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Lecture 5

The document discusses sequences and their limits. It defines sequences, subsequences, and convergence and divergence of sequences. It provides examples and exercises for finding terms of sequences, sketching graphs, and proving convergence and divergence. It also covers uniqueness of limits and limits of subsequences.

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The trickster
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30 views

Lecture 5

The document discusses sequences and their limits. It defines sequences, subsequences, and convergence and divergence of sequences. It provides examples and exercises for finding terms of sequences, sketching graphs, and proving convergence and divergence. It also covers uniqueness of limits and limits of subsequences.

Uploaded by

The trickster
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lec 5: Sequences

MATH 147 Section 2, Fall Term 2022

I (We will first finish the material from Lecture 4)


I Sequences
I Limits of sequences
I Some properties of limits

Key references: Text book sec 1.3.1


Sequences of numbers
Definition 1
A sequence is a function a : Z≥N → B, where Z≥N = {n ∈ Z : n ≥ N} for some integer N, and B is an
arbitrary nonempty set.
For each n ≥ N, the nth term, or element, of the sequence is a(n) and we write this as an .1 The integer n is
referred to as the index of the terms.
The following are acceptable ways of denoting a sequence:
1. aN , aN+1 , aN+2 , ..., an , ... or {aN , aN+1 , aN+2 , ..., an , ...} or (aN , aN+1 , aN+2 , ..., an , ...)
2. {an }∞ ∞
n=N or (an )n=N

3. {an } or (an )

I We mainly deal with sequences of real numbers, i.e., B = R.


I We usually start from N = 1, occasionally N = 0.
I For style 1, if you omit the final ..., then it is a finite list, not a sequence.
I Using {·} makes it look like a set but remember that it is not.
I Style 3 is most common if we do not need to emphasize the starting index. (E.g., we have already defined
it or we assume N = 1 or it does not matter.)
1
The text book refers to an as the term corresponding to n when N 6= 1.
Examples and graphs of sequences

The graph and range of a sequence are as defined for functions, recalling that sequences are functions defined
on Z≥N . (Definition 2 in text book.)

Exercise 1
Find the first few terms of the sequences:
1. {1/n}∞
n=1

2. {1/2n }∞
n=0

3. defined recursively by a1 = 1, an+1 = an + n for n ≥ 1.


Sketch a graph of the first example.
Subsequences

A subsequence is like a “subset” of a sequence obtained by removing some of the terms. More precisely:

Definition
Let {an }∞ ∞
n=N be a sequence. The sequence {bk }k=1 is a subsequence of {an } if there exist integers nk with
N ≤ n1 < n2 < n3 < . . . such that bk = ank for each k ≥ 1.
The limit of a sequence

Definition 3
We say that a real number L is the limit of the sequence {an } if for all ε > 0, there exists a positive integer N
such that |an − L| < ε for all n ≥ N.
In this case, we say that the sequence converges to L and write this as lim an = L.
n→∞

If a sequence {an } has a limit, then we say that the sequence is convergent.
If a sequence {an } does not have any limit, then we say that it is divergent or that it diverges.
Proving convergence

You can adapt the structure below to prove many other statements of the form “for all... there exists... such
that...”
n
Suppose want to prove that lim = 1.
n→∞ n + 1

Step 1: Identify the definition or statement you need to prove.


We want to show that given any ε > 0, there exists a natural number N such that for all n ≥ N we have
n
|an − L| < ε. For our specific case, the final inequality becomes n+1 − 1 < ε.

Note that this is slightly different wording from the definition but equivalent. The following are NOT equivalent
to our definition:
I There exists N ∈ N such that for every ε > 0, if n ≥ N, then |an − L| < ε.
I ε > 0, ∃N, |an − L| < ε, n ≥ N.

Step 2: Let ε > 0 be arbitrary.


Step 3: Prove that your property holds for this ε.
Proving divergence

We follow a similar structure but how do we express the definition of divergence in terms of quantifiers?

Exercise 2
Show that the sequence {(−1)n }∞
n=1 diverges.
Uniqueness of limits

Proposition 1
The limit of a sequence is unique.

Proof.
Let {an } be a sequence. Uniqueness of the limit means that if lim an = L1 and lim an = L1 , then L1 = L2 .
n→∞ n→∞

We will show that |L1 − L2 | < ε for any ε > 0 using the Triangle Inequality.
Limits of subsequences

Proposition 2
Let {an } be a sequence that converges to L ∈ R. Then every subsequence of {an } also converges to L.

Proof.
Exercise.

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