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HW6_Monotone_Sequences_Ans

The document discusses monotone sequences, outlining definitions and expected skills related to increasing and decreasing sequences. It provides practice problems with examples of convergent and divergent sequences, as well as methods to determine monotonicity. Additionally, it includes detailed solutions for specific problems demonstrating how to show that a sequence is bounded and increasing, leading to convergence.

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oluwajobaomoniyi
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12 views

HW6_Monotone_Sequences_Ans

The document discusses monotone sequences, outlining definitions and expected skills related to increasing and decreasing sequences. It provides practice problems with examples of convergent and divergent sequences, as well as methods to determine monotonicity. Additionally, it includes detailed solutions for specific problems demonstrating how to show that a sequence is bounded and increasing, leading to convergence.

Uploaded by

oluwajobaomoniyi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Monotone Sequences

SUGGESTED REFERENCE MATERIAL:


As you work through the problems listed below, you should reference your lecture notes and
the relevant chapters in a textbook/online resource.
EXPECTED SKILLS:
• Understand what it means for a sequence to be increasing, decreasing, strictly increas-
ing, strictly decreasing, eventually increasing, or eventually decreasing.

• Use an approriate test for monotonicity to determine if a sequence is increasing or


decreasing.

• Show that a sequence must converge to a limit by showing that it is montone and
appropriately bounded.

PRACTICE PROBLEMS:

1. Give an example of a convergent sequence that is not a monotone sequence.


 +∞
n 1 1 1 1
One possibility is (−1) = −1, , − , , ... , which converges to 0 but is not monotonic.
n n=1 2 3 4

2. Give an example of a sequence that is bounded from above and bounded from below
but is not convergent.
One possibility is {(−1)n }+∞
n=1 = −1, 1, −1, 1, −1, 1..., which is bounded from above by
1 (or any number greater than 1) and is bounded below by −1 (or any number less
than −1). However, the sequence diverges since its terms oscillate between 1 and −1.

For problems 3 and 4, determine if the sequence is increasing or decreasing by


calculating an+1 − an .
 +∞
1
3.
4n n=1
The sequence is (strictly) decreasing.
 +∞
2n − 3
4.
3n − 2 n=1

The sequence is (strictly) increasing.

For problems 5 amd 6, determine if the sequence is increasing or decreasing by


an+1
calculating .
an

1
 +∞
1
5.
4n n=1

The sequence is (strictly) decreasing.


+∞
en − e−n

6.
en + e−n n=1

The sequence is (strictly) increasing.; Detailed Solution: Here

For problems 7 and 8, determine if the sequence is increasing or decreasing by


calculating the derivative a0n .
 +∞
1
7.
4n n=1

The sequence is (strictly) decreasing.


 +∞
ln(2n)
8.
ln(6n) n=1

The sequence is (strictly) increasing.

For problems 9 – 17, use an appropriate test for monotonicity to determine if


the sequence increases, decreases, eventually increases, or eventually decreases.
 +∞
3n
9.
2n + 1 n=1

The sequence is (strictly) increasing.


 +∞
1
10. n −
n n=1
The sequence is (strictly) increasing.
+∞
n2

11.
n! n=1

The sequence is eventually (strictly) decreasing.


 +∞
2n + 1
12.
(2n)! n=1

The sequence is (strictly) decreasing.; Detailed Solution: Here

2
√ +∞
n

e
13.
n n=1

The sequence is eventually (strictly) increasing.


+∞
14. en π −n n=1


The sequence is (strictly) decreasing.


( 2
)+∞
3(n )
15.
(1000)n
n=1

The sequence is eventually (strictly) increasing.


 +∞
n!
16.
nn n=1
The sequence is (strictly) decreasing.
+∞
17. n3 e−n n=1


The sequence is eventually (strictly) decreasing.; Detailed Solution: Here

18. In the previous set of assigned problems it was shown that if the sequence
r
√ √ √
q q
30, 30 + 30, 30 + 30 + 30, ...
converged to a limit, that limit was 6. Now we will show that the sequence is bounded
above and increasing; thus, it must converge.

(a) Define the sequence recursively.


√ √
a1 = 30, an+1 = 30 + an for integers n ≥ 1.
(b) Show that the sequence has an upper bound of 6.
√ √
a1 = √30 < 36 = √ 6, so a1 < 6.
a2 = √30 + a1 < √30 + 6 = 6, so a2 < 6.
a3 = 30 + a2 < 30 + 6 = 6, so a3 < 6.
This continues indefinitely, so an < 6 for all integers n ≥ 1, i.e. the sequence is
bounded from above by 6. (It is also bounded from below by 0).
(c) Show that the sequence is increasing by computing a2n+1 − a2n .
a2n+1 − a2n = 30 + an − a2n = (5 + an )(6 − an ).
Now from part (b) 0 < an < 6, so 5 + an > 0 and 6 − an > 0, so a2n+1 − a2n > 0.
Also, a2n+1 − a2n = (an+1 − an )(an+1 + an ), so (an+1 − an )(an+1 + an ) > 0.
Since every term in the sequence is positive, we now have (an+1 − an ) > 0, or
an+1 > an , i.e. the sequence is (strictly) increasing.

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