M408D AP Honors.

Handwritten homework: Assignment 2

T. Perutz September 6, 2013
1. Suppose that {xn } is a sequence. Write down precisely what it means to say that xn as n . (a) Show, directly from the denition, that ln n as n . (5 points) Solution. We must show that for every c there is some k such that ln n c whenever n k . Well, ln n c if and only if n ec . So, lets take k = ec (it doesnt matter that this isnt necessarily an integer). Then, when n > k , we have n k = ec , so ln n c. (b) Suppose that a sequence {xn } has an upper bound C . Show that it cannot be the case that xn as n . [Im looking for an explanation valid in general, not an example.] (5 points) Solution. Our assumption is that xn C for all n. Thus there is no k such that xn C + 1 for all n k (indeed, its never the case that xn C + 1). So the sequence cannot diverge to innity. (c) Show that if xn as n then there is a lower bound for the sequence. [Hint: there is some k such that xn 0 for all k > n.] (5 points) Solution. Distinguish two possibilities. One is that xn 0 for all n. In this case, 0 is a lower bound. The other possibility is that xn < 0 for some n. Since xn , the sequence is eventually 0, i.e., there is some k such that xn 0 for all n k . Let C be the smallest of the following numbers: x1 , x2 , . . . , xk . Note that C < 0. Then xn C when n > k (because xn 0 > C ) and also when n k (by denition of C ). So C is a lower bound for the sequence. 2. Suppose that {xn } is a sequence. Write down precisely what it means to say that xn L as n . 1

(a) Show, directly from the denition, that en 0 as n . (5 points) Solution. Given > 0, we want to nd a k such that |en 0| whenever n k . Well, |en 0| = en , so we want to arrange en , or equivalently, n log , or equivalently, n log . [If is small and positive, log will be large and positive.] Take k = log . Then, when n k we have n log , so en as required. (b) Show that it can never be the case that xn 0 as n and yet also xn 1 as n . (5 points) Solution. Since xn 0, the sequence is eventually within 1/2 of 0, So, for all large n, we have xn 1/2. But then |xn 1| 1/2 for all large n, so convergence to 1 is impossible (e.g. its not true that |xn 1| 1/4 for all large n). (c) Give an example of a sequence which is bounded above and below, yet which is not convergent. (5 points) Solution. For instance, take xn = (1)n . Then 1 xn 1, so the sequence is bounded above and below. But its not convergent. In fact, since |xn+1 xn | = 2, this sequence can never be trapped inside a horizontal band of width < 1, so it cant converge. 3. Extra credit: Im looking for a complete solution here. Please turn it in on a separate sheet if you manage to solve it. Consider the sequence 3 3, 3 3, 3 3,

3,

...

Show that the limit of this sequence is 3. Solution. Method 1. The relevant sequence is dened recursively by x1 = 3 and xn+1 = 3xn . I claim that the sequence {xn } is (i) bounded above, by 3, and (ii) increasing, and so has a limit by the monotonic convergence theorem. To verify (i), suppose weve veried that x1 , . . . , xn are all 3. Then xn+1 = 3xn 3 3 = 3, so xn+1 3 as well. By mathematical induction, we see that every term in the sequence is 3. To verify (ii), lets observe that xn+1 /xn = 3xn /xn = 3/xn 3/3 = 1 where the inequality step uses (i). Since the ratio of successive terms is 1, the sequence is increasing. We deduce that a limit x exists. To compute x, notice that lim xn+1 = lim 3xn
n n

because xn+1 =

3xn . That is, x= 3x,

from which we deduce that x = 3. Method 2. I claim that

n

xn = 3Sn ,

where Sn =
i=1

2i .

Indeed, for n = 1 this reads x1 = 31/2 , which is correct. Moroever, the formula on the right solves the recursion that denes xn , because n+1 i 1 3 3Sn = 31/2 3Sn /2 = 32 + i=2 2 = 3Sn+1 . Now that we know xn = 3Sn , observe using the formula
n

ari = a(1 rn+1 )/(1 r)

i=0

that Sn = So Hence

1 2n1 1 +1 = 1 n+1 . 2 2(1 1 ) 2 xn = 3 32

n1

ln xn = ln 3 2n1 ln 3 and
n

lim ln xn = ln 3.

So limn xn = limn exp(ln xn ) = exp(limn ln xn ) = eln 3 = 3.