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Lecture 5 Blank

1. This document reviews limit rules, the squeeze theorem, and monotone sequences. Key limit rules discussed include rules for sums, differences, products, quotients, and compositions with continuous functions. 2. The squeeze theorem can be used to evaluate limits of sequences that are between two other sequences with known, equal limits. 3. A basic property of real numbers states that monotone increasing sequences bounded above and monotone decreasing sequences bounded below are both convergent.

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47 views11 pages

Lecture 5 Blank

1. This document reviews limit rules, the squeeze theorem, and monotone sequences. Key limit rules discussed include rules for sums, differences, products, quotients, and compositions with continuous functions. 2. The squeeze theorem can be used to evaluate limits of sequences that are between two other sequences with known, equal limits. 3. A basic property of real numbers states that monotone increasing sequences bounded above and monotone decreasing sequences bounded below are both convergent.

Uploaded by

aryan220202
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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Lecture 5 – Limit Rules, Squeeze Theorem,

and Monotone sequences

Jan 21, 2021


Review of sequences
Recall that a sequence is an infinite list of real numbers

a1 , a 2 , . . . , a n , . . . or {an }1
n=1

lim an = L means we can make an as close to L as we like by


n!1
taking n sufficiently large.
The sequence converges if the limit exists and is finite.
Otherwise it diverges.
lim an = +1 means we can make an as large as we like by
n!1
taking n sufficiently large. In this case, {an } diverges to +1.
Similarly, if lim an = 1, then {an } diverges to 1
n!1

Not all divergent sequences diverge to ±1, e.g. an = ( 1)n .


Limit Rules
Assume {an } and {bn } are convergent.

1. lim (an + bn ) = lim an + lim bn


n!1 n!1 n!1

2. lim (an bn ) = lim an lim bn


n!1 n!1 n!1
⇣ ⌘⇣ ⌘
3. lim (an bn ) = lim an lim bn
n!1 n!1 n!1

✓ ◆ !
an lim an
n!1
4. lim = provided lim bn 6= 0
n!1 bn lim bn n!1
n!1
⇣ ⌘
5. lim (kan ) = k lim an for k a constant
n!1 n!1
One More Limit Rule
⇣ ⌘
6. If f : R ! R is continuous, then lim f (an ) = f lim an
n!1 n!1

Example
1
Let an = n and f (x) = x 3 .
Then lim an = lim ( n1 ) = 0.
n!1 n!1

Since f (x) is continuous, we can apply rule (6) above


⇣ ⌘
1 1 1
lim ( n3 ) = lim f ( n ) = f lim n = f (0) = 0
n!1 n!1 n!1
The Squeeze theorem
If an  bn  cn for n N and lim an = L = lim cn , then
n!1 n!1

lim bn = L.
n!1

Application
n!
Let bn = n for n = 1, 2, 3, . . . .
n
Take an = 0 and cn = n1 for all n. Then

1 · 2 · 3···n 1
an = 0  bn =  = cn .
n · n · n···n n
Since
lim an = 0 = lim cn ,
n!1 n!1
we apply the Squeeze Theorem to conclude that
lim bn = 0.
n!1
Monotone sequences
1. A sequence {an } is monotone increasing if

a1 < a2 < a3 < · · · < an < an+1 < · · · .

2. A sequence {an } is monotone decreasing if

a1 > a2 > a3 > · · · > an > an+1 > · · · .

3. A sequence {an } is bounded from above if an  M for all n.


4. A sequence {an } is bounded from below if an m for all n.
Basic Property of the real numbers R
If {an } is monotone increasing and bounded from above, then it
is convergent.
If {an } is monotone decreasing and bounded from below, then
it is convergent.
Example Let a1 = 2 and an+1 = 12 (an + 6) for n 1.

The Principle of Mathematical Induction can be applied to


show that (i) an < 6 and (ii) an < an+1 for all n.

Thus an is bounded from above and monotone increasing.

The basic property of real numbers shows that {an } is


convergent.
Calculating the limit
Let lim an = L. Then
n!1
⇣ ⌘
lim an+1 = lim 21 (an + 6) = 1
2 lim an + 6
n!1 n!1 n!1

Using Limit rules, we get


Summary

1. Limit Rules are useful in evaluating limits of sequences.


2. The Squeeze Theorem helps to compute the limit of some
sequences. It involves comparison with two sequences whose
limits are known and equal.
3. A basic property of the real numbers is that any monotone
increasing sequence that is bounded from above is convergent.
Ditto for any monotone decreasing sequence that is bounded
from below.
Question
1. Which sequences are convergent? Which are divergent?
p
(a) p n
3
(b) sin n
n+2

(c) ln(n + 1) ln(n) (d) arctan(en )

2. For what values of r is the sequence {r n } convergent?

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