Department of Mathematics

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

MA 101: Mathematics I
Model Solutions of Quiz-1
November 2021-March 2022

1. Consider the following two statements:

Statement 1: Let (xn ) be a sequence of nonzero real numbers which does not have
any convergent subsequence, then the sequence (1/xn ) must converge to 0.
Statement 2: If (xn ) is an unbounded sequence of nonzero real numbers, then the
sequence (1/xn ) must converge to 0.

Solution. Statement-1 is correct: If (1/xn ) does not converge to 0, then there

exists ε > 0 such that for each n ∈ N, there exists a positive integer m > n satisfying
| x1m | ≥ ε, which gives |xm | ≤ 1ε . Thus, we obtain positive integers n1 < n2 < · · ·
such that |xnk | ≤ 1ε for each k ∈ N. Hence, (xnk ) is a bounded subsequence of
(xn ). By Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem, (xnk ) has a convergent subsequence, which
is also a convergent subsequence of (xn ). This contradicts the hypothesis. There-
fore, (1/xn ) must converge to 0.

Statement-2 is wrong: The sequence (xn ) = (1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 4, ...) is not bounded,

but x1n does not converge to 0, because ( x1n ) has a subsequence (1, 1, ...) converging
to 1.

2. Let A and B be nonempty subsets of real numbers such that for each element a of
A and each element b of B, we have a2020 < b2021 .

Solution. Clearly, b2021 ≥ 0, and hence b ≥ 0 (as 2021 is odd). This implies that
2021
inf(B) exists. Since 2020 is even, so |a| ≤ b 2020 . This implies that inf(A) and sup(A)
exist.

3. Consider the following two statements about the series given below:
Statement 1: If both (xn ) and (yn ) are increasing sequences in R, then the sequence
(xn yn ) must be increasing.
Statement 2: A monotonic sequence (xn ) in R is convergent if and only if the
sequence (x2n ) is convergent.

Solution. Statement-1 is wrong: Both (xn ) = (− n1 ) and (yn ) = (n2 ) are increas-
ing sequences, but the sequence (xn yn ) = (−n) is not increasing.

Statement-2 is correct: If (xn ) is convergent, then by the product rule it read-

ily follows that (x2n ) is also convergent. Conversely, let (x2n ) be convergent. Then
(x2n ) is √
bounded, so there exists M > 0 such that |x2n | ≤ M for all n. This gives
|xn | ≤ M for all n ∈ N. So (xn ) is bounded. Since (xn ) is monotonic, so (xn ) is
convergent.

4. Consider the sequence (xn ) where xn is given by

1 · 3 · · · (2n − 1)
xn = .
2 · 4 · · · 2n
 Proof. Clearly, xn > 0 for all n ∈ N, that is, (xn ) is bounded below. Also,
1 · 3 · · · (2n − 1) · (2n + 1) 2n + 1
xn+1 = = xn · < xn .
2 · 4 · · · 2n · (2n + 2) 2n + 2
Thus, (xn ) is decreasing which is also bounded below, and hence (xn ) is convergent.

5. Consider the following two statements about the series given below:
Statement 1: There is a rearrangement of the series which diverges to infinity.
Statement 2: The sequence of partial sums of the series is a Cauchy sequence.
∞
X 1
(−1)n−1 tan .
n=1
n

Solution. Statement-1 is correct: The given series is convergent by Leibniz’s

Test: it is alternating, (tan n1 ) is a decreasing sequence and tan n1 approaches 0 as n
goes to infinity. On the other hand, the absolute series can be compared with the
Harmonic series ∞
X 1
n=1
n
by observing that
tan n1
lim 1 = 1.
n→∞
n
Since the Harmonic series diverges, the given series is not absolutely convergent.
Hence it is conditionally convergent. By Riemann’s Rearrangement Theorem, the
given series can be rearranged to diverge to infinity.

