Infinite Sequences

A sequence of real numbers is a function 𝑓(𝑛), whose domain is the set of positive integers. The values 𝑎𝑛 =
𝑓(𝑛) taken by the function are called the terms of the sequence.
The set of values 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑓(𝑛) is denoted by {𝑎𝑛 }.
• A sequence {𝑎𝑛 } has the limit 𝐿 if for every 𝜀 > 0 there exists an integer 𝑁 > 0 such that if 𝑛 ≥
𝑁, then |𝑎𝑛 − 𝐿| ≤ 𝜀. In this case we write:
lim 𝑎𝑛 = 𝐿.
𝑛→∞
• The sequence {𝑎𝑛 } has the limit ∞ if for every positive number 𝑀 there is an integer 𝑁 > 0 such that
if 𝑛 ≥ 𝑁 then 𝑎𝑛 > 𝑀. In this case we write
lim 𝑎𝑛 = ∞.
𝑛→∞
If the limit lim 𝑎𝑛 = 𝐿 exists and 𝐿 is finite, we say that the sequence converges. Otherwise the
𝑛→∞
sequence diverges.
Example : Write a formula for the nth term of an of the sequence and determine its limit (if it exists).
1 2 3 4 5
, , , , ,…
3 4 5 6 7
𝑛
Here 𝑎𝑛 = . Then the limit is
𝑛+2

𝑛 𝑛+2−2 2
lim = lim = lim 1 − = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 2 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 2 𝑛→∞ 𝑛+2
Thus, the sequence converges to 1.
𝑛2
Example : Does the sequence converge or diverge?
2𝑛
As L’Hospital’s rule yields
𝑛2 2𝑛 2
lim = lim 𝑛 = lim 𝑛 2 = 0.
𝑛→∞ 2𝑛 𝑛→∞ 2 𝑙𝑛2 𝑛→∞ 2 ln 2
Since the limit is finite, the given sequence converges.
Squeezing Theorem.
Suppose that lim 𝑎𝑛 = lim 𝑏𝑛 = 𝐿 and {𝑐𝑛 } is a sequence such that 𝑎𝑛 ≤ 𝑐𝑛 ≤ 𝑏𝑛 for all 𝑛 > 𝑁, where 𝑁 is
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞
a positive integer. Then
lim 𝑐𝑛 = 𝐿.
𝑛→∞
Example: Write a formula for the nth term of an of the sequence and determine its limit (if it exists).
2 3 4 5
1, − , , − , , …
2 4 8 16
−1 𝑛−1 𝑛
We easily can see that 𝑛th term of the sequence is given by the formula 𝑎𝑛 = . Since −𝑛 ≤
2𝑛−1
−1 𝑛−1 𝑛 ≤ 𝑛, we can write:
𝑛 −1 𝑛−1 𝑛 𝑛
− 𝑛−1 ≤ ≤ 𝑛−1 .
2 2𝑛−1 2ถ
𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑛 𝑏𝑛
𝑛 𝑛
Since lim 𝑎𝑛 = lim − = 0, lim 𝑏𝑛 = lim = 0,
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 2𝑛−1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 2𝑛−1
−1 𝑛−1 𝑛
lim 𝑐𝑛 = lim = 0.
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 2𝑛−1
Example: Determine the limit (if it exists) of the sequence

𝑛
𝑎𝑛 = 2 + 2−𝑛 .
Since 2 < 2 + 2−𝑛 ≤ 3, we can write:

𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
ด2 ≤ 2 + 2−𝑛 ≤ ด3 .
𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑛 𝑏𝑛
1 1
lim 𝑎𝑛 = lim 2 = 1, lim 𝑏𝑛 = lim 3 = 1, then
𝑛 𝑛
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞

𝑛
lim 𝑐𝑛 = lim 2 + 2−𝑛 = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞
Example: Determine the limit (if it exists) of the sequence
1 1 1
𝑎𝑛 = + +⋯ .
1+𝑛 2 2+𝑛 2 𝑛+𝑛 2

Since
1 1 1 1
< ,⋯, <
2+𝑛 2 1+𝑛 2 𝑛+𝑛 2 1 + 𝑛2
and
1 1 1 1
< ,⋯, <
𝑛 + 𝑛2 1 + 𝑛2 𝑛 + 𝑛2 𝑛 − 1 + 𝑛2

we can write:
𝑛 1 1 1 𝑛
≤ + +⋯ ≤ .
𝑛+ 𝑛2 1+ 𝑛2 2+ 𝑛2 𝑛+ 𝑛2 1+ 𝑛2
𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑛 𝑏𝑛
𝑛 𝑛
lim 𝑎𝑛 = lim = 1, lim 𝑏𝑛 = lim = 1, then
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 𝑛+𝑛2 𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 1+𝑛2

1 1 1
lim 𝑐𝑛 = lim + +⋯ = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 1+ 𝑛2 2+ 𝑛2 𝑛+ 𝑛2
Definition: The sequence {𝑎𝑛 } is bounded if there is a number 𝑀 > 0 such that |𝑎𝑛 | ≤ 𝑀 for every positive 𝑛.

Theorem: Every convergent sequence is bounded.

Remark: The reverse of this theorem is not always true.

