Limit of Sequences

1.

yn

Show that

and nyn

both tend to zero as n

-1

(1 + a) < (1 na)

Show that

is n is a positive integer,
n n

(1 + x )

and then prove that, if 0 < x < 1,

2.

The numbers of a sequence u0, u1, u2,

u n k + k u n 1 + u n 2 = 0
Prove that if

If

a>0

and

xn =
4.

n tends to infinity.

(n 2 , k 1).

and k > 1, then the unique value of

ab 2 + x n
a +1

such that

un

tends to a limit as

{xn}

defined by the formula

is an increasing bounded sequence and find its limit.

is defined by the relation xn+1 = xn2 2xn + 2

{xn}

Investigate the behaviour of

5.

as

and na < 1,

are given by the relation

0 < x1 < b, show that the sequence

The sequence

(a)

tends to 1

a>0

0 < y < 1.

1
.
k

n is

3.

u0 = 1

tends to infinity if

1 < x1 < 2

(b)

( n > 1).

in the cases

xn
x1 = 2

x1 > 2 .

(c)

Given that a0 = a1 sin2 = 2 cos and that an 2an+1 + an+2 sin2 = 0.

n

1
1

a r =

r =1
1 cos 1 + cos
n

Find an expression for

a1

and show that

6u n + 6
, n = 0, 1, 2,
2
u n + 11

6.

A sequence is defined by the formula

term u0 .

u n +1 =

and by the value of the initial

Prove that if un converges to a limit a , then a is either 1, 2, 3.

Show that, if u0 > 3, then

(i)

3 < un+1 < un

u n +1 3 9
<
u n 3 10

(ii)

and show that, when u0 > 3, then un 3 as n .

7.

If {xn} is defined by x0 = x ,
an = 2n xn ,

8.

bn =

If 0 < a1 < 3 and

2n x n
1+ xn

a n +1 =

x n +1 =

xn
1+ 1+ xn

(n = 0, 1, 2, ) and an , bn

are defined by

. Prove that {an} , {bn} both converge to the same limit.

12
, show that the sequences
1+ an

{a2n+1} and {a2n} are respectively

increasing and decreasing monotonically. Prove that the sequence an converges to the limit 3 .
9.

Positive numbers

u1, u2 , . are defined by

Prove that as n , un

tends to a limit

u1 = 3 ,

u n +1 = u n + 5 , (n = 0, 1, 2, )

a . Prove also that

0 < u 2 n +1 a <

1
(u1 a ) .
30 n

10.

Points P0(x0, y0) , P1(x1, y1) , , Pn(xn, yn)

xn+1 = 2xn + 3yn , yn+1 = xn + 2yn

are connected by the following relations :

x0 = 1,

y0 = 0 .

(i)

Find

a if the items of the sequence {zn} = {xn + ayn}

forms a geometric sequence.

(ii)

Find the limit of the gradient of the straight line OPn when

n .

(You may assume that the limit exists.)

an + 5
,
2a n
2

11.

The sequence a1, a2 , a3,

(3 5 )
5<
(2 5 )

2n

Prove that

12.

0 < a n +1

a n +1 =

is defined as a1 = 3 ,

2n 1

2
< 6
11

A sequence {rn} is defined as follows,

n > 0.

2n

and find

rn +1 +

r0 > 0 ,

lim a n .
n

1
= 2A ,
rn

A > 0.
is that A 1 . Is the condition that

Show that the condition that is necessary for the convergence of rn

A 1 sufficient for the convergence of rn ?
13.

Show that

n
sin
5

14.

Show that

1
1
1 + + ... +

2n 1
3

15.

Let {an}

be a sequence of positive numbers. Define

If

lim a n = , show that

n

Show
16.

If

1/ n

x1 = h , xn+1 = xn2 + k , where 0 < k <

1
4

lim
n

for n > 0 .

a n +1
= , then
an

lim n a n = .
n

1
lim1 + = e .
n
n

and h lies between the roots a , b of

Prove that a < xn+1 < xn < h and determine the limit of xn .

Define a sequence of numbers

x1, x2, by

x n +1 =

a < x n < x n 1 < ... < x 0 , provided that

Find the limit of

b n = (a 1a 2 ...a n )

lim b n = . Hence show that if

1 1/ n
(n!) = lim n1/ n = 1 , if it is given that
n n
n

Show that

18.

is divergent.

lim

x2 x + k = 0 .
17.

is divergent.

1
a
x n +
2
xn

a0.

x0 is positive and x0 >

a.

{xn} . Does {xn} converge if a < 0 ?

Given two real numbers

x1 and x2 . Let

xn =

x n 1 + x n 2
, n > 2.
2

Find the limit of the sequence xn as n tends to infinity.

19.

If

0<x<

, using the fact that

2

cos

x
x
x
cos 2 ... cos n =
2
2
2

Let > > 0 , the sequences {xn} , {yn}

x1 = , x 2 =

x 1 + y1
x + y n 1
,..., x n = n 1
2
2

sin x
x
2 n sin n
2

Prove that n is a positive integer, then

x
x
x
lim cos cos 2 ... cos n .
n
2
2
2

are defined by
y1 = , y 2 = x 2 y1 ,..., y n = x n y n 1

( 3 + 1) = a
n

2 2
.

cos 1

putting = cos x , show that the two sequences has the same limit

20.

, find

3 + b n for unique integer an , bn .

Further, prove that

21.

(a)

a n +2 = 2(a n +1 + a n ),

(b)

( 3 1)

(c)

3a n b n = ( 1)

(d)

lim

= ( 1)

n 1

(a

n 1

b n +2 = 2(b n +1 + b n ) ;
n

3 bn

2n ;

bn
= 3 .
an

For any sequence {an} of real number, it is known that if an 0,

and

lim a n = 0 ,then

lim

an
=1
sin a n

lim a 2 n = 0 .
n

. Evaluate
2

).

(a)

x
x
x
Let Pn = cos cos 2 ... cos n , where
2
2
2

(b)

Show that there exists no real number

(c)

Consider the differences of sin (n+2) x and sin (n+1)x , hence prove that lim sin nx = 0 if and

0<x<

lim lim Pn

x / 2 n

x such that cos nx tends to zero as n tends to infinity.

n

only if x = m for some integer m .

22.

Let x be a non-zero real number greater than -1 . Prove by induction that for any positive integer n
greater than 1, (1 + x)n > 1 + nx.
Let t be any fixed positive number.
(a)

Let t > 1. Show that

(b)

Putting

Consider the sequence

an = n t

t > 1.

t = 1 + xn and using (a) or otherwise, show that

Hence show that for t > 1 ,

1 < n t < 1+

t 1
n

for n > 2.

lim a n = 1 .
n