Calculus - Assignment 1 - Sequence

Last modified: November 27, 2020

1. Using ( − N ) definition, prove the following.

1
(i) lim √ = 0.
n→∞ n
n2 + 1
(ii) lim = 1.
n→∞ n2
n3/4 sin(n!)
(iii) lim = 0.
n→∞ n+1
(iv) lim rn = 0, where r ∈ R and |r| < 1.
n→∞

2. Show the existence of the following limits, and also find the limits.
 
n n n
(i) lim + 2 + ··· + 2 .
n→∞ n2 + 1 n +2 n +n
 2 
n + 2n + 3
(ii) lim .
n→∞ n3 + 5n2 + 1

(iii) lim n1/n .

n→∞
√
cos(π n)
(iv) lim √ .
n→∞ n

3. Show that the following sequences are divergent (i.e., not convergent).
 2 
n
(i) .
n+1
  
n 1 1
(ii) (−1) + .
2 n

4. Determine whether the following sequences {xn } are monotone (i.e., monotone increasing or de-
creasing). Find sup{xn } and inf{xn }.
 
n
(i) .
n2 + 1
  
n 1
(ii) (−1) 1 + .
n
  
−1
(iii) sin .
n

If any of the above is monotone and bounded, then conclude that the sequence is convergent, also
find the limit of that sequence. Justify your answer.

5. Let {xn } and {yn } be two sequences of real numbers such that xn = yn for all n > n0 for some
n0 ∈ N. Prove that {xn } converges (to a limit l) if and only if {yn } is so.

6. Let lim xn = l. So that if l 6= 0, then there exists N ∈ N such that

n→∞

|l|
|xn | > 2 for all n > N .

1
 7. For a sequence {xn } of real numbers, if {|xn |} converges to 0, then {xn } also converges to 0.
n n
o
Deduce that (−1)n converges to 0.
  
1
8. Find all the subsequential limits of (−1)n
1+ , and then lim sup and lim inf of the sequence.
n
Conclude whether the sequence is convergent.

9. Prove that a sequence {xn } converges (to a limit l) if and only if both the subsequences {x2n } and
{x2n+1 } converge to the same limit (that is l).
Deduce that {(−1)n } is divergent.
 
n
10. Prove that is a Cauchy sequence. Deduce that it is convergent.
n+1

First you should try on your own. If you need, then see the next page for some hints.

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Hints
1 1
1iv. Consider two cases: r = 0 and r 6= 0. In the 2nd case, since |r| > 1, let |r| = 1 + a for some
real number a > 0. Taking power to n, and then using the binomial expansion, show that
1
|rn − 0| < na for all n ∈ N. Next verify  − N condition.

Recall the binomial expansion: (x + y)n = xn + n1 xn−1 y + n2 xn−2 y 2 + · · · + n−1

n

n−1
+ yn.



xy

2. You may use one of the following methods:

(i) First guess the limit, and then verify whether your guess is true using  − N definition.
(ii) You may use Sandwich Theorem (Lecture 6).
(iii) You may use ‘the relation between limits and algebraic operations on sequences’ (Lec 5).

2iii. Note that for every natural number n > 1, we have n1/n > 1. Set n1/n = 1 + xn for√all n ∈ N.
Taking power to n, deduce that n = (1 + xn )n > n(n−1)
2
2
x2n . Hence show that |xn | < √n−1 . Next,
verifying  − N condition, prove that lim xn = 0. Conclude the solution.
n→∞

5. It is enough to prove that if lim xn = l, then lim yn = l.

n→∞ n→∞
Remark. As a consequence of this exercise, we obtain that if one changes finitely many terms
of a sequence, it does not affect the convergence of the sequence.
Moreover, it is true that {xn } is bounded if and only if {yn } is so. Thus if one changes finitely
many terms of a sequence, it does not affect the boundedness of the sequence.

6. The limit l satisfies the  − N condition. Consider  = |l|

2 . For this particular , there exists
N which satisfies some condition. This N will serve the purpose. You may use the inequality
||a| − |b|| 6 |a − b| for any real numbers a and b.