Lecture - 8 (14)

Limits Theorems : In this section we establish some basic rules that allow us to evaluate
limits algebraically, without resorting to  and K arguments .

Algebra of Sequences

If X = ( xn ) and Y = ( y n ) are sequence of real numbers, then we define their

Sum to be the sequence X + Y = ( xn + yn )

Difference to be the sequence X − Y = ( xn − yn )

Product to be the sequence X  Y = ( xn yn ) ,

X x 
Quotient to be the sequence =  n  , yn  0
Y  yn 

Scalar Multiple to be the sequence c X = ( c xn ) , for c  .

1 1 1 1 
• For example, if X = ( 2 , 4 , 6 , ….., 2n , … ) , Y =  , , , . . . , , . . .  are
1 2 3 n 
sequences, then

1 1 1 1   1 7 17 2n 2 − 1 
X+Y =  , , , . . . , , . . . , X−Y =  , , , . . . , , . . . ,
1 2 3 n  1 2 3 n 
X
XY = (2,2,2,2,...,2,...), = ( 2 , 8 , 18 , . . . , 2 n 2 , . . . ) ,
Y

And 3 X = ( 6 , 12 , 18 , ….. , 6n , … ) .

• Note that if we take a sequence Z = ( 0 , 2 , 0, . . . , 1 + ( − 1) n , . . . ) , then we can

define X + Z , X – Z and X . Z but X is not defined since some of the terms

of Z are zero.
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Theorem – 3.1 : ( Algebra of limits )

Suppose ( x n ) and ( y n ) are convergent sequences and c . Then

(a) lim ( c x n ) = c  lim ( x n )

(b) lim ( x n + yn ) = lim ( xn ) + lim ( yn )

(c) lim ( x n − yn ) = lim ( xn ) − lim ( yn )

(d) lim ( x n yn ) = lim ( xn )  lim ( yn )

 1  1
(e) lim   = , Provided yn  0 and lim ( yn )  0 .
 yn  lim ( yn )

x  lim ( xn )
(f) lim  n  = , Provided yn  0 and lim ( yn )  0 .
 yn  lim ( yn )

(g) lim ( xn )= lim ( x n ) , Provided xn  0 .

Remark : Some of the results of above Theorem can be extended by Mathematical Induction, to

a finite number of sequences. So if X 1 = ( xn ) , X 1 = ( yn ) , . . . , X n = ( zn ) are convergent

sequences , then

(I) lim ( xn + yn + . . . + zn ) = lim ( xn ) + lim ( yn ) + . . . + lim ( zn )

(II) lim ( xn − yn − . . . − zn ) = lim ( xn ) − lim ( yn ) − . . . − lim ( zn )

(III) lim ( xn yn    zn ) = lim ( xn )  lim ( yn )  . . .  lim ( zn ) and hence

(IV) lim ( xnk ) = ( lim ( xn ) )

Limits Preserve Inequalities

Theorem – 3.2 : If ( x n ) is a convergent sequence of real numbers such that

for all n xn  0 , then x = lim ( x n )  0 .

Proof : Let Suppose the conclusion is not true and that x  0 ; then  = − x is positive. Since

( x n ) converges to x , therefore by definition there is a natural number K (  ) such that

x −   xn  x +  , for all n  K (  ) .

In particular, we have xK  x +  = x + ( − x ) = 0 .

But this contradicts the hypothesis that xn  0 , for all n  .

Therefore, this contradiction implies that x  0.

Theorem – 3.3 : Suppose ( x n ) and ( y n ) are convergent sequences of real numbers such that

for all n , xn  yn , then lim ( x n )  lim ( y n ) .

Proof : Let y n  xn  y n − xn  0 , for all n  . It follows from above Theorem

that lim ( y n − xn )  0 . Which asserts that lim ( xn )  lim (y n ).

Corollary – 3.4 : Suppose ( x n ) is a convergent sequence of real numbers such that

for all n , a  xn  b , then a  lim ( x n )  b .

Proof : a  xn  b  a  xn and x n  b . Use Thm-3.3 with ( y n ) = ( a ) and ( y n ) = ( b ).

Sequeeze Theorem : Suppose ( x n ) , ( y n ) and ( z n ) are sequences of real numbers such that

for all n , xn  yn  z n and lim ( x n ) = lim ( z n ) , lim ( x n ) = lim ( y n ) = lim ( z n ) .

Proof : Let w = lim ( xn ) = lim ( z n ) . If  > 0 is given, then it follows from the convergence of

( x n ) and ( z n ) to w that there exists a natural number K such that if n  K then

xn − w <  and zn − w < 

Now xn  yn  z n  xn − w  y n − w  z n − w , for all n  .

It follows that −  < yn − w <  , for all n  K .

Since  > 0 is arbitrary, this implies that lim ( y n ) = w .