MA1011: Assignment 6

(Vector Spaces and Matrix Algebra)

R: set of real numbers; C: set of complex numbers

Please give rigorous justification for all your answers.

Part - I
1. Show the following.

(a) If X = (xn ) is a convergent sequence of real numbers such that xn ≥ 0 for all n ∈ N,
then lim xn ≥ 0.
n→∞
(b) Suppose that the sequences (an ), (bn ) converge to L, M respectively. If an ≤ bn for
all n ≥ 1023 , prove that L ≤ M . Now suppose an < bn for all n ∈ N, is it necessarily
true that L < M ?

(c) If (xn ) is a convergent sequence of real numbers such that a ≤ xn ≤ b for all n ∈ N,
then a ≤ lim xn ≤ b.
n→∞
(d) Suppose (sn ) is a convergent sequence of real numbers such that sn ≥ 0 for all
√ √
n ∈ N. If sn → s, then sn → s.

2. Suppose (xn ) is a sequence converging to x0 . Let dn = |xn − x0 |. Is dn necessarily a

monotonically decreasing sequence? a convergent sequence?

3. If (xn ) is a monotone sequence, then the sequence either converges, diverges to +∞, or
diverges to −∞.

4. Find the limit of the sequence (an ) or show that it diverges.

(n+1)(n−4)
a)an = 2n5/2

b)an = √1 ( √ 1 √ + √ 1√ + ... + √ 1√
)
n 1+ 3 3+ 5 2n−1+ 2n+1

(−1)n 2n2 +3
c) an = n+1 d)an = 3n2 +1

5. Establish the convergence or divergence of the following sequences

1 1 1
(a) yn = n+1 + n+2 + ··· + 2n , n∈N
1 1 1
(b) xn = 12
+ 22
+ ··· + n2
, n∈N

an −1
6. For a > 0, let bn = an +1 , n ∈ N, Find values of a for which (bn ) converges, and also find
the limits for such values.

1
 1
7. For 0 < a < b, let an = (an + bn ) n , n ∈ N, show using sandwich theorem that (an )
converges to b.

1
8. Show that the sequence (xn ) defined by x1 = 1, xn+1 = 2+xn converges. Find the limit.

n2
9. Show that the sequence xn = ln(n) diverges.

In questions 10 and 11 use Comparison test, Limit comparison test, Cauchy condensation test,
Cauchy condensation test, , root test etc to check convergence.

10. Determine the convergence or divergence of the following series.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
X cos2 n X 1 X 3 n X 1 X 1
(a). 3/2
(b). 2
(c). (1 − ) (d). (e).
n n(log n) n n log log n log n
n=1 n=2 n=1 √ n=1 n=2
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
X nπ X n X n 2 X 4n (n!)2
(f). sin( ) (g). ( )n (h). (i).
n+1 2n + 1 2n (2n)!
n=1 n=1 n=1 n=1

11. Check whether the following series converge/converge absolutely/diverge.

∞ ∞ √ ∞
X (−1)n X n+1 3 n + 1
X tan−1 n
(a). √ (b). (−1) √ (c). (−1)n
1+ n n+1 1 + n2
n=1 n=1 n=1
X∞
(d). (−1)n sin(1/n)
n=1

Part II
1. Fix  > 0. Check whether the set {n}n∈N is unbounded.

2. Suppose that {n } is a sequence of positive reals converging to 0. Check whether the set
{nn } is bounded.

3. Let {n } is a sequence of positive reals such that the set {nn } is bounded. Check whether
the sequence {n } converges to 0.

4. If {n } is a sequence of positive reals converging to 0, show the following: A real number
r is zero if and only if |r| < n for every n.

5. If {xn } converges to 0, and if {yn } is a bounded sequence show that the sequence {xn yn }
converges to 0.

6. Let p be a polynomial function from R → R. Show that ii {xn } is sequence in R converging

to x then show that the sequence {p(xn )} converges to p(x).

7. Let {xn } be a sequence in R converging to x. Suppose that x 6= 0. Show that

|x|
(a) There exists n0 such that if n > n0 then |xn − x| < 2 .

2
 (b) If n > n0 then show that xn 6= 0.

(c) Show that the sequence { x1n }n>n0 converges to x1 .

8. If {xn } converges to x then show that {|xn |} converges to |x|.

9. Give an example of a sequence which is bounded but not convergent.

P∞ 1
10. Show that the series n=1 n(n+1) is convergent. Compute the value of the sum. Hint:
1 1 1


Observe that n(n+1) = n − n+1

1 1 1 P∞ 1
11. Use the fact that n(n+1) ≤ n2
< n(n−1) to show that n=1 n2 is convergent.

12. If {an } converges to a and {bn } converges to b and if cn = max{an , bn } show that {cn }
converges to max{a, b}.

13. If {xn } is Cauchy show that it is bounded.