Sequences

Definition 1. A sequence is a function on positive integer numbers.

1
, . . . is a sequence. 1 is called the first term,
Example 1. 1, 41 , 19 , 16
second term and so on. an = n12 is called the general term.

1
4

is the

In the same manner as we defined the limit of a function we can define

the limit of a sequence. Although here the function we are looking at is not
continuous because the domain consists of positive integers, the graphical
approach can be somewhat useful.
Here is the formal definition of the limit.
Definition 2. The sequence an converges to L if and only if for any > 0
there exists integer N such that |an L| < for every n > N . In case such
number L does not exist we say that the sequence diverges.
We use notation lim an for the limit of the sequence an .
n

Example 2. Analyze an = n12 for convergence and find the limit.

As we keep looking at the values of this sequence they become smaller
and smaller. So the conjecture is that it converges to 0. We will prove it
using the formal definition.
For a given > 0 we take the minimal integer greater than 1 as N .
2
Then for each n > N , |an 0| = n12 < N12 < = . Then by the definition
of the limit we have lim an = 0.
n

Using the same argument as in the example above we can show that
lim n1k = 0 for any positive integer k.

Theorem 1. Suppose sequences an and bn converge. Then

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

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

n

3. lim (an bn ) = ( lim an )( lim bn )

n
n
n
lim
a
n
an
4. lim ( ) = n
(if lim bn 6= 0)
n bn
n
lim bn
n

The proof of this theorem is the same as the proof of the analogous
theorem about functions.

Example 3. Find lim an , if an =

n

n2 +2
.
n2

1
= 0, so
n n2

We know from the previous example that lim

n2 + 2
2
1
= lim 1 + 2 = lim 1 + 2 lim 2 = 1 + 2 0 = 1
2
n
n
n
n n
n
n
lim

3n + 5
.
n 2n 7
3+
3n + 5
lim
= lim
n 2n 7
n 2

Example 4. Find lim

5
n
7
n

5
)
3+0
3
n
n
=
=
=
7
20
2
lim (2 )
n
n
lim (3 +

Answer:

3
2

Theorem 2. If

lim

x,xR

f (x) = L then

lim

n,xN

f (n) = L.

Remark. The inverse of this theorem is not true. Consider the function
f (x) = sin 2x. Obviously f (n) = sin 2n = 0 for all integer n. Thus
lim f (n) = 0. However values of the function at any interval [k, k + 1]
n,xN

give the whole segment [1, 1], so it is divergent and

lim

x,xR

f (x) does not

exist.
Example 5. Find lim cos n1 .
n

First let us find

lim

x,xR

cos

1
and then apply the theorem. Since cosine
x

is continuous we have
lim cos

1
1
= cos lim = cos 0 = 1
x x
x

Hence we have got the answer.

Answer: 1.
Example 6. Find lim n ln(1 + n1 ).
n
Using the theorem we have
lim

n,xN

n ln(1 +

ln(1 + x1 )
1
1
) = lim x ln(1 + ) = 1lim
1
x,xR
n
x
0
x
x
2

Now we denote

1
x

as a new variable y. So this limit is equal to

ln(1 + y)
y0
y
lim

Here lim ln(1 + y) = 0 and lim y = 0. Therefore we can apply lHopitals

y0

y0

rule.
1

ln(1 + y)
1+y
= lim
=1
lim
y0 1
y0
y
Answer: 1.
Theorem 3 (Squeeze theorem). an and bn are sequences that both converge
to the same limit L. Suppose that there exists m such that for all n > m,
an cn bn . Then cn converges to L.
Proof. For the proof of this theorem we will use the formal definition of limit.
By this definition for each > 0 there exists N1 such that |an L| < for
every n > N1 and there exists N2 such that |bn L| < for every n > N2 .
Let us denote max(m, N1 , N2 ) as N . Then for each n > N as we know
|an L| < , |bn L| < and an cn bn . Thus we can conclude that
|cn L| < for all n > N , so lim cn = L.
n

cos n2
3 .
n n
2

Example 7. Find lim

Since 1 cos n 1 for all n, we can write the following inequality:

