Mat 104E Problem Session

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Question 1.
Investigate the divergence or convergence of the following sequences
1 1 1 1
i)xn = √ +√ +√ +···+ √
1 + n2 2 + n2 3 + n2 n + n2
1 1 1 1
ii)xn = √3
+ √3
+ √3
+···+ √ 3
1 + 2n 3 2 + 2n 3 3 + 2n 3 n + 2n3
n n n n
iii)xn = 2 + 2 + 2 +···+ 2 .
n +1 n +2 n +3 n +n
Answer.
Theorem: Let {an },{bn } and{cn } and be sequences of real numbers. If holds
an ≤ bn ≤ cn for all n beyond some index N and if lim an = lim cn = L then
n→∞ n→∞
lim bn = L holds also.
n→∞
n n
i) We observe that √ ≤ xn ≤ √ .
n+n 2 1 + n2
n n n
Then we get lim √ = lim q = 1 and lim √ = 1.
n→∞ n + n2 n→∞
n 1
+1
n→∞ 1 + n2
n
Hence we have lim xn = 1 by using Sandwich Theorem.
n→∞
Thus {xn } is convergent.

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Answer.
n n
ii) We see that √
3
≤ xn ≤ √3
. Since
n + 2n3 1 + 2n3
n n 1
lim √ = lim q = √ 3
and
n→∞ 3 n + 2n3 n→∞ 2
n 3 n12 + 2
n n 1
lim √ = lim q = √ 3
,
n→∞ 3 1 + 2n3 n→∞ 3 1 2
n 3 + 2
n
1
we get lim xn = √ 3
by using Sandwich Theorem.Thus {xn } is convergent.
n→∞ 2
n.n n.n n2
iii) We observe that 2 ≤ xn ≤ 2 . Also lim 2 = 1 and
n +n n +1 n→∞ n (1 + 1 )
n
2
n
lim = 1. So we get lim xn = 1 from Sandwich Theorem. Hence
n→∞ n2 (1 + 12 ) n→∞
n
{xn } is convergent.

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Question 2.
Investigate the divergence or convergence of the following sequences
1 1 1 1
i)xn = + + +···+
1.3
r 3.5 5.7 (2n − 1)(2n + 1)
n 1 1 1 1
ii)xn = 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + · · · + 2
2 3 4 n
1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + · · · + (2n − 1) − 2n
iii)xn = √ .
n2 + 1

Answer.  
1 1 1 1
i) Note that = − . So, we get
 (2n − 1)(2n + 1) 2 2n − 1 2n +1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
xn = 1− + − + ···+ − =
 2 3  3 5 5 2n − 1 2n +1
1 1 1
1− =⇒ lim xn = . Hence {xn } is convergent.
2r 2n + 1 n→∞ 2 r
n 1 1 1 1 √n n 1 √
ii) + 2 + 2 + · · · + 2 ≤ xn ≤ 1 + 1 · · · +1 =⇒ ≤ xn ≤ n n.
n2 n n √ n n
As we know that lim n n = 1. By Sandwich Theorem, we get lim xn = 1
n→∞ n→∞
which implies that {xn } is convergent.

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Answer.
iii) 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + · · · + (2n − 1) − 2n = −1 − 1 − 1 − · · · − 1. It has
n-term. Then we get
−n
lim xn = lim √ = −1.Thus {xn } is convergent
n→∞ n→∞ n2 + 1

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9 / 72
Question 3.
Investigate the divergence or convergence of the following sequences
sin2 n
i)an = n
2 5n
1
ii)an = 1 +
n 2+ 1 
n −1
iii)an = n ln
n2
n2 + 2
iv )an = 1 − (−1)n 2 .
2n + 1
Answer.
i) We know that −1 ≤ sin n ≤ 1. It implies that
sin2 n 1
0 ≤ sin2 n ≤ 1 =⇒ 0 ≤ ≤ n . Hence we obtain
2n 2
sin2 n 1
0 ≤ lim ≤ lim n = 0. By Sandwich Theorem, we get lim an = 0.
n→∞ 2n n→∞ 2
Hence {an } is convergent.
 n+1  −1 !5
1 1
ii) lim an = lim 1+ 1+ = (e.1)5 = e 5 .
n→∞ n→∞ n+1 n+1
Hence {an } is convergent.

