Calculus: Practice Problems
1. Sets and Mappings
Q 1. Let A, B and C be sets. Prove that:
(1) A ∩ (B ∪ C) = (A ∩ B) ∪ (A ∩ C)
(2) A ∪ (B ∩ C) = (A ∪ B) ∩ (A ∪ C)
(3) A ⊆ B =⇒ B c ⊆ Ac
(4) (A ∪ B)c = Ac ∩ B c (De Morgan’s Law)
(5) (A ∩ B)c = Ac ∪ B c (De Morgan’s Law)
Q 2. If f : X → Y and g : Y → Z, are two mappings, then their composition is the mapping
g ◦ f : X → Z defined by (g ◦ f )(x) = g(f (x)) for every x ∈ X. Show that:
(1) Composition of two injective mappings is injective.
(2) Composition of two surjective mappings is surjective.
(3) What about the composition of an injective mapping with a surjective mapping and
vice-versa?
Q 3. Show that if a number is odd, then its square is also odd.
2. Least Upper Bounds and Greatest Lower Bounds
Remark: The Least Upper Bound is also called the Supremum and is denoted by sup. The
Greatest Lower Bound is also called the Infimum and is denoted by inf.
Q 4. Write the definition of the least upper bound and the greatest lower bound of a subset
of R.
Q 5. Show that if the least upper bound of a subset of real numbers exists, then it is unique.
Q 6. Show that the least upper bound of S = {x ∈ R|0 ≤ x < 2} is 2.
Q 7. Show that if A and B are non-empty bounded subsets of R, then A ∪ B is a bounded
set. Show that
sup(A ∪ B) = max{sup A, sup B}, inf(A ∪ B) = min{inf A, inf B}.
Q 8. Let S be a non-empty bounded set in R.
(a) Let a be any real number. Define the set a + S := {a + s : s ∈ S}. Prove that
sup(a + S) = a + sup S.
(b) Let a > 0, and define aS := {as : s ∈ S}. Prove that
inf(aS) = a inf S, sup(aS) = a sup S.
(c) Let b < 0, and define bS = {bs : s ∈ S}. Prove that
inf(bS) = b sup S, sup(bS) = b inf S.
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Q 9. Let S and T be two non-empty bounded subsets of R and define
S + T := {x + y : x ∈ S, y ∈ T }.
Prove that
sup(S + T ) = sup S + sup T, inf(S + T ) = inf S + inf T.
3. Sequences
Q 10. Let A be a non-empty subset R and α = inf A. Show that there exists a sequence
{an } in A converging to α.
Q 11. Let {xn } be a sequence of real numbers converging to x. Let N ∈ N be a fixed
number. Define a sequence {yn } such that yn = xn for any n ≥ N and yk is any real number
for k = 1, 2, . . . , N − 1. Show that yn converges to x.
Q 12. Let x0 ∈ Q. Show that there exists a sequence {xn } of irrational numbers converging
to x0 .
Q 13. Let {xn } be a sequence of real numbers R. Prove or disprove the following statements:
(a) If xn → 0 and (yn ) is a bounded sequence, then xn yn → 0.
(b) If xn → ∞ and (yn ) is a bounded sequence then xn yn → ∞.
Q 14. Consider a sequence {xn } of real numbers with the property that xn ∈ (2025 −
1/n, 2025 + 1/n) for each n. Show that xn converges to 2025.
Q 15. Let {xn } be a sequence such that {x2n }, {x2n+1 }, {x3n } are convergent. Show that
{xn } is convergent.
Q 16. Show that
an+b
(a) For any fixed real numbers a and b, limn→∞ n+1 = a.
(b) limn→∞ 2n−3
n+1 =2
(c) limn→∞ n1/n = 1
1+2+3+···+n 1
(d) limn→∞ n2
= 2
√ p √
Q 17. Let s1 = 2, and sn+1 = 2 + sn for n = 2, 3, . . .. Prove that sn < 2 for all n and
sn converges.
Q 18. Show that the sequence {xn } defined by xn = (1 + 1/n))n is increasing and bounded
above.
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4. Cauchy Sequences and Series
Q 19. Let {xn } be a sequence and let a > 1. Assume that |xk+1 − xk | < a−k for all k ∈ N.
Show that {xn } is Cauchy.
Q 20. Let {an } be a sequence such that there exists c ∈ (0, 1), such that |ak+1 − ak | <
c|ak − ak−1 | for all k ∈ B. Show that {an } is Cauchy.
p
Q 21. Let xn = (n), show that limn→∞ |xn+1 −xn | = 0, but {xn } is not a Cauchy Sequence.
Q 22. Test the convergence of the following series using the comparison test:
1+2 1+2+3
(1) 23
+ 33
+ 1+2+3+4
43
+ ...
1 1 1
(2) 1.22
+ 2.32 + 3.42 + ...
5. Continuous functions
Q 23. Let f : R → R be such that for every x, y ∈ R,
|f (x) − f (y)| ≤ |x − y|.
Show that f is continuous on R.
Q 24. Let f : (−1, 1) → R be a continuous function such that in every neighborhood of 0,
there exists a point where f takes the value 0. Show that f (0) = 0.
Q 25. Let f : R → R satisfy f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) for all x, y ∈ R. If f is continuous at 0,
show that f is continuous at every point c ∈ R.
Q 26. Prove that f (x) = x2 is not uniformly continuous on (0, ∞).