Sequences

Assume that a biologist is studying the increase of weight of a foal. He finds that in a month the
weight of the foal increases by 20%. If at the start of study the weight of the foal was 50 kg, then weight
of the foal after one, two and three months was

50 50

20
20
50(1 ) 60 kg
100
100

60 60

20
20
60(1 ) 72 kg
100
100

72 72

20
20
72(1 ) 86.4 kg
100
100

The above calculations suggest that if initial weight of foal is w kg and it increases by p% in 1 month
then weight at the interval of one month is given by

w,

p
p
p
p

w 1 , w 1 , w 1 , w 1 , ...................
100
100
100
100

We further observe that weight after t months will be

w(t ) w 1
100

We may indicate the weight of foal in successive months as

w(0), w(1), w(2), w(3), w(4)............

Thus we observe that here a definite pattern has developed and values of

w(t ) follow in the order

w(0), w(1), w(2), w(3), w(4)............

We say that the function

w(t ) w 1
100

t
for t = 0, 1 2, 3, 4 gives the sequence of values

w(0), w(1), w(2), w(3), w(4)............ .

The function

w(t ) is called the generating function of the sequence.

Def: Sequence
In general a sequence is defined as:

f (t ) from set of integers to a set of objects arranged in the

counting order forms a sequence, i.e. the sequence obtained from f (t ) is
, where m is any integer,
f
(
m
),
f
(
m

1
),
f
(
m

2
),
f
(
m

3
),
f
(
m

4
),
..........
........
positive, negative or zero.
The values of a function

The general notation for the sequence is

Or

um , um 1, um 2 , um 3 , um 4 , .............

{un } n m, m 1, m 2, m 3,............... , where m is any integer, positive, negative or zero.

Examples

1.

2.

3.
4.

u n 3n generates the sequence 3, 6, 9,12,..................

3
3 3 3
3
,
,1, , ,..................
generates the sequence
n
2 4 5
3n 1
5 8 11
un
1
,
, , ,..................
generates the sequence
n

1
3
4 two
5 cells after a certain lapse of time and
Under ideal conditions a cell may sub-divide into
un

these two cells further sub-divide into two cells each after the same time interval and so on.
Assuming that time is measured in the units that coincides with the time lapse required for
sub-division, then after the lapse of t units of time, the number of cells

Nt

t 0, 1, 2, 3, ... ... ,

is give by

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, ... ...

or

N t 2t

t 0, 1, 2, 3, ... ...

5. Decay of radioactive substance gives another sequence. Carbon isotope

life of 5760 years. This means that the number

N of

14

C has a half

14

C carbon isotopes reduces to

N / 2 after 5760 years. This if t denotes time measured in units of 5760 years and N 0

is the number of

14

C carbon isotopes at time t = 0, then we get the sequence

N N0 2t , t {0,1,2,3,.............}

6.

u n (1) n 1

3n 1
5 8 11
1
,

, , ,..................
generates the sequence
n 1
3 4 5

Def: Arithmetic Sequence:

Two consecutive terms of an arithmetic sequence differ by a constant value i.e.

un un1 d for all n.

The constant difference d is called Common Difference of arithmetic sequence.
If we denote first term by a and constant value (the Common Difference) by d then sequence can be
written as

a, a d , a 2d , a 3d , ........................, a (n 1)d , ...............

In example 1, we observe that the difference between two consecutive terms is always 3 i.e.

u n 1 un 3 for n = 1, 2, 3, . Therefore it is an asthmatic sequence with common difference 3.

A term, other than first term, is arithmetic mean of its preceding and succeeding terms i.e.

u u
u n 1 n 2 n
2

for n = 1, 2, 3,
3

Def: Geometric Sequence:

Two consecutive terms of geometric sequence are in constant ratio i.e.

u n 1
r
un

for n = 1, 2, 3, ..

Constant ratio is called Common Ratio.

The sequence in example 4 is a geometric sequence with common ratio r = 2.
Behaviour of the sequence

Given a sequence

{un } , we would like to know the behaviour of the sequence. This is completely

determined by the behaviour of the general term

u n of the sequence.

With increasing n the sequence in example 1 and with increasing t the sequence in example 4 the
general term tends to infinity. We say these sequences diverge to infinity.
With increasing n the sequence in example 2 tends to 0, and the sequence in example 3 tends to 3.
Both sequences therefore are convergent.
With increasing n the sequence in example will tend to 3 or -3 depending whether n is odd or even.
This sequence therefore oscillates.

Thus the behaviour of the sequence is completely determined by

Lim u n is finite and unique.

The sequence is convergent if

The sequence is divergent if

Lim u n

Lim u n is not finite or unique.

The sequence oscillates if

Lim u n is not unique, and

Lim u 2n and Lim u 2n 1 are of opposite sign

Problems

Check the convergence of the sequence

{u n } , where un is given by

1.

3 100
1 4
n
n

2.

3.

4.

3 1
1 3
n n
2n 5
7n 5
n7
3n 5
an 2 400n

5.

bn 400

, b0

7n 2 n 100
6.

2 n 2 5n
n 2 3n 7

7.

8.

9.

10.

n3 7n 5
n

n2 1

4n 2 1
3n
n5
9 n 2 5n

n3 7n
11.

7n3 5

12.

n n2 7

13.

1
100
2

14.

1

2

16.

1
1
n

1
1
3n

3n

17.

19.

20.

1103n
1 103 n

15.

18.

3
1
N

(Hint: Replace 3n by N and observe that N )

n5 50

log
n5 500

5n
21.

3n 2 n
e n

22.

7 5e 3n
6

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

1
3n 32n n

(1) n1
un
2n 1
1
un cos
n
n 3 2n 1
un
n 1

en en
un 2 n
e 1
n!
un
10 6n

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