Statement-2 is correct: Since the given series is convergent (as discussed above),
its sequence of partial sums is convergent, hence Cauchy.
∞
X
6. Let an be convergent. Consider the following two statements:
n=1
∞
X
Statement 1: a2n converges
n=1
∞
X
Statement 2: (an+1 − an ) converges to 0.
n=1

∞
X 1
Solution. Statement-1 is wrong: We can take (−1)n−1 √ as a counterexam-
n=1
n
ple. This series converges by Leibniz’s test, but the harmonic series obtained after
squaring each term is divergent.
∞
X
Statement-2 is wrong: the sequence (sn ) of partial sums of (an+1 − an ) is
n=1
given by
sn = a2 − a1 + a3 − a2 + . . . + an+1 − an = an+1 − a1 ,
which clearly converges to −a1 as an+1 converges to 0 for the convergent series
X∞
an . But a1 need not be 0 in general.
n=1
7. Consider the following two statements:
∞
X (−1)n−1
Statement 1: k
is conditionally convergent for k > 0.
n=2
(log n)
∞
X (−3)n−1
Statement 2: is conditionally convergent.
n=1
n!

Solution. Statement-1 is correct: By Leibniz’s Test, the given series is conver-

gent. Applying Cauchy’s condensation test, we find that the given series is abso-
∞ ∞
X
n 1 X 1
lutely convergent if and only if 2 n k
= 2n k . The latter series
n=2
(log 2 ) n=2
n (log 2)k
is not convergent by Root Test.
n−1
Statement-2 is wrong: Letting an = (−3)n! , we find that
an+1 3
| |= →0
an n+1
as n → ∞. Therefore, the given series is absolutely convergent.

8. Choose the correct value of a and b, where a is the limit superior of the sequence
(an ) and b is the limit inferior of the sequence (bn ). The sequences (an ) and (bn ) are
given below.
1
an = (1 + (−1)n + n )1/n ;
2
π π π π π
bn = cos 2 cos 3 cos 4 · · · cos n−1 cos n .
2 2 2 2 2
1
Solution. Note that a2n−1 = 2
for each n ∈ N. Moreover,
1 1
2≤2+ ≤ 2 +
22n 22
1
 9  2n1
=⇒ 2 2n ≤ a2n ≤ . (1)
4
Let yn = sup{ak | k ≥ n}. Then y2n = a2n and y2n−1 = a2n for all n ∈ N. Applying
Sandwich theorem in (1), a2n converges to 1. Therefore, the limit superior of an is 1.

Now,
1 n−2 π π π π π
bn = π 2 cos 2 cos 3 cos 4 · · · cos n−1 sin n−1
2n−1
sin( 2n ) 2 2 2 2 2
1 π
= n−1 π sin( ).
2 sin( 2n ) 2
π
2 n
= · 2 π → 2/π.
π sin( 2n )

In particular, the limit inferior of the sequence (bn ) is π2 .

√
9. Consider the sequence (an ) where an = n. Choose the correct option about the
following two statements:
Statement 1: The sequence (an+1 − an ) converges to 0
Statement 2: The sequence (an ) is Cauchy.
 Solution. Statement-1 is correct:
1 1
|an+1 − an | = √ √ ≤ √ → 0.
n+1+ n 2 n

Statement-2 is wrong: Take  = 21 . For any n0 , we have

√ √ √ 1
a4n0 − an0 = 4n0 − n0 = n0 > .
2
Hence (an ) is not Cauchy.

(1+x)n
10. Let S = {x ∈ R : ∞ converges} and T = {x ∈ R : ∞ x2n+1
P P
n=1 2n n=1 1·3·5···(2n−1)
converges}.
Then S ∩ T is given by
(1+x)n
Solution. By Ratio Test, the series ∞
P
n=1 2n
converges if |1 + x| < 1 and diverges
if |1 + x| > 1. Thus, the series converges for −1 < x + 1 < 1 (−2 < x < 0) and
diverges for x > 0 or x < −2. At x = 0, the series clearly diverges. At x = −2, the
series converges by Leibniz’s Test. Therefore, S = [−2, 0).

The series ∞ x2n+1

P
n=1 1·3·5···(2n−1) converges for all x ∈ R by Ratio Test, hence T = R.
Therefore, S ∩ T = [−2, 0).