Math 171

Solutions to homework problems

Spring 2005

Section 2.1


1
> 2 as n .
1(b) Using the method of Example 2.2, prove that 2 1
n
2
Given  > 0, choose N > . Then for any n N ,

 
 



  2
1
2
2
2 1
2 =   =
< .

n
n
n
N
6(a) Suppose that {xn } and {yn } converge to the same point. Prove that xn yn 0
as n .
Suppose that {xn } and {yn } converge to a. Then for any  > 0, choose N1 such that n N1 ,


|xn a| < , and choose N2 such that n N2 , |yn a| < . Let N = max(N1 , N2 ). Then
2
2
n N we have


|xn yn | = |xn a + a yn | |xn a| + |a yn | = |xn a| + |yn a| < + = .
2 2
6(b) Prove that the sequence {n} does not converge.
Suppose that the sequence {n} converges. Every convergent sequence is bounded. Then {n} is
bounded, i.e. there exists a real number M such that for any n N, M < n < M . However,
by Archimedean principle, for any real number M there exists a natural number n such that
n > M . Contradiction. Therefore our assumption that {n} converges was false.
6(c) Show that the converse of part (a) is false.
The converse of (a) is: if {xn } and {yn } are sequences such that xn yn 0 as n then
{xn } and {yn } converge to the same point.
Counterexample: Let xn = yn = n, then xn yn = 0 0, but the sequences {xn } and {yn }
do not converge.
7(a) Let a be a fixed real number and define {xn = a} for n N. Prove that the
constant sequence xn converges. (b) What does {xn } converge to?
The constant sequence is a, a, a, . . .. We guess that this sequence converges to a. Proof:
given  > 0, let N = 1. Then n N we have |xn a| = |a a| = 0 < . So lim xn = a.
n

Section 2.2
5 Prove that given x R there is a sequence rn Q such that rn x as n .
By the density of rationals theorem, for any n N there exists a rational number r n such that
1
1
x < rn < x + . (That is, for each n N we choose such a rational number rn , and so
n
n




1
1
= lim x +
= x, by the Squeeze theorem
we get a sequence {rn }.) Since lim x
n
n
n
n
lim rn = x.
n

3 Prove that if {xn } and {yn } are convergent real sequences such that yn 6= 0 and
limn xn
xn
lim yn 6= 0, then lim
=
.
n
n yn
limn yn
Let lim xn = x and lim yn = y. First we will prove that lim
n

Since yn y, N1 N such that n N1 we have |yn y| <

1
1
= . Let  > 0.
yn
y

|y|2 
.
2

|y|
. If y is positive this implies that
2
3y
3y
y
|y|
y
< yn <
. If y is negative then
< yn < . In either case, |yn | >
.
2
2
2
2
2

Also, N2 N such that n N2 we have |yn y| <

Let N = max(N1 , N2 ). Then n N we have


 

|y|2 
1
 

 1  =  y yn  = |y yn | = |yn y| < 2 = .
 yn
|y|
y   yn y 
|yn ||y|
|yn ||y|
2 |y|


1
1
1
x
xn
= lim xn lim
= lim xn
=x = .
Finally, lim
n
n yn
n
n yn
yn
y
y
 
1
is bounded, then
Another approach is to show that lim (xn y xyn ) = 0 and
n
y
n


xn y xyn
x
1 1
xn
= lim

= lim (xn y xyn )

= 0.
lim
n
n
n
yn
y
yn y
y yn
n
X
ak
.
n
10k

9 Interpret a decimal expansion 0.a1 a2 . . . as 0.a1 a2 . . . = lim

k=1

Prove that (a) 0.5 = 0.4999 . . . and (b) 1 = 0.999 . . ..

The limit on the right is the limit of the following sequence:
1
X
a1
ak
x1 =
= 1 = 0.a1
10k
10
x2 =
x3 =

k=1
2
X
k=1
3
X

k=1
4
X

a1
a2
ak
= 1 + 2 = 0.a1 a2
10k
10
10
ak
a1
a2
a3
= 1 + 2 + 3 = 0.a1 a2 a3
10k
10
10
10

ak
a1
a2
a3
a4
= 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 0.a1 a2 a3 a4
10k
10
10
10
10
k=1
which is the infinite decimal 0.a1 a2 a3 a4 . . ..
x4 =

(a) If a1 = 4 and ak = 9 for k 2, we have

n
n
n1
X
X
X 9
ak
4
9
1
0.4999 . . . = lim
=
+
lim
=
0.4
+
lim
n
10k
10 n
10k
10 n
10k
k=1
n1

k=2

k=1

X 10 1
1
= 0.4 +
lim
(use exercise 1(c) on p. 17)
10 n
10k
k=1
1
= 0 is similar to ex. 2 on p. 36)
(a proof of lim
n 10n1
n
X
10 1
9
= lim
(b) 0.9999 . . . = lim
n 10k
n
10k
 k=1

1
= lim 1 n = 1.
n
10



1
1
= 0.4 +
lim 1 n1
10 n
10
1
= 0.4 +
1 = 0.5.
10
(use exercise 1(c) on p. 17)