Real Sequence

( GE-4 : Elements of Analysis )

Dr. Venu Gopal

Department of Mathematics

Definition: (Real sequence) : A real sequence or a sequence of real

numbers is defined as a function from N , the set of natural number
to R, the set of real numbers, i.e.

f : N → R.

It is denoted by < f1 , f2 , ..., fn , ... > or < fn > or (fn ).

Example:
1. If b in R, the sequence B :=< b, b, b, ... >, all of whose terms equal b, is
called the constant sequence < b >. Thus the constant sequence < 1 >
is the sequence < 1, 1, 1, ... >, and the constant sequence < 0 > is the
sequence < 0, 0, 0, ... >.
2. If b in R, then B := (bn , n ∈ N ) is the sequence B =< b, b2 , b3 , · · · >. In
particular, if b = 21 , then we obtain the sequence

1 1 1
< , , ..., n , ... > .
2 22 2

3. The sequence of (2n : n ∈ N ) of even natural numbers can be defined

inductively by
x1 := 2, xn+1 := xn + 2,
or by the definition
y1 := 2, yn+1 := y1 + yn .

4. The celebrated Fibonacci sequence F :=< fn > is given by the inductive

definition

f1 := 1, f2 := 1, fn+1 := fn−1 + fn (n ≥ 2).

Thus each term past the second i s the sum of its two immediate predeces-
sors. The first ten terms of F are seen to be (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, ...).

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 Definition: (Convergent Sequence) : A real sequence < an > is
said to converge to a number l if for given , there exists a natural
number m such that

|an − l| ≤  f or all n ≥ m.

The number l is called the limit of the sequence < an > and is written
as
lim an = l or an → l.
n→∞

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Example: Show that lim = 0.
n→∞ n

Solution : Let,  > 0 be given number.

Definition (Bounded sequene) A sequence X = (xn ) of real num-

bers is said to be bounded if there exists a real number M > 0 such
that |xn | ≤ M for all n ∈ N .

Thus, the sequence (xn ) is bounded if and only if the set {xn : n ∈ N } of
its values is a bounded subset of R.

Theorem: A convergent sequence of real numbers is bounded.

Theorem: (a) Let X = (xn )and Y = (yn ) be sequences of real num-

bers that converge to x and y, respectively, and let c ∈ R. Then the
sequences X + Y, X − Y, X × Y , and cX converge to x + y, x − y, xy, and
cx, respectively.

(b) If X = (xn ) converges to x and Z = (zn ) is a sequence of non-

zero real numbers that converges to z and if z 6= 0, then the quotient
sequence X/Z converges to x/z.

Theorem : (Squeeze Theorem) : Suppose that X = (xn ), Y = (yn ),

and Z = (zn ) are sequences of real numbers such that

xn ≤ yn ≤ zn f or all n ∈ N,

and that lim(xn ) = lim(zn ). Then Y = (yn ) is convergent and

lim(xn ) = lim(yn ) = lim(zn ).

Theorem : (The Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem) : Every bounded

sequence of real numbers has a limit point.

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 Definition: (Monotone Sequence) : Let X = (xn ) be a sequence of
real numbers. We say that X is increasing if it satisfies the inequalities

x1 ≤ x2 ≤ ... ≤ xk ≤ xk+1 ≤ · · · .

We say that X is decreasing if it satisfies the inequalities

x1 ≥ x2 ≥ ... ≥ xk ≥ xk+1 ≥ · · · .

We say that X is monotone if it is either increasing or decreasing.

Definition: (Subsequence) Let X = (xn ) be a sequence of real num-
bers and let n1 < n2 < ... < nk < · · · be a strictly increasing sequence
of natural numbers. Then the sequence X 0 = (xnk ) given by

(xn1 , xn2 , ..., xnk · · ·)

is called a subsequence of X.
For example, if X := ( 11 , 12 , 13 , ...), then the selection of even indexed terms pro-
duces the subsequence X := ( 12 , 14 , 16 , ...), where n1 = 2, n2 = 4, ..., nk = 2k, ...

Theorem: If a sequence X = (xn ) of real numbers converges to a

real number x, then any subsequence X 0 = (xnk ) of X also converges
to x.