Subsequences and the Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem

Definition:

Let x n  be a sequence of real numbers and let n k  ( n1  n 2   nk  ) be a strictly

increasing sequence of natural numbers. Then the sequence x n k  is called a subsequence of x n  .

Remark:

From the above definition, we see that the subsequence is the result of dispensing about some terms
of the sequence x n  and renumbering the remaining terms without previous evacuation order.

Examples:

1. The sequence x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , is subsequence of the sequence x n  , because if we set

n k = k + 3 , then n1  n 2   nk  . Thus x n k  is subsequence of the sequence x n  .
1 1 1 1 1
2. The sequence , , , , , is subsequence of the sequence   , because if we set
2 4 6 2k n 
1
n k = 2k , then n1  n 2   n k  . Thus x n k  is subsequence of the sequence   .
n 
1 1 1 1 1
3. The sequence , , , , is subsequence of the sequence   , because if we set
,
1 3 5 2k − 1 n 
1
n k = 2k − 1 , then n1  n 2   n k  . Thus x n k  is subsequence of the sequence   .
n 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4. The sequences , , , , , , , and , 0, , 0, , are not subsequences of the sequence
2 1 4 3 6 5 1 3 5
1
 .
n 

Remark:

From the condition n1  n 2   nk  , we have

n k  k for all k  .

Theorem:

If a sequence x n  of real numbers converges to a real number x , then any subsequence x n k 

also converges to x .

Proof:

Let   0 be given. Since x n → x , then there exists N  such that

n  N  | x n − x |  .

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Since n k  k for all k  , then if k  N , we have

n k  N  | x nk − x |  ,

that is x n k → x .

Theorem:

Let x n  be a convergent sequence of real numbers. If the subsequence x n k  converges to x ,

then lim x n = x .
n →

Proof:

Suppose that x n → y . Then x n k → y . Since x n k → x and the limit is unique, then x = y . Thus
lim x n = x .
n →

Theorem: (Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem)

A bounded sequence of real numbers has a convergent subsequence.

Cauchy sequence:

Definition:

A sequence x n  of real numbers is said to be a Cauchy sequence if for every   0 , there exists a
natural number N = N ( ) such that

n , m  N  | x n − x m |  .

Example:

1
Prove that the sequence   is Cauchy sequence.
n 

Proof:

2 1 
Let   0 be given. Then there exists N  such that   . Then  . If
N N 2
1 1 1 1 1  1 
n, m  N   ,    ,  ,
n N m N n 2 m 2

1 1 1 1   1 1 1
then −  +  + =  . This means that n , m  N  | − |  . Then   is
n m n m 2 2 n m n 
Cauchy sequence.
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Example:

Prove that the sequence 1 + (−1) n  is not Cauchy sequence.

Proof:

The sequence x n  is not Cauchy sequence if there exists  0  0 such that for every N  there
exists at least one n , m  N such that | x n − x m |  0 .

Let x n := 1 + (−1) n . Then if n is even, then x n = 2 and x n +1 = 0 . Thus

| x n − x n +1 |=| 2 − 0 |= 2 . If we take m = n + 1 and  0 = 2 , then | x n − x m |=  0 . Then 1 + (−1) n  is

not Cauchy sequence.

Theorem:

If x n  is a convergent sequence of real numbers, then x n  is a Cauchy sequence.

Proof:

Since

| x n − x m |=| (x n − x ) + (x − x m ) || x n − x | + | x − x m | .

If lim x n = x , then for every   0 , there exists a natural number N = N ( ) such that
n →


n  N  | x n − x | .
2

Thus n , m  N  | x n − x m || x n − x | + | x − x m |  / 2 +  / 2 =  and so x n  is a Cauchy

sequence.

Theorem:

A Cauchy sequence of real numbers is bounded.

Proof:

Suppose that x n  is a Cauchy sequence and let  = 1 . Then there exists N  such that

n  N  | x n − x N | 1 .

If we apply the Triangle Inequality with n  N we obtain

| x n |=| x n − x N + x N || x n − x N | + | x N | 1+ | x N | .

If we set
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 M := max | x 1 |,| x 2 |, ,| x N −1 |,1+ | x N | ,

Then it follows that | x n | M for all n  .

Theorem:

A sequence of real numbers is convergent if and only if it is a Cauchy sequence.

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