IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS OF CHAPTER 5, THE REAL NUMBERS,

ANALYSIS 1, TERENCE TAO

DEF 1
(ε – steadiness for a sequence)
Let ε>0. (Here ε is a fixed rational number with the property)
A sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞ 𝑛=0 is said to be ε – steady, if and only if, each pair 𝑎𝑗 , 𝑎𝑘 of the sequence, is ε close
for every natural number j, k. OR
For a fixed rational ε > 0,
ⅆ(𝑎𝑗 , 𝑎𝑘 ) ≤ 𝜀 , for all j, k, i.e, all values of ⅈ, 𝑗 ∈ ℕ
DEF 2
(Eventually ε steadiness for a sequence)
Let ε > 0. (In this case also or ε is fixed known quantity with the property)
A sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞ 𝑛=0 is said to be eventually ε steady, if and only if, the new sequence 𝑎𝑁 ,
𝑎𝑁+1 , 𝑎𝑁+2 , 𝑎𝑁+3 , … …. is ε steady for some natural number 𝑵 ≥ 𝟎. OR
The sequence, (𝑎𝑛 )∞ 𝑛=0 ,
𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … … 𝑎𝑁 , 𝑎𝑁+1 , 𝑎𝑁+2 , 𝑎𝑁+3 , … … ..
Is eventually ε steady, if and only if, there exists some natural number 𝑵 ≥ 𝟎, corresponding to the
given ε,

ⅆ(𝑎𝑗 , 𝑎𝑘 ) ≤ 𝜀 , for all 𝑗, 𝑘 ≥ 𝑁

a) The point to be noted here is that the value of ε is being chosen.
b) And accordingly, we should look for the corresponding N.
c) This definition is different from the one given above (DEF 1) only in one way, this definition
allows us to eliminate some of the elements of the sequence, and look for such an N such that
the sub sequence,
𝑎𝑁 , 𝑎𝑁+1 , 𝑎𝑁+2 , 𝑎𝑁+3 , … … ..
Is now ε steady, for all i, j >N, where 𝑁 ∈ ℕ.
DEF 3
(Cauchy Sequence)
A sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞ 𝑛=0 of rational numbers is said to a Cauchy sequence, if and only if, for every rational
ε > 0, the sequence (𝒂𝒏 )∞𝒏=𝟎 is eventually ε steady. OR
For the sequence,
𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … … 𝑎𝑁 , 𝑎𝑁+1 , 𝑎𝑁+2 , 𝑎𝑁+3 , … … ..
to be a Cauchy sequence, we must have
For every ε > 0,
There must exist the corresponding N >0, such that

ⅆ(𝑎𝑗 , 𝑎𝑘 ) ≤ 𝜀 for all 𝑗, 𝑘 ≥ 𝑁

a) The most important point is that, now our ε is not fixed, rather it takes all rational values.
b) And for each of the values of ε, there must exist a corresponding N>0, or the sequence will
not be called a Cauchy Sequence. That is, if the sequence is a Cauchy Sequence, then we are
always able to produce such an N, corresponding to a given value of ε.
DEF 4
(Bounded Sequences)
Let 𝑀 ≥ 0 be rational.
A finite sequence,
𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … … 𝑎𝑛
is bounded by M if and only if,
|𝑎𝑗 | ≤ 𝑀 for all 1 ≤ 𝑗 ≤ 𝑛.
A infinite sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞
𝑛=1 ,
𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … …
is bounded by M if and only if,
|𝑎𝑗 | ≤ 𝑀 for all 1 ≤ 𝑗
A sequence is said to be bounded iff it is bounded by M for some rational 𝑀 ≥ 0.

DEF 5
(ε close sequences)
Let (𝑎𝑛 )∞ ∞
𝑛=0 and (𝑏𝑛 )𝑛=0 be two sequences, and let ε > 0. (Here ε is fixed)
We say that the sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞ ∞
𝑛=0 is ε close to (𝑏𝑛 )𝑛=0 if and only if, 𝒂𝒏 is ε close to 𝒃𝒏 for each
𝒏 ∈ ℕ. OR

The sequence
𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … …
is ε close to the sequence
𝑏0 , 𝑏1 , 𝑏2 , 𝑏3 , … …
If and only if |𝑎𝑛 − 𝑏𝑛 | ≤ 𝜀 for all n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ………

a) This definition is just an extension of DEF 1, for the sequences, concerned about
all 𝑐𝑗 = ⅆ(𝑎𝑗 , 𝑏𝑗 ) = |𝑎𝑗 − 𝑏𝑗 |, where 0 ≤ 𝑗.

DEF 6
(Eventually ε close sequences)
Let (𝑎𝑛 )∞ ∞
𝑛=0 and (𝑏𝑛 )𝑛=0 be two sequences, and let ε > 0. ( In this case also or ε is fixed known
quantity with the property)
We say that the sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞ ∞
𝑛=0 is eventually ε close to (𝑏𝑛 )𝑛=0 if and only if there exists an
𝑵 ≥ 𝟎, (corresponding to the given value of ε), such that the sequences (𝑎𝑛 )∞ ∞
𝑛=0 and (𝑏𝑛 )𝑛=0 are
ε close. OR
The sequence,
𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … …
is eventually ε closed to
𝑏0 , 𝑏1 , 𝑏2 , 𝑏3 , … …
If and only if there exists an 𝑁 ≥ 0 (which corresponds to ε) such that |𝑎𝑛 − 𝑏𝑛 | ≤ 𝜀 for all n>N.

a) This definition is just an extension of DEF 2, for the sequences, concerned

about all 𝑐𝑗 = ⅆ(𝑎𝑗 , 𝑏𝑗 ) = |𝑎𝑗 − 𝑏𝑗 |, where 𝑁 ≤ 𝑗.
b) Now, it can be seen that N is common to both of the sequences. Say if the
sequence (𝑎𝑛 )∞ 𝑛=0 becomes eventually ε close for the given ε, say 𝜀 = 𝜀0 ,
and the corresponding value of N is, say 𝑁1 .
 And the sequence (𝑏𝑛 )∞ 𝑛=0 also becomes eventually ε close for 𝜀 = 𝜀0 , and
the corresponding value of N is, say 𝑁2 , in this case.
c) So we must select the value of 𝑁 to be 𝑚𝑎𝑥(𝑁1 , 𝑁2 ) for the above definition
to be valid, and it is also common to both.
DEF 7
(Equivalent Sequences)
∞
Two sequences (𝑎𝑛 )∞ ∞
𝑛=0 and (𝑏𝑛 )𝑛=0 are equivalent iff for each rational ε > 0, the sequences (𝒂𝒏 )𝒏=𝟎
∞
and (𝒃𝒏 )𝒏=𝟎 are eventually ε close. OR

The sequence
𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , … …
and
𝑏0 , 𝑏1 , 𝑏2 , 𝑏3 , … …
are equivalent iff for every rational ε > 0, there exists a corresponding 𝑵 ≥ 0 such that |𝑎𝑛 − 𝑏𝑛 | ≤ 𝜀
for all 𝒏 ≥ 𝑵.

a) The most important point is that, now our ε is not fixed, rather it takes all rational values.