Solutions to Sequence Assignment
1. Difference between Sequence and Set: A sequence is an ordered list of elements (order matters
and repetitions are allowed). A set is an unordered collection of distinct elements (no repetition,
order does not matter).
2. Recurrence: a_n = n * a_(n-1), a_1 = 1. Compute few terms: a_1=1, a_2=2*a_1=2,
a_3=3*a_2=6, a_4=4*a_3=24. Thus, a_n = n! (factorial).
3. Verify {1/n} → 0: Given ε>0, choose N > 1/ε. For n ≥ N, 1/n < ε. Hence, limit = 0.
4. Verify lim (n^2+1)/(2n^2+3) = 1/2: Divide numerator and denominator by n^2: →
(1+1/n^2)/(2+3/n^2) → 1/2 as n→∞.
5. Sequence {1,-1,1,-1,...} diverges: It oscillates between 1 and -1. No single limit exists. Hence
divergent.
6. Boundedness: (a){(-1)^n} bounded between -1 and 1. (b){-n^2} unbounded below. (c){(-1)^n * n}
unbounded (grows in magnitude).
7. Monotonicity: (a) {n/(n+1)} increasing. (b){1/n} decreasing. (c){1+(-1)^n} not monotonic
(oscillates).
8. Sequence sqrt(2), sqrt(2√2), ... tends to 2: Define x1=√2, x_{n+1}=√(2x_n). Show it's increasing
and bounded above by 2. If limit=L, then L=√(2L)→L^2=2L→L=2.
9. Recurrence a_{n+1}=(2a_n+1)/(a_n+1), a_1=2: If limit=L,
L=(2L+1)/(L+1)→L^2+L=2L+1→L^2-L-1=0→L=(1+√5)/2≈1.618 (golden ratio).
10. lim (2n^2-3n)/(3n^2+5n+3)= Divide by n^2: (2-3/n)/(3+5/n+3/n^2)→2/3.
11. lim 2^{1/n}=1: Take log: ln(L)=lim(ln2)/n=0→L=e^0=1.
12. Sandwich Theorem: (a) |cosn/n| ≤ 1/n→0. (b) 1/(2n)→0. (c) |(-1)^n/n| ≤ 1/n→0.
13. Every convergent sequence is bounded: If lim a_n=L, ∃N s.t. |a_n-L|<1 for n≥N, so |a_n|<|L|+1
for n≥N. First N terms are finite → bounded.
14. x_{n+1}=x_n/2+2, x_1=8: Compute few terms: 8→6→5→4.5→... Monotonic decreasing,
bounded below by 4. If limit=L, L=L/2+2→L=4.
15. x_n= n/(n^3+1)+...+n^2/(n^3+n): Each term ≤ n^2/n^3=1/n. Sum ≤ n/n=1, also positive. So
0≤x_n≤1/n→0. Limit=0.
16. Similar to Q15: an→0 (use same logic).
17. a_n=n^5-[n^5]: [n^5]≤n^5<[n^5]+1→0≤a_n<1. So bounded. As n→∞, fractional part cycles →
not convergent. So FALSE.
18. a_{n+1}=√(2+2a_n), a_1=2: Increasing and bounded. If L,
L=√(2+2L)→L^2=2+2L→L^2-2L-2=0→L=1+√3≈2.732.
19. a_n=(3n+1)/(n+1): Check difference: a_{n+1}-a_n>0 → increasing. Bounded above by 3.
Limit=3.
