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Home Work On Sequences

This document provides examples and solutions for determining whether sequences converge or diverge. It introduces various techniques like long division, limits, and the Sandwich Theorem. It also discusses how the Continuous Function Theorem and properties of limits can allow applying L'Hopital's Rule to analyze sequences. Examples analyze sequences involving rational expressions, radicals, trigonometric functions, and indeterminate forms. The document establishes connections between sequences and their corresponding functions.

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Dileep Naraharasetty
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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106 views9 pages

Home Work On Sequences

This document provides examples and solutions for determining whether sequences converge or diverge. It introduces various techniques like long division, limits, and the Sandwich Theorem. It also discusses how the Continuous Function Theorem and properties of limits can allow applying L'Hopital's Rule to analyze sequences. Examples analyze sequences involving rational expressions, radicals, trigonometric functions, and indeterminate forms. The document establishes connections between sequences and their corresponding functions.

Uploaded by

Dileep Naraharasetty
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LIMITS ON SEQUENCES:

EXAMPLE 1: Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

I will first use long division to simplify this rational expression.

Now I will look at the limit.

Since the limit approaches a finite value, we can conclude that the sequence converges.

EXAMPLE 2:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

Again, I will use long division to simplify this radical expression.

Now, I will look at the limit of this sequence.

LIMITS ON SEQUENCES BY DILEEP

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Since the limit exists, we can conclude that the sequence converges.

EXAMPLE 3:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

First let us simplify this rational expression.

Now, determine the limit of this sequence.

Since the limit goes off to infinity, therefore, the sequence diverges.

EXAMPLE 4:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

LIMITS ON SEQUENCES BY DILEEP

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SOLUTION:

Therefore, this sequence does converge.

EXAMPLE 5:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

How are we going to deal with the fact that we have a cosine in this sequence? Well, if you can remember when we discussed limits in Calculus I, you should remember that there is a theorem called the Sandwich Theorem that we used for functions similar to this function. Here is the Sandwich Theorem.

FACT:

We now have to determine if the two new sequences converge or diverge to the same value.

Since both limits converge to the same value, therefore the limit of a nalso converges to 0 by the sandwich theorem.

LIMITS ON SEQUENCES BY DILEEP

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EXAMPLE 6:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

We know that -1 sin n 1, which implies 0 sin 2 n 1, therefore

Therefore, by the sandwich theorem, the sequence a n converges.

For some of these problems, especially the first few that were discussed, it would have been nice to be able to use l ' Hpital's Rule, but we could not because we are talking about sequences and not functions. The next two facts will help us make a connection between sequences and functions, so we will be able to use l ' Hpital's Rule.

FACT:

The Continuous Function Theorem for Sequences Let {a n} be a sequence of real numbers. If a n L and if f is a function that is continuous at L and defined at all a n, then f (a n) f (L).

EXAMPLE 7:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

LIMITS ON SEQUENCES BY DILEEP

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SOLUTION:

How did I simplify b n? I used long division to simplify b n. Now let us determine if the sequence b n converges or diverges.

FACT:

Suppose that f (x) is a function defined for all x n 0 and that {a n} is a sequence of real numbers such that a n = f (n) for n n 0.

This fact is stating that the corresponding function f (x) will have the same limit as its corresponding sequence, a n.

EXAMPLE 8:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

So let us look at the limit of f (x).

(The first limit evaluates to the indeterminate form / .)


LIMITS ON SEQUENCES BY DILEEP Page 5

Since the limit exists, we can conclude that a n converges to zero. Isn't it nice when we can use l ' Hpital's Rule!

EXAMPLE 9:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

Since the limit exists, we can conclude that the sequence a nconverges to zero.

EXAMPLE 10:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

, - is an indeterminate form. I am going to convert this indeterminate form into the indeterminate form of / by rationalizing the numerator.

LIMITS ON SEQUENCES BY DILEEP

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This is now in the form of / . Now, I am going to divide both top and bottom by x, taking note to divide everything inside the radical by x 2.

Therefore the sequence a n converges.

For equations 3 - 6, x is number that remains fixed.

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EXAMPLE 11:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

EXAMPLE 12:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

EXAMPLE 13:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

EXAMPLE 14:

Does this sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION:

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EXAMPLE 15:

Does the following sequence converge or diverge?

SOLUTION: So this is in the form of equation 2.

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