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Harvard Limsup Slides

The document discusses the concepts of upper and lower limits for sequences of real numbers, defining conditions for limits approaching ±∞ and introducing the notions of lim sup and lim inf. It presents properties and theorems related to these limits, including examples of specific sequences and the Squeeze Theorem. Additionally, it outlines special limits for various mathematical expressions involving sequences.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views7 pages

Harvard Limsup Slides

The document discusses the concepts of upper and lower limits for sequences of real numbers, defining conditions for limits approaching ±∞ and introducing the notions of lim sup and lim inf. It presents properties and theorems related to these limits, including examples of specific sequences and the Squeeze Theorem. Additionally, it outlines special limits for various mathematical expressions involving sequences.

Uploaded by

jozsef
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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Upper and Lower Limits

Some Special Sequences

Limits of ±∞

Definition
Let {sn } be a sequence of real numbers. If
For all real M there is an integer N where sn ≥ M whenever
n≥N
then we write
sn → +∞
If
For all real M there is an integer N where sn ≥ M whenever
n≤N
then we write
sn → −∞
Upper and Lower Limits
Some Special Sequences

Upper and Lower Limits

Definition
Let {sn } be a sequence of real numbers. Let E be the set of x (in
the extended real number system) such that snk → x for some
subsequence {snk }. (So E has all subsequential limits of {sn } plus,
possibly, −∞ or +∞). Let

s ∗ = sup E

s∗ = inf E
s ∗ is the upper bound of {sn } and s∗ is the lower bound of {sn }.
We write
lim sup sn = s ∗
n→∞

lim inf sn = s∗
n→∞
Upper and Lower Limits
Some Special Sequences

Properties of Lim Sup and Lim Inf

Theorem
Let {sn } be a sequence of real numbers, let s ∗ = limn→∞ sup sn
and let E be the set of subsequential limits of {sn }. Then
(a) s ∗ ∈ E
(b) If x > s ∗ , then there is an integer N such that n ≥ N implies
sn < x.
Further s ∗ is the only extended real number satisfying properties
(a) and (b).

There is an analogous result for s∗ = limn→∞ inf sn


Upper and Lower Limits
Some Special Sequences

Examples

(a) Let {sn } be a sequence containing all rational numbers. Then


every real number is a subsequential limit and

lim inf sn = −∞, lim sup sn = +∞


n→∞ n→∞

(−1)n
(b) Let sn = 1+(1/n) Then

lim inf sn = −1, lim sup sn = 1


n→∞ n→∞

(c) For a real valued sequence {sn } with limn→∞ sn = s if and


only if
lim inf sn = lim sup sn = s
n→∞ n→∞
Upper and Lower Limits
Some Special Sequences

Ordering of Lim Sup/Lim Inf

Theorem
If sn ≤ tn for n ≥ N where N is fixed then

lim inf sn ≤ lim inf tn


n→∞ n→∞

lim sup sn ≤ lim sup tn


n→∞ n→∞
Upper and Lower Limits
Some Special Sequences

Squeeze Theorem

We now compute the limits of some special sequences. The proofs


are based on the following lemma
Lemma
If 0 ≤ xn ≤ sn for n ≥ N where N is some fixed number and
sn → 0 then tn → 0 as well.
Upper and Lower Limits
Some Special Sequences

Special Limits

Theorem
1
(a) If p > 0 then limn→∞ np =0

(b) If p > 0 then limn→∞ n p=1

(c) limn→∞ n n = 1

(d) If p > 0 and α is real, then limn→∞ (1+p)n =0
(e) If |x| < 1 then limn→∞ xn =0

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