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Answer.
ii) Second way :
lim an ; 1∞ . We can apply l’Hôpital’s Rule if we first change the form to 0.∞
n→∞
by taking thenatural logarithm
 of an .
1
ln an = 5n ln 1 + . Then, we get
n+1
 
1
lim ln an = lim 5n ln 1 +
n→∞ n→∞ n+1
ln( n+2
n+1
)
= lim 1
n→∞
5n
−1
(n+1)2
n+2
n+1
= lim −1
n→∞
5n2
5n2
= lim = 5.
n→∞ (n + 1)(n + 2)

Hence we have lim an = e 5 so that {an } is convergent.

n→∞

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Answer.
iii)

n2 − 1
 
lim an = lim n ln
n→∞ n→∞ n2
2
ln ( n n−1
2 )
= lim 1
n→∞
n
2n.n2 −(n2 −1)2n
n4
n2 −1
n2
= lim −1 By l’Hôpital’s Rule
n→∞
n2
−2n
= lim =0
n→∞ n2 − 1

Hence {an } is convergent.

iv) For n = 2k,
(2k)2 + 2 4k 2 + 2 1
a2k = 1 − (−1)2k 2
=1− 2 =⇒ lim a2k = .
2(2k) + 1 8k + 1 k→∞ 2
2
2k+1 (2k + 1) + 2 3
For n = 2k + 1, a2k+1 = 1 − (−1) =⇒ lim a2k+1 = .
2(2k + 1)2 + 1 k→∞ 2
Since limk→∞ a2k 6= limk→∞ a2k+1 , the limit of {an } does not exist.
Hence {an } is divergent.
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Question 4.
Investigate
p the divergence or convergence of the following sequences
n
i)an = n2 + 2n
√n 2n
ii)an = 10n
pn!
iii)an = n − n2 + 1.
Answer.

ln(n2 + 2n) Thus {an } is convergent.

i) ln an = . By using iii)
n
l’Hôpital’s Rule, we have p
2
lim an = lim n − n2 + 1
ln(n + 2n) n→∞ n→∞
√
lim ln an = lim
n→∞ n→∞ n p n + n2 + 1
= lim (n − n2 + 1). √
2n+2 n→∞ n + n2 + 1
n2 +2n
= lim = 0. n2 − (n2 + 1)
n→∞ 1 = lim √
n→∞ n + n2 + 1
lim ln an = 0 =⇒ lim an = e 0 = 1.
n→∞ n→∞ −1
Thus {an } is convergent. = lim  q  =0
n→∞
n 1 + 1 − n12
ii)
√n √ 2n Hence {an } is convergent.
lim an = lim 10 n n
n→∞ n→∞ n!
= 1.1.0 = 0.
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Question 5.
1 1 1 1
Show that the sequence an = + + +···+
1+5 1 + 52 1 + 53 1 + 5n
converges by using the monotonic sequence theorem.

Answer.
Note that
   
1 1 1 1 1 1
an+1 − an = + +···+ − + +···+
1+5 1 + 52 1 + 5n+1 1+5 1 + 52 1 + 5n
1
= >0
1 + 5n+1
for all n ≥ 1. Thus we get an+1 > an for all n ≥ 1. The sequence is an increasing and
1
it is bounded below by a1 = . On the other hand
6
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
an = + + +···+ < + 2 +···+ n
1+5 1 + 52 1 + 53 1 + 5n 5 5 5
1
!
1 1 − ( 5 )n
    n 
1 1 1 1 1 1
= 1 + + · · · + n−1 = = 1 − <
5 5 5 5 1 − 15 4 5 4
1
for all n ≥ 1. So, {an } is bounded above by
. Since {an } is both bounded above and
4
bounded below, it is a bounded. By Monotonic Sequence Theorem, {an }
convergences.

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Question 6.
1 1 1 1
Show that the sequence an = + + +···+ converges
1+n 2+n 3+n n+n
by using the monotonic sequence theorem.

Answer.
Note that, for all n ≥ 1
   
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
an+1 − an = +···+ + + − + +···+
2+n 2n 2n + 1 2n + 2 1+n 2+n 2n
1 1 1 1
= + − = > 0.
2n + 1 2n + 2 n+1 (2n + 1)(2n + 2)
Thus we get an+1 > an for all n ≥ 1. The sequence is increasing and it is bounded
1
below by a1 = . On the other hand,
2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
an = + +···+ < + + · · · + = n = 1 for all n ≥ 1.
1+n 2+n n+n n n n n
Therefore, {an } is bounded above by 1.
Since {an } is both bounded above and bounded below, it is a bounded.
By Monotonic Sequence Theorem, {an } convergences.

