Convergence of Sequences
Definition: Diverges to Infinity The sequence * + diverges to infinity if for every number there is an integer such that for all larger than , > . If this condition holds we write
lim = or .
Similarly if for every there is an integer such that for all > we have < , then we say * + diverges to negative infinity and write
lim = or .
Example.
lim
= .
Note. The sequence *1, 2,3, 4,5, + also diverges but not to or .
Convergence of Sequences
Sequences are functions with domain restricted to , hence: Theorem 1 Let * + and * + be sequences of real numbers and let and be real numbers. The following rules hold if lim = and lim = : 1. Sum Rule: lim + = +
2. 3. 4. 5.
Difference Rule: Product Rule: Constant Multiple Rule: Quotient Rule:
lim = lim = lim = lim / = / , if 0
We can use these rules to help us to calculate limits of sequences.
Convergence of Sequences
Example. Find lim
1 .
1 1 1 = lim 1 = lim 1 lim = 1 0 = 1. lim Example. Find lim
5 . 2
5 1 1 = 5 lim lim = 5 0 0 = 0. 2 lim
Convergence of Sequences
Theorem 2: The Squeeze Theorem for Sequences Let , * + and * + be sequences of real numbers. If holds for all beyond some index , and if lim = lim = , then lim = also.
Note that if and 0 as , then 0 also, because
. Example.
sin .
Find lim
By the properties of the sine function we have 1 sin 1 for all . Therefore 1 sin 1
sin = 0, lim
because of lim (1/) = lim (1/) = 0 and the use of the Squeeze Theorem.
Convergence of Sequences
Example. Find lim
1 . 2
1/2 must always lie between 0 and 1/. Therefore 0 1 1 2 1 = 0. 2 lim
The limits of sequences can also be determined by using the following theorem:
Theorem 3: The Continuous Function Theorem for Sequences
Let * + be a sequence of real numbers. If and if is a function that is continuous at and defined at all , then .
Convergence of Sequences
Example. Determine the limit of sequence *21/ + as . We already know that the sequence *+ converges to 0 as . Let = 1/, = 2 and = 0 in the continuous function theorem for sequences. This gives 21/ = 1 = 20 = 1 as . Hence the sequence *21/ + converges to 1. We can also make use of lHopitals Rule to find the limits of sequences. To do so we need to make use of the following theorem: Theorem 4 Suppose that is a function defined for all 0 and that * + is a sequence of
1
real numbers such that = () for 0 . Then
lim =
lim = .
Convergence of Sequences
Example. Show that lim
ln
= 0. lim
ln
= lim (1/2)1/2 =.
1/2
1/
= lim 2
= 2 lim
1/2
= 0.
Example. Does the sequence whose th term is =
+1 1
converge? If so, find lim .
If we just take the straightforward limit we get the indeterminate form 1 . Typically with questions of this type we take the logarithm.
Convergence of Sequences
Using logarithm gives: + 1 ln = ln 1 Hence
= ln
+ 1 . 1
+ 1 ln 1 + 1 lim ln = lim ln = lim 1 1/
ln + 1 ln( 1) 2/(2 1) = lim = lim 1/ 1/2 22 = lim 2 = 2. 1 Let = ln . Then lim = 2 and since = is continuous we have by the
continuous function theorem for sequences = ln = 2 as .
Convergence of Sequences
The following theorem summarizes some common results for limits of sequences: Theorem 5 The following six sequences converge to the limits listed below:
1. lim
ln
= 0.
2. lim
= 1.
3. lim 1/ = 1, > 0 . 4. lim = 0, 5. lim 1 +
< 1 . = , .
6.
lim !
= 0 , .
In formulas (3) through (6), remains fixed as .
Convergence of Sequences
The first result in Theorem 5 can be proved using lHopitals Rule. The second and third can be proved using logarithms and applying the previous theorems. Proofs of over results are complicated and therefore are out of the scope of this lectures. Example. Show that lim
2 = 1.
2
lim
2 = lim 2/ = lim 1/
= 5 2
= 1
= 1.
For bounded, monotonic sequences there is the following theorem: Theorem 6: The Monotonic Sequence Theorem
If a sequence is both bounded and monotonic, then the sequence converges.
Convergence of Sequences
For example, look at a bounded, monotonically increasing function: = =
0 Example.
1 = 1.
lim 1