Review of Sequences

1. Definition of Convergent sequence xn −→ a iff (∀ϵ > 0)(∃N )(n > N =⇒ |xn − a| < ϵ)

2. The limit of a sequence, if it exists, must be unique. In other words, a sequence cannot
converge to two different limits.

3. Different Types of Divergent Sequences

ˆ xn −→ ∞ iff (∀M > 0)(∃N ∈ I)(n > N =⇒ xn > M )

EX: an = n2
ˆ xn oscillates.
EX: an = sin(nπ/2). an takes the values 1, 0, −1, 0, 1, 0, −1, 0, 1, 0, −1, 0, · · ·.
ˆ The sequence yn = n sin2 (nπ/2) does not diverge to ∞ even though it’s unbounded:

1, 0, 3, 0, 4, 0, 5, 0, · · ·

because it always goes back to zero. It doesn’t stay near ∞. In order for a sequence to
approach a limit, whether finite or infinite, it has to stay there and not oscillate away
from it, like yn does.

4. xn −→ x =⇒ {xn } bounded

5. {xn } bounded =⇒ there exists a subsequence {xnk }k of {xn } such that xnk −→ x as k −→ ∞.
EX: {an = sin(nπ/2)}∞ 1 = {1, 0, −1, 0, 1, 0, −1, 0, · · ·}. This sequence has convergent subse-
quences: {1, 1, 1, · · ·}. The general term of this subsequence is ank = 1, for any k ∈ I. an has
other subsequences of general term equals to 0 and to −1, respectively.

6. Let an = sin n π2 .

ˆ If n is even, then sin 2k π2 = sin kπ = 0.

ˆ If n = 4k + 1, k ≥ 0, then sin(4k + 1) π2 = 1.
ˆ If n = 4k − 1, k ≥ 0, then sin(4k − 1)π/2 = −1.
ˆ So we have constructed three subsequences of sin n π2 , each approaches a different limit.