Lecture Notes (Existence Uniqueness-II)

Definition:

Let  fn  be a sequence of a real function, each of which is defined on the entire real

interval a  x  b . The sequence  fn  is said to converge pointwise to f on a  x  b , if for

given   0 , then for each x such that a  x  b , there exists a positive number N (depending

on both on  and on x ) such that f n ( x ) − f ( x )   for every n  N .

Remark:

Here in this definition, N depends not only upon  but also on x . For a given   0 ,

different number N are in general required for different point of x .

However, if given   0 , there exist one single N such that f n ( x ) − f ( x )   for

every x such that a  x  b ,for every n  N .

We say that the convergence is uniform on a  x  b .

Definition:

Let  f n  be a sequence of a real function, each of which is defined on the entire interval

a  x  b . The sequence  f n  is said to converge uniformly to the limit function f on a  x  b

, If for a given any   0 , there exists a positive number N (Which depends only on  ), such

that f n ( x ) − f ( x )   for all n  N for every x such that a  x  b .

Geometrically:

Dr.R. Meher
 Lecture Notes (Existence Uniqueness-II)

Given   0 , the graph of y = f n ( x ) for all n  N lies between the graphs of

y = f ( x ) +  and y = f ( x ) −  for a  x  b as shown in figure-3

Figure-3

Example-4

nx 2
Consider f n ( x ) = , 0  x  1 , ( n = 1, 2,3,.....)
nx + 1

For x = 0 , the corresponding sequence  f n ( 0 ) of real numbers is 0,0,... and lim f n ( 0) = 0 .

For every x such that 0  x  1 , we have

nx 2
fn ( x ) = and lim f n ( x ) = x .
nx + 1 n

Thus, the sequence  f n  converges pointwise on 0  x  1 to the limit function f ( x ) defined

by f ( x ) = x on 0  x  1 .

Further, to show that the convergence is uniform on 0  x  1 .

To see this consider

nx 2 x
fn ( x ) − f ( x ) = −x =
nx + 1 nx + 1

Dr.R. Meher
 Lecture Notes (Existence Uniqueness-II)

For a given   0 ,

x 1 1
we have   , provided n  − .
nx + 1  x

But for x such that 0  x  1 ,

1 1 1
we have −  −1.
 x 

1
Thus, if we choose N = − 1,


1 1
we have n  − for all n  N .
 x

1
Hence, for a given   0 , there exist N = − 1 (depending only on  not on x ), such that


f n ( x ) − f ( x )   , for every x such that 0  x  1 and for all n  N . Therefore, the

convergence is uniform on the entire interval 0  x  1 .

The graph of the function f1 , f5 , f10 defined by

x 5x 10 x
f1 ( x ) = , f5 ( x ) = , f10 ( x ) = as well as that of f as shown in figure-4.
x +1 5x + 1 10 x + 1

Dr.R. Meher
 Lecture Notes (Existence Uniqueness-II)

Figure-4

Theorem -1.1

Let  fn  be a sequence of real function which converges uniformly to f on the

interval a  x  b . Suppose each function f n ( n = 1, 2,3,.....) is continuous on the entire interval

a xb.

Conclusion:

The limit function f is continuous on a  x  b .

Example -5

nx 2
Consider f n ( x ) = , ( n = 1, 2,3,.....) defined on 0  x  1 that converges uniformly to
nx + 1

limit function f on 0  x  1 .

Further, each function f n is continuous on 0  x  1 , for ( n = 1, 2,3,.....) . Thus, by theorem-1.1,

we can conclude that the limit function f is also continuous on the interval 0  x  1 . Indeed

f ( x ) = x is continuous on 0  x  1 .

Theorem -1.2

(i) Let  f n  be a sequence of real functions which converges uniformly to f on the interval

a xb .

(ii) Suppose each function f n ( n = 1, 2,3,.....) is continuous on a  x  b .

Dr.R. Meher
 Lecture Notes (Existence Uniqueness-II)

Then for every  and  such that a     b

Definition:

Consider the infinite series u n of real functions u n ( n = 1, 2,3,.....) , each of which is
n =1

defined on an entire interval a  x  b .

Consider the sequence  f n  of so-called partial sums of the series defined as

f1 = u1
f 2 = u1 + u2
f3 = u1 + u2 + u3
.............
f n = u1 + u2 + ..... + un


The infinite series u
n =1
n is said to converge uniformly to f on a  x  b , if its sequence

of partial sum  f n  converges uniformly to f on a  x  b .

Weierstrass M test:

(i) Let M n  be a sequence of positive constants such that the series constant M n
n =1

converges.


(ii) Let u
n =1
n be a series of real functions such that un ( x )  M for all x such that a  x  b

and for each ( n = 1, 2,3,.....) .

Dr.R. Meher
 Lecture Notes (Existence Uniqueness-II)

Conclusion:

The series u
n =1
n converges uniformly on a  x  b .

Example-6

sin nx
Consider the series 
n =1 n2
on the interval 0  x  1 .


1 1
The sequence  2  is a sequence of positive constants, which is such that
n 
n
n =1
2
is convergent.

1
Let us take M n = and observe that
n2

sin nx 1
un ( x ) = 2
 2 = Mn
n n


sin nx
For all x such that 0  x  1 and for each n = 1, 2,3,..... , the series 
n =1 n2
converges

uniformly on 0  x  1 .

Dr.R. Meher