Interchanging of Limit and Basic Properties of Functions

Aye Pyone1, Myat Tha Zin Hlaing2, Nyein Moh Moh Naing3
Abstract: The difference between pointwise and uniform convergences of sequences of real-valued
functions is discussed and these are illustrated by some examples. It is shown that if the convergence is
uniform then each function in the sequence preserves some basic properties such as order of limits,
continuity, integrability and differentiability.

Keywords: sequence, limit, pointwise convergence, uniform convergence

0. Introduction
In mathematics, a sequence is a succession of numbers whose order is determined
by a formula or a function. For instance, 1,1/2,1/3,1/4,…,1/n,1/(n +1),… is a sequence
of real numbers with nth term is 1/n. We rewrite it by a formula

In function notation, let and let A

sequence is a function defined by In real analysis, the limit is a

basic idea of many important ideas. If a sequence has a finite limit then it converges.
Otherwise, it diverges. Some results of sequences of real or complex numbers and
sequences of functions on a set are discussed in [2]. In [1], it is considered sequences of
functions whose domain is in the set of real numbers. The results are same. There are
two convergences of sequences, namely, pointwise and uniform convergences. In this
paper, if the convergence of a sequence of functions is uniform then each function in
sequence preserves basic properties such as continuity, order of limit, interchange of
limit and integrability, and interchange of limit and differentiability. Studying
sequences of functions on a subset of the set of all real numbers is abstract subject. In
other words, study of this case is theoretical ways. It is difficult to understand.
Geometrical ways provide to understand algebraic ways. So, sequences are illustrated
by graphs. These graphs are drawn by Maple 2020 software and online latex equation
editor software: Latex4technics.
1. Sequence of Real Numbers

Let be the set of all natural numbers. A sequence is real-valued function on

That is, with values called terms of the sequence. The value
denote the nth term of a sequence. It writes instead of simply. For
example, with . It usually uses lowercase letters to represent a

sequence. A sequence is represented by writing or simply as if n begins

with 1.
1.1 Definition A sequence converges to a real number L if for every there
exists a positive integer N such that if
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_______________________________
1
Professor, 2 Lecturer, 3 Tutor, Department of Mathematics, University of Mandalay

L is called the limit of the sequence and write

In other words, if there are infinitely many terms of with

such that the absolute value of the difference of and L is less than except the finite

terms of This definition is illustrated geometrically in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.2. Graph of for

Figure 1.1. Graph of a sequence

1.2 Example Consider the sequence where Pick Then find

N and L such that if The limit of is 1 by Figure 1.2. Thus

pick and write

But if Therefore, if then Hence if

that is, then

Observe that if L is different from 1, one can show that there exists a positive

integer N such that if then To illustrate this, choose

Then for all

This process is not adequate to prove the convergence of Now we prove by

using Definition 1.1.
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To complete the proof, it needs to find N such that if then To

find this N, write

Since it is wanted consider Hence Therefore, pick

for all and so

1.3 Definition If for all real numbers L, does not converge to L, then
diverges.

To show a given sequence is divergent one must show that if there exists an

such that for every positive integer N there is an with

1.4 Example It will show that the sequence , where diverges. In fact, it

must prove that for any real number L. Let It must show that for all

there exists such that Then, write

But if Therefore, if then

Now let us recall a result without proof.
1.5 Theorem A convergent sequence of real numbers has uniquely limit.

1.6 Definition Suppose that a function , with Then f is continuous at

a point if and only if for any there exists such that if and

imply
f is continuous on D if f is continuous at every point of D.
The main difference between these definitions and the definition of continuous in
calculus text is that D is assumed to be an interval I. Thus every value of I is an
accumulation point of I. If D is an interval, it reduces Definition 1.6 to the statement
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that f is continuous at a if and only if Observe that

means not only a is accumulation point of the domain D but also,

is finite and equals to

Let us recall the two results of Riemann integral without proof. (a) Every

continuous functions on is Riemann integrable. (b) Let be Riemann

integrable and define by Then if f is continuous at

then F is differentiable at and

2. Pointwise Convergence
There are two types of convergence of sequences. In this section, pointwise
convergences of sequences of functions are discussed.

2.1 Definition Let and for each n. A sequence of functions

converges pointwise on D to a function f, if and only if for each the

sequence of real numbers converges to a real number

The function f is called the pointwise limit function.

