn→∞(xn+1−xn)=p in E∗, then xnn→p.
(ii) If {xn}⊂E1(xn>0) and if xn+1xn→p∈E∗, then n√xn→p.
Disprove the converse statements by counterexamples.
[Hint: For (i), let y1=x1 and yn=xn−xn−1,n=2,3,… Then yn→p and
1nn∑i=1yi=xnn,
so Problems 26 and 26′ apply.
For (ii), use Problem 27. See Problem 28 for examples. ]
From Problem 29 deduce that
(a) limn→∞n√n!=+∞;
(b) limn→∞n+1n!=0;
(c) limn→∞n√nnn!=e;
(d) limn→∞1nn√n!=1e;
(e) limn→∞n√n=1.
Prove that
limn→∞xn=a+2b3,
given
x0=a,x1=b, and xn+2=12(xn+xn+1).
[Hint: Show that the differences dn=xn−xn−1 form a geometric sequence, with ratio q=−12, and xn=a+∑nk=1dk. Then use the result of Problem 19.]
⇒32. For any sequence {xn}⊆E1, prove that
lim_xn≤lim_1nn∑i=1xi≤¯lim1nn∑i=1xi≤¯limxn.
Hence find a new solution of Problems 26 and 26′.
[Proof for ¯lim: Fix any k∈N. Put
c=k∑i=1xi and b=supi≥kxi.
Verify that
(∀n>k)xk+1+xk+2+⋯+xn≤(n−k)b.
Add c on both sides and divide by n to get
(∀n>k)1nn∑i=1xi≤cn+n−knb.
Now fix any ε>0, and first let |b|<+∞. As cn→0 and n−knb→b, there is nk>k such that
(∀n>nk)cn<ε2 and n−knb<b+ε2.
Thus by (i∗),
(∀n>nk)1nn∑i=1xi≤ε+b.
This clearly holds also if b=supi≥kxi=+∞. Hence also
supn≥nk1nn∑i=1xi≤ε+supi≥kxi.
As k and ε were arbitrary, we may let first k→+∞, then ε→0, to obtain
lim_1nn∑i=1xi≤limk→∞supi≥kxi=¯limxn.( Explain! )]
⇒33. Given {xn}⊆E1,xn>0, prove that
lim_xn≤lim_n√x1x2⋯xn and ¯limn√x1x2⋯xn≤¯limxn.
Hence obtain a new solution for Problem 27.
[Hint: Proceed as suggested in Problem 32, replacing addition by multiplication.]
Given xn,yn∈E1(yn>0), with
xn→p∈E∗ and bn=n∑i=1yi→+∞,
prove that
limn→∞∑ni=1xiyi∑ni=1yi=p.
Note that Problem 26 is a special case of Problem 34 (take all yn=1). [Hint for a finite p: Proceed as in Problem 26. However, before adding the n-k inequalities, multiply by y_{i} and obtain
\left(p-\frac{\varepsilon}{4}\right) \sum_{i=k+1}^{n} y_{i}<\sum_{i=k+1}^{n} x_{i} y_{i}<\left(p+\frac{\varepsilon}{4}\right) \sum_{i=k+1}^{n} y_{i}.
\operatorname{Put} b_{n}=\sum_{i=1}^{n} y_{i} and show that
\frac{1}{b_{n}} \sum_{i=k+1}^{n} x_{i} y_{i}=1-\frac{1}{b_{n}} \sum_{i=1}^{k} x_{i} y_{i},
where b_{n} \rightarrow+\infty(\text { by assumption }), so
\frac{1}{b_{n}} \sum_{i=1}^{k} x_{i} y_{i} \rightarrow 0 \quad \text { (for a fixed } k ).
Proceed. Find a proof for p=\pm \infty . ]
Do Problem 34 by considering \underline{\lim} and \overline{\lim} as in Problem 32.
\left[\text { Hint: Replace } \frac{c}{n} \text { by } \frac{c}{b_{n}}, \text { where } b_{n}=\sum_{i=1}^{n} y_{i} \rightarrow+\infty .\right]
Prove that if u_{n}, v_{n} \in E^{1}, with \left\{v_{n}\right\} \uparrow (strictly) and v_{n} \rightarrow+\infty, and if
\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} \frac{u_{n}-u_{n-1}}{v_{n}-v_{n-1}}=p \quad\left(p \in E^{*}\right),
then also
\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} \frac{u_{n}}{v_{n}}=p,
[Hint: The result of Problem 34, with
x_{n}=\frac{u_{n}-u_{n-1}}{v_{n}-v_{n-1}} \text { and } y_{n}=v_{n}-v_{n-1}.
leads to the final result. ]
From Problem 36 obtain a new solution for Problem 15 . Also prove that
\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty}\left(\frac{S_{m n}}{n^{m+1}}-\frac{1}{m+1}\right)=\frac{1}{2}.
[Hint: For the first part, put
u_{n}=S_{m n} \text { and } v_{n}=n^{m+1}.
For the second, put
u_{n}=(m+1) S_{m n}-n^{m+1} \text { and } v_{n}=n^{m}(m+1) . ]
Let 0<a<b<+\infty . Define inductively: a_{1}=\sqrt{a b} and b_{1}=\frac{1}{2}(a+b);
a_{n+1}=\sqrt{a_{n} b_{n}} \text { and } b_{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}\left(a_{n}+b_{n}\right), n=1,2, \ldots
Then a_{n+1}<b_{n+1} for
b_{n+1}-a_{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}\left(a_{n}+b_{n}\right)-\sqrt{a_{n} b_{n}}=\frac{1}{2}\left(\sqrt{b_{n}}-\sqrt{a_{n}}\right)^{2}>0.
Deduce that
a<a_{n}<a_{n+1}<b_{n+1}<b_{n}<b,
so \left\{a_{n}\right\} \uparrow and \left\{b_{n}\right\} \downarrow . By Theorem 3, a_{n} \rightarrow p and b_{n} \rightarrow q for some p, q \in E^{1} . Prove that p=q, i.e.,
\lim a_{n}=\lim b_{n}.
(This is Gauss's arithmetic-geometric mean of a and b . )
[Hint: Take limits of both sides in b_{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}\left(a_{n}+b_{n}\right) to get q=\frac{1}{2}(p+q) . ]
Let 0<a<b in E^{1} . Define inductively a_{1}=a, b_{1}=b,
a_{n+1}=\frac{2 a_{n} b_{n}}{a_{n}+b_{n}}, \text { and } b_{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}\left(a_{n}+b_{n}\right), \quad n=1,2, \ldots
Prove that
\sqrt{a b}=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} a_{n}=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} b_{n}.
[Hint: Proceed as in Problem 38.]
Prove the continuity of dot multiplication, namely, if
\overline{x}_{n} \rightarrow \overline{q} \text { and } \overline{y}_{n} \rightarrow \overline{r} \text { in } E^{n}
(*or in another Euclidean space; see §9), then
\overline{x}_{n} \cdot \overline{y}_{n} \rightarrow \overline{q} \cdot \overline{r}.