Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal
Engineering Mathematics II - MA111
Problem Sheet 1
Sequences
1. Find the limit of the following sequences whose nth term is given by the formula
(−1)n 2n 2n2 + 3
(i) (ii) 2 (iii) 2
n+1 3n + 1 3n + 1
(Ans: (i) 0, (ii) 0, (iii) 2/3).
2. Show that the sequences given in question 1 converges to the corresponding limits by
ϵ − N definition.
3. Discuss the convergence of the sequence ( an ) defined recursively by (i) a1 = 1, an+1 =
an
2 − 3an , n = 1, 2, . . . (ii) a1 = 1 and an+1 = , n = 1, 2, . . ..
1 + an
(Ans: (i) divergent (ii) convergent)
1 2
4. Let a1 = 2, an+1 = ( an + ), n = 1, 2, . . . Show that ( an ) is decreasing and bounded
√ 2 an
below by 2.
5. Find the limit of the sequence
r q
n√ q √ √ o
2, 2 2, 2 2 2, . . . .
Ans: 2.
n 1/n
1 3n + 1
6. Find the limit of (i) an = 1+ (ii) an = .
n 3n − 1
(Ans: (i) e, (ii) e2/3 ).
xn
7. For any real number x, show that converges.
n!
log n
8. Show that → 0 for any c > 0.
nc
9. Give an example of a continuous function f ( x ) and a sequence ( an ) such that f ( an ) con-
verges but ( an ) diverges.
10. Discuss the convergence of
1
sin2 n n! n! √ √
(i) (ii) n n (iii) n (iv) n1/n (v) n − n + 1.
2n 2 3 n
(Ans: (ii) divergent. (i),(ii),(iv),(v) convergent.)
11. Give an example of a sequence ( an ) of positive numbers which converges but the se-
a
quence (bn ) diverges where bn = n+1 .
an
12. Prove that if { an } is a convergent sequence, then to every positive number ϵ there corre-
sponds an integer N such that for all m and n, m > N and n > N ⇒ | am − an | < ϵ.
13. Let a1 = a, a2 = f ( a1 ), a3 = f ( a2 ) = f ( f ( a)), . . . , an+1 = f ( an ), where f is a continuous
function. If limn→∞ an = L, show that f ( L) = L.
14. Prove that if a sequence ( an ) converges to a limit L, then every subsequence of ( an ) also
converges to L.
15. For a sequence ( an ) the terms of even index are denoted by a2k and the terms of odd index
by a2k−1 . Prove that if a2k → L and a2k−1 → L, then an → L.
16. Define the sequences { an } and {bn } as follows:
a n + bn p
0 < b1 < a1 , an+1 = and bn+1 = an bn for n ∈ N.
2
Show that { an } and {bn } both tend to the same limit. This limit is called the arithmetic-
geometric mean of a1 and b1 .
[ x ] + [2x ] + ... + [nx ]
17. Let the sequence ( an ) be defined by an = lim , where x is a real
n→∞ n2
number. Is this sequence convergent? If so, what is the limit? (Ans: x/2)
18. Show that the sequence {(1 + 1/n)n } is a monotone increasing sequence, bounded above.
1
19. Let {bn } be a bounded sequence which satisfies the condition bn+1 ≥ bn − n , n ∈ N.
2
Show that the sequence {bn } is convergent.
20. For c > 2, the sequence { pn } is defined recursively by p1 = c2 , pn+1 = ( pn − c)2 , n > 1.
Show that the sequence ( pn ) strictly increases.
[Hint. By induction, first prove that pn > 2c.]