2.2 Remark (a) If f is the pointwise limit function for a sequence then

for all

(b) By Definition 1.1, for all if and only if for each and

there exists a positive integer N such that if then This

limit is called the pointwise limit since the integer N depends only on the value of and

location of

(c) By Theorem 1.6, if a sequence of functions converges pointwise, then the

pointwise limit is unique.
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(d) Pointwise convergence for a sequence of functions can be tested visually using

a vertical line test. It can be drawn a vertical line for any fixed for the

sequence of functions The sequence converges pointwise if the distance

between the points and must tend to 0 as n tends to

(a) (b)

Figure 2.1(a) Graph of for (b) Pointwise limit function of

2.3 Example Consider a sequence of functions where defined by

From Figure 2.1(a) the sequence of functions converges to the function

Now a proof will implement by Definition 2.1. If then for each n

and so the sequence converges to 0. If then for each n and so the
sequence converges to 1. Now assume that and it must show that

That is, for all To end this let be given

and choose It must find a positive integer N such that if then

Choose is a negative number). Then, if

then

If each of the functions are continuous on D, then by Definition 1.6

for any . In Example 2.3, each is continuous from Figure

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2.1(a). But, the pointwise limit function f is not continuous at (see Figure 2.1(b)).

Thus, That is,

2.4 Example The pointwise limit function of a sequence where is

defined by is the zero function on because

That is, the pointwise limit function is f where is defined by

Now it is proved formally. Let be given and Then we write

Hence, if and we have Thus, for all

Figure 2.2 Graph of Figure 2.3 Graph of

2.5 Remark (a) Functions in Example 2.4 are illustrated in Figure 2.2. The highlighted

curve is the pointwise limit function Each function and f are continuous,
differentiable, integrable and bounded.

(b) In Example 2.3, N depends on and But not in Example 2.4, because
it can write

if . Therefore, choose Then, if the desired inequality is

obtained. It will discuss this case in Section 3.
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(c) Finding the limit function is not always easy. Different values of in the domain D
for a sequence of functions gives in different limiting values.

2.6 Example Let be defined by for each n(see Figure

2.3). It will find the pointwise function. for all n. If then
Thus and so

Thus, where is defined by for all

Hence converges pointwise to f on Observe that

and

Hence
Example 2.6 shows that it cannot interchange a limit and an integral in general.
That is,

In Section 3, it will give a condition such that the unequal equation is equal.

2.7 Definition Let for each n. Then the sequence diverges on D if and

only if there is a point such that the sequence diverges.

2.8 Example (i) Let be defined by for each n. Then the

sequence has not a pointwise limit since there is such that the sequence

diverges (see Figure 2.4(a)).

(ii) Let be defined by (see Figure 2.4(b)). Then the

sequence is unbounded but does not converge pointwise.

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Figure 2.4(a) Graph of (b) Graph of for and even

for

Note that a sequence diverges if it is unbounded or it is oscillating.

The symbol stands to produce a sequence of real numbers along a

vertical line at x. The symbol stands to produce a sequence of real numbers

where exists along horizontal line.

3. Uniform Convergence

It had seen that pointwise limit of a sequence does not preserve basic
properties of functions such as order of limits, interchange of limit and integration. It
will now define a condition that preserves such properties. It is uniform convergence.

3.1 Definition Let each function with A sequence of functions

converges uniformly to a function f where if for every there exists a

positive integer N such that if then for all Such a

function f is called the uniform limit of

3.2 Remark (a) The pointwise limit must exist for the uniform limit. If the uniform
limit exists, it must be equal to the pointwise limit.

(b) The curves of functions for exist between the two curves of the functions

and for every (see Figure 3.1).

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Figure 3.1. Uniform convergence of a sequence

3.3 Example Let be defined by for each n. Then the

sequence converges uniformly (see Figure 2.2). It can be seen that the pointwise
limit function is the zero function. To show that the convergence is uniform let be
given. Choose Then if

Hence the pointwise limit is the uniform limit.

3.4 Example It determines whether the pointwise limit of the sequence , where
is uniform on the interval (i) (ii) and (iii) with It
was found that the pointwise limit function is

in Figure 2.1(b).

(a) (b) (c)

Fingure 3.2. Graph of for

(i) In Figure 3.2(a), the pointwise limit function is the highlighted, the curves

and are dotted lines. If then all curves of lie in the two curves and

If all functions leave from the line to get to 1. Therefore, does

not converge uniformly to f. The formal proof will be seen in Example 3.6.
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(ii) In Figure 3.2(b), the pointwise limit function is the highlighted, all curves of

does not contain the point If then all curves of leave from the line

to get to 1. Thus, the convergence does not uniform.

(iii) In Figure 3.2(c), taking domain of all functions on is dropping the

points such that the convergence does not uniform. Thus, for any write

But is is a negative number. Therefore, if

then for all and Hence,

converges uniformly to f where is defined by

3.5 Remark There are several ways to verify that a sequence of functions where

with , does not converge uniformly:

(a) One must show that there is a sequence has no a pointwise limit.

