Sequential continuity

i f (x) is continuous at a iff limn←−a f (xn ) = f (a), for EVERY sequence xn −→ a.

This definition is equivalent to the ϵ−δ formulation of continuity. In some problems it’s easier
to use the ϵ − δ definition. In other problems, it’s easier to use the sequential formulation.

ii Open set In R, a set O is open iff for any element x ∈ O, there is an open interval I such
that x ∈ I ⊆ O.
EX: (1, 2), (1, 5) ∪ (6, 7), (−∞, −1) ∪ (1, ∞), R are open sets, whereas [0, 1), Q, Z are not open.

iii Limit point ∈ F is said to be a limit point of F iff every open interval about x contains at
least one point of F
EX: 12 and 1 are limit points of (0, 1], whereas 1.5 is not. Every single point of the set
A = {1, 1/2, 1/3 · · ·} is a limit point. In addition, 0 is also a limit point.

iii Closed set A set is closed iff it contains all of its limit points.
EX: [0, 1] is closed. (0, 1] is not closed. The set A in ii is not closed, but if we add 0 to it:
{1, 1/2, 1/3 · · ·} ∪ {0}, then it becomes closed. Z is closed but Q is not closed.

iv Any bounded sequence {xn } in R must have a limit point x0 ( in other words, there must be
a subsequence {xnk } such that xnk −→ x0 )
EX: While the sequence sin nπ

2 = {1, 0, −1, 0, · · ·} does not converge, it has convergent
subsequences: {1, 1, 1, · · ·}, {0, 0, 0, · · ·}, {−1, −1, −1, · · ·}. This is true for any bounded se-
quence. an = sin(n) is a bounded sequence that does not converge, but it has infinitely many
convergent subsequences; a harder problem to prove.

Problems

1. Prove that f (x) = 2x10 is continuous

Proof we’ll use sequential reformulation: xn −→ x0 =⇒ f (xn ) −→ f (x0 ).

ˆ f (xn ) = 2x10 10 10 10
n , f (x0 ) = 2x0 . We want to show that 2xn −→ 2x0 . Recall the limit
theorems: an −→ a, bn −→ b =⇒ an bn −→ ab.
ˆ Since xn −→ x0 , 2x10 10
n −→ 2x0 . It follows that f (x) −→ f (x0 ). Done!
|{z} |{z}
2. Show that f (x) = axn is continuous, where a is constant number in R.

3. Show that any polynomial P (x) = an xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 is continuous. (Hint:

Use sequential continuity with appropriate limit theorems.)