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Question 7.
2
Let the sequence {an } be defined recursively by a1 = 1, an+1 = 1 + an , n ≥ 1.
3
Find the n-th term of the sequence {an }
Find the limit off the sequence {an }.
Answer.
Observe that
2
an+1 = 1 + an
3
   2
2 2 2 2
=1+ 1 + an−1 = 1 + + an−1
3 3 3 3
 2    2  3
2 2 2 2 2 2
=1+ + 1 + an−2 = 1 + + + an−2
3 3 3 3 3 3
 2  n
2 2 2 2
= ... = 1 + + + ... + ( )n−1 + an−(n−1)
3 3 3 3
 2  n−1  n  
2 2 2 2 2
=1+ + + ... + + a1 = 3 1 − ( )n+1 .
3 3 3 3 3
  n 
2
for all n ≥ 1. Therefore, we get an = 3 1 − for all n ≥ 1.
  n  3
2
Then, lim an = lim 3 1 − = 3.
n→∞ n→∞ 3
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Question 8.
2n − 1
Show that the sequence an = convergences by using the monotonic
2n + 3
sequence theorem.

Answer.
2n − 1 4
Note that an = =1− for all n ≥ 1. Then we get
2n + 3 2n + 3
 
4 4
an+1 − an = 1 − − 1−
2n + 5 2n + 3
8
= >0
(2n + 5)(2n + 3)

for all n ≥ 1. Thus, {an } is increasing.

On the other hand, an < 1 for all n ≥ 1.
By the monotonic sequence theorem, {an } is convergent.

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Question 9.
(n!)2
Investigate the divergence or convergence of the sequence an = .
(2n)!

Answer.
We can see that,
an+1 (n + 1)!2 (2n)!
=
an (2n + 2)! (n!)2
((n + 1)n!)2 (2n)!
=
(2n + 2)! (n!)2
(n + 1)2
=
(2n + 1)(2n + 2)
n+1
= < 1.
4n + 2
an+1
for all n ≥ 1. an > 0 and < 1 yield that an+1 < an . It means that {an } is a
an
1
decreasing sequence. On the other hand, due to 0 < an < for all n ≥ 1, {an }
2
is bounded. Hence {an } is convergent by monotone sequence theorem.

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Question 10.
1 4an
Show that the recursively defined sequence a1 = , an+1 = ,n≥1
4 2an + 1
convergences.

Answer.
Observe that, for all n ≥ 1

4an 4an−1
an+1 − an = −
2an + 1 2an−1 + 1
2an an−1 + an − 2an an−1 − an−1
=4
(2an+1 + 1)(2an + 1)
an − an−1
=4 .
(2an+1 + 1)(2an + 1)
Since an > 0 for all n, we have 2an+1 + 1 > 0 and 2an + 1 > 0. Then we can
easily see that an+1 − an and an − an−1 have the same sign for all n ≥ 1.
2 1 5
a2 − a1 = − = > 0 =⇒ an+1 − an > 0. Therefore {an } is an
3 4 12
increasing sequence. For all n ≥ 1,
4an an (3 − 2an ) 3
an+1 − an = − an = =⇒ 3 − 2an > 0 =⇒ an < which
2an + 1 2an + 1 2
implies that {an } is bounded above.
By monotonic sequence theorem, the sequence convergences.
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Question 11.
3 + 2an
Show that the recursively defined sequence a1 = 2, an+1 = ,n≥1
2 + an
convergences. Find the limit of the sequence.
Answer.
Observe that
3 + 2an 3 + 2an−1
an+1 − an = −
2 + an 2 + an−1
an − an−1
=
(2 + an )(2 + an−1 )
for all n ≥ 1. Since an > 0 for all n, we obtain 2 + an > 0 and 2 + an−1 > 0.
Then we can easily see that an+1 − an and an − an−1 have the same sign for all
n ≥ 1.
7 −1
a2 − a1 = − 2 = < 0 =⇒ an+1 − an < 0 for all n ≥ 1. Therefore {an } is
4 4
a decreasing sequence and bounded above by 2.
We have 0 < an < 2 for all n ≥ 1. By monotonic sequence theorem, the
sequence convergences.
Let lim an = L. Then lim an+1 = L. So,
n→∞ n→∞
3 + 2L 2
√ √
L= =⇒ L − 3 = 0 =⇒ L = − 3 or L = 3.
2+L √
Since 0 < an for all n, L = 3.
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