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Sequences and Series

This document discusses sequences, which are infinite lists of numbers. It defines sequences, provides notation for sequences, and gives examples of writing out the first few terms of sequences. It then defines convergence of a sequence to a limit and provides rules for determining the limit of sums, products, and quotients of convergent sequences. The document concludes by presenting theorems for determining convergence or divergence of sequences, including the squeeze theorem and theorems involving absolute values, geometric sequences, and even and odd terms.

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lagrangemikhailov
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32 views2 pages

Sequences and Series

This document discusses sequences, which are infinite lists of numbers. It defines sequences, provides notation for sequences, and gives examples of writing out the first few terms of sequences. It then defines convergence of a sequence to a limit and provides rules for determining the limit of sums, products, and quotients of convergent sequences. The document concludes by presenting theorems for determining convergence or divergence of sequences, including the squeeze theorem and theorems involving absolute values, geometric sequences, and even and odd terms.

Uploaded by

lagrangemikhailov
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Series & Sequences

Sequences
A sequence of real numbers is an infinite list of numbers. The numbers on the list are called the terms of the sequence.
1 1 1 1 1
For example, { , , , … , 𝑛 , … } is an infinite sequence whose nth term is 𝑛. If the nth term of a sequence is 𝑎𝑛 , then the
2 4 8 2 2
sequence is often denoted {𝑎𝑛 }.
There is a variety of ways of denoting a sequence. Each of the following are equivalent ways of denoting a sequence.
{a1 , a2 , … , an, an+1, } {an} {an}∞
n=1

Example 1: Write down the first few terms of each of the following sequences.
∞
1 ∞ 𝑛2
a) { } b) { } c) {cos 𝜋𝑛}, 𝑛 ∈ ℕ
𝑛 1 𝑛2 +1 0
n+1 ∞ (−1)n+1 ∞
d) { } e) { } f) {bn}∞ th
n=1 , where bn = n digit ofπ
n2 n=1 2n n=0

You say that the sequence {𝑎𝑛 } converges to L (a finite number) if the terms of the sequence get (and stay) arbitrarily
close to 𝐿 as n gets large. We write lim an = 𝐿.
n→∞

The formal definition is as follows:

The sequence {𝑎𝑛 } converges to 𝐿 if, for every 𝜀 > 0, there exists an integer 𝑁 such that whenever 𝑛 > 𝑁, you have
[𝑎𝑛 − 𝐿] < ε.

Rules for Convergence


Suppose that {𝑎𝑛 }and {𝑏𝑛 } are convergent sequences. Then

1. {𝑐𝑎𝑛 } converges and lim 𝑐𝑎𝑛 = 𝑐 lim 𝑎𝑛 for any constant 𝑐


n→∞ n→∞
2. {𝑎𝑛 ± 𝑏𝑛 } converges and lim (an ± 𝑏𝑛 ) = lim 𝑎𝑛 ± lim 𝑏𝑛
n→∞ n→∞ n→∞
3. {𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑛 } converges and lim (an 𝑏𝑛 ) = ( lim 𝑎𝑛 ) ( lim 𝑏𝑛 )
n→∞ n→∞ n→∞
𝑎𝑛 an lim 𝑎
n→∞ 𝑛
4. { } converges and lim ( ) = , 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑 lim 𝑏𝑛 ≠ 0
𝑏 𝑛 𝑏 n→∞ 𝑛 lim 𝑏 n→∞
n→∞ 𝑛

Limit of a Sequence
If the nth term in the sequence {𝑎𝑛 } is 𝑓(𝑛) for a function 𝑓, which is defined not just on the positive integers but on the
positive ℝ, and if lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 (𝐿 is a finite number), then
x→∞

lim 𝑎𝑛 = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿.


n→∞ x→∞

Some Theorems for Limits of Sequences


Theorem 1 Squeeze Theorem for Sequences
If 𝑎𝑛 ≤ 𝑐𝑛 ≤ 𝑏𝑛 , 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑛 > 𝑁 and 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑏𝑛 = 𝐿, then 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑐𝑛 = 𝐿.
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞

Not all sequences can be written as functions wher=e the limit can be taken. This will be especially true for sequences
that alternate in signs. To find the limit for such functions, the following theorem will be helpful

Theorem 2 If lim |𝑎𝑛 | = 0 then lim 𝑎𝑛 = 0.


n→∞ n→∞

Theorem 3 The sequence {𝑟 𝑛 }∞


𝑛=0 converges if −1 < 𝑟 ≤ 1 and diverges for all other values of r. also,
0 𝑖𝑓 − 1 < 𝑟 < 1
lim 𝑟 𝑛 = { .
n→∞ 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑟 = 1

Example 2 Determine if the following sequences converge or diverge. If the sequence converges determine its limit.
3 ∞ ∞ (−1)𝑛 ∞
𝑒𝑛
a. { } d. { } g. { }
𝑛 1 𝑛 1 𝑛 𝑛=1
∞ ∞
b. { 2 }
𝑥2 3𝑛2 −1 h. {(−1)𝑛 }∞
𝑛=0
e. { }
𝑥 +1 0 10𝑛+5𝑛2 𝑛=2 i. {sin 𝜋𝑛}, 𝑛 ∈ ℤ
ln𝑛 ∞ 𝑒 2𝑛
∞
c. { 𝑛
} f. { }
1 𝑛 𝑛=1

Theorem 4 For the sequence {𝒂𝒏} if both lim 𝑎2𝑛 = 𝐿 and lim 𝑎2𝑛+1 = 𝐿, then {𝑎𝑛 } is convergent and lim 𝑎𝑛 = 𝐿.
n→∞ n→∞ n→∞

Practice Problems

For 1 & 2, list the first five terms of the sequence.

𝟒𝒏 ∞
1. { 𝟐 }
𝒏 −𝟕 𝒏=𝟎
∞
(−𝟏)𝒏+𝟏
2. { }
𝟐𝒏+(−𝟑)𝒏 𝒏=𝟐

For problems 3-6, determine if the given sequence converges or diverges. If it converges what is its limit?

∞
𝒏𝟐 −𝟕𝒏+𝟑
3. { 𝟐 }
−𝟒𝒏 +𝟏𝟎𝒏+𝟏 𝒏=𝟑
∞
(−𝟏)𝒏−𝟐 𝒏𝟐
4. { }
𝟒+𝒏𝟑 𝒏=𝟑
∞
𝒆𝟓𝒏
5. { 𝟐𝒏 }
𝟑−𝒆 𝒏=𝟏
ln(𝑛+2) ∞
6. { }
𝒍𝒏 (𝟏+𝟒𝒏) 𝒏=𝟏

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