Example: Let consider the sequence 𝑎𝑛 = { −1 𝑛 }. Easy to seen that

• If 𝑛 is even 𝑎𝑛 = {1} and
lim 𝑎𝑛 = 1.
𝑛→∞

• If 𝑛 is odd 𝑎𝑛 = {−1} and

lim 𝑎𝑛 = −1.
𝑛→∞
This is a contradiction. If the limit exists, it must be unique.
Definition: The sequence {𝑎𝑛 } is monotone increasing if 𝑎𝑛 ≤ 𝑎𝑛+1 for every 𝑛 ≥ 1. Similarly, the
sequence {𝑎𝑛 } is called monotone decreasing if 𝑎𝑛 ≥ 𝑎𝑛+1 for every 𝑛 ≥ 1. The sequence {𝑎𝑛 } is
called monotonic if it is either monotone increasing or monotone decreasing.
5𝑛−7
Example: Determine whether the sequence is increasing, decreasing, or neither.
3𝑛+4
The (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ term of the sequence is given by the formula

5 𝑛 + 1 − 7 5𝑛 − 2
𝑎𝑛+1 = = .
3 𝑛 + 1 + 4 3𝑛 + 7
Check the inequality 𝑎𝑛 ≤ 𝑎𝑛+1 :

5𝑛 − 7 5𝑛 − 2 5𝑛 − 7 5𝑛 − 2 41
≤ ,⇒ − ≤ 0, ⇒ − ≤ 0.
3𝑛 + 4 3𝑛 + 7 3𝑛 + 4 3𝑛 + 7 3𝑛 + 4 3𝑛 + 7
The last inequality is obvious, since the numerator is negative and 3𝑛 + 4 ≥ 0 and 3𝑛 + 7 ≥ 0 for 𝑛 ≥
1. Therefore, this sequence is increasing.
 2𝑛 +3
Example: Determine whether the sequence is increasing, decreasing, or not monotonic.
2𝑛 +1
We have
2𝑛 + 3 2𝑛+1 + 3
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑛 , 𝑎𝑛+1 = 𝑛+1 .
2 +1 2 +1
𝑎𝑛
Then the condition implies that
𝑎𝑛+1

2𝑛 + 3 𝑛 + 3 2𝑛+1 + 1 𝑛 2𝑛+1 + 3 ⋅ 2𝑛+1 + 2𝑛 + 3

𝑛
2 +1 = 2 2
= 𝑛 𝑛+1 ≥ 1.
2𝑛+1 + 3 2𝑛 + 1 2𝑛+1 + 3 2 2 + 3 ⋅ 2𝑛 + 2𝑛+1 + 3
2𝑛+1 + 1
𝑎𝑛
Hence ≥ 1, i.e.
𝑎𝑛+1
𝑎𝑛 ≥ 𝑎𝑛+1 .
We can conclude that the sequence is decreasing.
Theorem: If {𝑎𝑛 } is bounded and monotonic then {𝑎𝑛 } is convergent.
Example: Consider the sequence recursively defined by the conditions
𝑎𝑛−1 + 1
𝑎1 = 7 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛 ≥ 2 .
4
This sequence is bounded below by zero, since all terms are positive.
Now let us chek the monotonicity.
Claim 𝑎𝑛+1 < 𝑎𝑛 for all 𝑛 ≥ 1. We will use induction.
7+1
• For 𝑛 = 1, we have 𝑎2 = = 2 < 7 = 𝑎1 .
4
• Suppose that 𝑎𝑘+1 < 𝑎𝑘 for some 𝑘 ≥ 1. We want to show that 𝑎𝑘+2 < 𝑎𝑘+1 . This is true, because

𝑎𝑘+1 + 1 𝑎𝑘 + 1
𝑎𝑘+1 < 𝑎𝑘 ⇒ 𝑎𝑘+1 + 1 < 𝑎𝑘 + 1 ⇒ 𝑎𝑘+2 = < = 𝑎𝑘+1 .
4 4

Finally, since the sequences is bounded from below and decreasing, it is convergent
 2𝑛 ∞
Example: Determine whether the sequence 𝑎𝑛 ∞
𝑛=1 = convergent or divergent.
𝑛! 𝑛=1
𝑎𝑛 > 0 for all 𝑛 ≥ 1, i.e. bounded below by zero.
Now let us chek the monotonicity.

2𝑛
𝑎𝑛 𝑛! 2𝑛 𝑛 + 1 ! 𝑛 + 1
= = = ≥ 1.
𝑎𝑛+1 2𝑛+1 2𝑛+1 𝑛! 2
𝑛+1 !

Hence
𝑎𝑛
≥ 1, 𝑖. 𝑒. 𝑎𝑛 ≥ 𝑎𝑛+1 .
𝑎𝑛+1

Since the sequences is bounded from below and decreasing, it is convergent

 𝑛 1 ∞
Example: Determine whether the sequence 𝑎𝑛 ∞
𝑛=1 = σ𝑘=1 convergent or divergent.
𝑛 𝑛+𝑘 𝑛=1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 𝑛
෍ = + + ⋯+ < + + ⋯+ = <1
𝑛+𝑘 𝑛+1 𝑛+2 2𝑛 𝑛 + 1 𝑛 + 1 𝑛+1 𝑛+1
𝑘=1
𝑎𝑛 < 1 for all 𝑛 ≥ 1, i.e. bounded above by one.
Now let us chek the monotonicity.
𝑛+1 𝑛
1 1
𝑎𝑛+1 − 𝑎𝑛 = ෍ −෍
𝑛+1+𝑘 𝑛+𝑘
𝑘=1 𝑘=1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
= + + ⋯+ + + − + + ⋯+
𝑛+2 𝑛+3 2𝑛 2𝑛 + 1 2𝑛 + 2 𝑛+1 𝑛+2 2𝑛

1 1 1 1 1
= + − = − >0
2𝑛 + 1 2𝑛 + 2 𝑛 + 1 2𝑛 + 1 2𝑛 + 2

Hence
𝑎𝑛+1 − 𝑎𝑛 > 0 𝑖. 𝑒. 𝑎𝑛+1 ≥ 𝑎𝑛 .

Since the sequences is bounded from above and increasing, it is convergent.