1
cos n2
1

3
3
3
n
n
n
1
1
As we know lim n3 = 0. Also lim n3 = lim n13 = 0. Therefore we
n
n
n
can use the Squeeze theorem. By this theorem we get
cos n2
1
1
= lim 3 = lim 3 = 0
3
n
n n
n n
n
lim

Answer: 0.
Proposition 4. If lim |an | = 0, then lim an = 0.
n

Proof. Since lim |an | = 0 we know that lim |an | = 0. Also |an | an
n

|an |. Therefore we can apply the theorem and we obtain lim an = 0

n

(1)n
.
n
n3
n
1
| = n13 . We know that lim 3 = 0. Thus the initial limit is equal
| (1)
n3
n n
to 0 too.
Answer: 0.
Example 8. Find lim

Definition 3. The sequence an is increasing from the mth term if for each
positive integer n m, an an+1 .
The sequence an is decreasing from the mth term if for each positive
integer n m, an an+1 .
The sequence is called monotonic from some term if it is either increasing
from the mth term or decreasing from some term.
for monotonicity.
Example 9. Analyze the sequence an = n+1
n2
We just need to compare two subsequent terms of this sequence. Since
1
1
1
> n+1
and n12 > (n+1)
2,
n
an =

n
1
1
1
1
1
n+1
= 2+ 2 = + 2 >
+
=
2
n
n
n
n n
n + 1 (n + 1)2
n+2
=
= an+1
(n + 1)2

So we achieved that the sequence is decreasing.

Definition 4. The sequence is called bounded if there exists a number M
such that |an | < M , for all n.
Every convergent sequence is bounded since starting from some moment
all its values are close to the limit. So if we can show that the sequence is
unbounded then it is divergent.
Example 10. Determine whether the sequence an =
not.

n sin n+5
n2

is bounded or

n sin n + 5 n + 5 n + 5n = 6n 6n2
n sin n + 5 n sin n n n2
Hence we have 1 n sinn2n+5 6, so 7 < an < 7 and taking M = 7 we
have showed that the sequence is bounded.
Answer: bounded.
The next theorem is a very powerful fact which allows us to analyze
convergence of a given sequence.
4

Theorem 5. Every bounded monotonic sequence converges.

Remark. Unfortunately this theorem can only show whether the sequence is
convergent or divergent. It does not allow to find the limit itself.
Definition 5. n! (n-factorial) is a product of first n positive integers.
n! = 1 2 3 . . . n
n

Example 11. Is the sequence an = 2n! convergent? Compute the limit if an

is convergent.
Let us show that the sequence is monotonic.
an+1 =

2
2n
2
2n+1
=

=
an an
(n + 1)!
n + 1 n!
n+1

Therefore an is decreasing. Since it is decreasing, an a1 = 2. Using

the fact that an is strictly positive we have that it is both monotonic and
bounded. By the theorem this sequence is convergent. Let us find its limit.
2
an and take the limit
We denote it by L. Consider the equation an+1 = n+1
of both sides. We get
2
lim an
n n + 1 n

lim an+1 = lim

We know that lim an+1 = lim an = L and lim

n

have L = 0 L.
Answer: converges to 0.
Example 12. Is the sequence an =
the limit if an is convergent.
an =

nn
n!

2
= 0. Hence we
n+1

convergent or divergent? Compute

nn
n
n
n
n n
=

...
n!
n n1 n2
2 1
1 1 1 ... 1 n = n

As we can see the sequence an is not bounded, therefore it cannot be

convergent.
Answer: diverges.
Lab problems
n3 3
1. Find lim 4
.
n n + n3
5

2. Find lim n tan n1 .

n

3. Find lim n n .
n

4. Find lim

(1)

n(n+1)
2

ln n

.
n2

n
5. Analyze the sequence an = n+3
for monotonicity.
n
2
6. Determine whether the sequence an = 2 3+n
is bounded or not.
n
3n
7. Analyze the sequence an = 2n +n4 for convergence. Compute the limit
if an is convergent.
8. Is the sequence an = nn!n convergent or divergent? Find the limit if an
is convergent.
n