(b) One must show that for the pointwise limit function there exists

such that given any there exists and such that

(c) One must show that if f is a pointwise limit, there exists and a sequence

in D such that

(d) One must show that the sequence does not converge uniformly to its

pointwise limit if and only if the sequence with does not

converge to zero.

(e) One must show that each function is continuous on D but the pointwise limit
function f is not continuous.

(f) One must show that the sequence does not satisfy the Cauchy criterion
(Theorem 3.7).
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3.6 Example (i) The sequence in Example 2.8(a) does not converge uniform since

does not converge pointwise limit at by Remark 3.5(a).

(ii) The sequence of functions in Example 2.4 with domain on for each n

does not converge uniformly since there is a point such that by

Remark 3.5(b).

(iii) By Remark 3.5(c), the sequence in Example 2.3 does not converge

uniformly since there is a sequence in such that

(iv)The sequence in Example 2.3 does not converge uniformly since

by Remark 3.5(d).

(v) The sequence in Example 2.3 does not converge uniformly since the

pointwise limit function does not continuous on by Remark 3.5(e).

(vi)The sequence in Example 2.3 does not converge uniformly since there is
a positive integer N such that if

by Remark 3.5(e).
It will now state the Cauchy criterion for uniform convergence without proof.

3.7 Theorem (Cauchy Criterion) Let be a sequence of functions on D with .

Then converges uniformly if and only if for every there is a positive number
N such that if

for all
4. Properties of Uniform Convergence
In this section it is verified that the uniform limit preserves continuity,
integrability, and differentiability in the sequence of functions.

4.1Theorem If is a sequence of continuous functions that converges uniformly to a

function f on , then f is continuous on D.

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Proof. Let be given. Since the sequence converges uniformly, there is a

positive integer N such that if and for all To show f is

continuous on D let be an arbitrary point. Since each is continuous on D,

each is continuous at Thus there exists such that if and

then Therefore, if and then

Hence f is continuous on D. 

4.2Theorem If is a sequence of continuous functions that converges uniformly to a

function f on an interval then

(4.1)

Proof. By Theorem 4.1, f is continuous on . Thus the function f, and are

Riemann integrable on . To prove (4.1) Let be given. Since the sequence
converges uniformly, there is a positive integer N such that if for all

Thus,

and so

4.3 Theorem If a sequence of continuous differentiable functions that converges

pointwise to a function f on an interval , and the sequence converges

uniformly to a function g on , then f is continuously differentiable and

Proof. By the fundamental theorem of calculus,

for any Now,

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the last second equality follows from Theorem 4.2. Since each are continuous, the
function g must be continuous by Theorem 4.1. By the result of Riemann integral (b),

is differentiable. So, differentiating on both sides of the equality above gives

4.4Theorem Suppose that is a sequence of functions that are differentiable on

an interval such that the sequence converges at some point

If the sequence converges uniformly to a function g on , then

must converge uniformly to a function f on , where

Proof. Let be given. Since converges and converges uniformly,

there is a positive integer N such that if implies

and
for all For any fixed we apply the mean value theorem to the
function Thus, for any there exists such that

(4.2)
Then

for So, by Cauchy criterion, converges uniformly on to, say, f.

Thus,

Next, it must prove that f is differentiable and for each

To end this, choose, any Define

and
for all and Then
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and
for each Replacing x by t and y by c in (4.2) gives

for each Therefore, by Cauchy criterion, converges uniformly to h

on Thus, by Theorem 4.2,

Hence,


5. Conclusion
Convergences of sequences of functions are in the abstract subject. It is not easy
to understand the definition and theorems. So, geometric examples illuminate to clear
this case. It is not easy to draw graphs of functions in a given sequence by hand. These
graphs plot using Computer Algebra Systems such as Maple 2020 software. This
software is easy to use. LateX4technics produces graphs to clear. The geometrical view
motivates us to prove theorems and solve problems by the algebraic method. These
studies will serve as applications of Maple in mathematics education. So, this paper
explores how to use geometric examples in proving theorems.
Acknowledgements
We are deeply grateful to Professor Dr. Ko Ko Lwin, Head of the Department, and all our
colleagues in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Mandalay for their comments and
suggestions. Finally, we thank our parents, sisters, and brothers for their support throughout our life.
References
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[2] Rundin, W., (1976), "Principles of Mathematical Analysis", Third Edit., New York, McFraw-Hill
Inc.
[3] http://www.bu.edu>2013/08>tikzpgfmanual," TikZ and PGF"
[4 ] http://www. latex4technics.com,"LateX4technics"