Confirm Answers on Homework Sheet: Subsequence Convergence

In summary, the statements about sequences and their convergent subsequences from the Lecture Notes are as follows: (i) False: {1,2,3,4,5,6...) has no convergent subsequence. (ii) False: {-1/2, 1/4, -1/8, 1/16, -1/32...} diverges, but its subsequence {1/4, 1/16, 1/64...} converges. (iii) True (Bolzano Weierstrass theorem). (iv) False: {1,
  • #1
Carla1985
94
0
Question from my homework sheet. Can someone confirm I've got these correct.

Let (an)n∈N be any sequence of real numbers. Which of the following statements are true?
Give precise references to the results in the Lecture Notes for those which are true. Construct counter examples for those that are false.
(i) Every sequence (an)n∈N has a convergent subsequence.
(ii) If (an)n∈N has a convergent subsequence, then (an)n∈N is convergent.
(iii) If (an)n∈N is bounded, then (an)n∈N has a convergent subsequence.
(iv) If (an)n∈N has a convergent subsequence, then (an)n∈N
is bounded.

My answers:
i) False: {1,2,3,4,5,6...) has no convergent subsequence.
ii) False: {-1/2, 1/4, -1/8, 1/16, -1/32...} diverges but has subsequence {1/4, 1/16, 1/64...} which converges
iii) True (Bolzano Weierstrass theorem)
iv) False: {1, 1, 2, 1/2, 3, 1/3...} is unbounded but has subsequence {1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4...} which converges

 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Looks good to me.

[EDIT] See Evgeny.Makarov's post below for a correction.
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Carla1985 said:

ii) False: {-1/2, 1/4, -1/8, 1/16, -1/32...} diverges but has subsequence {1/4, 1/16, 1/64...} which converges
Does -1/2, 1/4, -1/8, 1/16, -1/32, ... really diverge?
 
  • #4
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Does -1/2, 1/4, -1/8, 1/16, -1/32, ... really diverge?

So maybe try flipping what the alternating terms are doing:
{-1/2, 1/2, -1/4, 1, -1/8, 2, -1/16, 4, ...}
 

What is a subsequence?

A subsequence is a sequence that is formed by selecting elements from a given sequence in a specific order. The elements do not have to be consecutive, but they must maintain their original order.

What does it mean for a subsequence to converge?

A subsequence converges if its elements approach a certain value as the number of terms in the subsequence increases. This value is known as the limit of the subsequence.

How do you prove that a sequence converges?

To prove that a sequence converges, you must show that for any positive number epsilon, there exists a positive integer N such that all terms of the sequence with indices greater than or equal to N are within epsilon distance from the limit of the sequence.

What is the relationship between a sequence and its subsequence?

A sequence is a list of numbers, while a subsequence is a subset of that sequence. The terms of a subsequence must appear in the same order as they do in the original sequence, but they may not be consecutive.

What is the importance of subsequence convergence in mathematics?

Subsequence convergence is important because it allows us to study the behavior of a sequence without having to consider every single term. It also helps us to determine the limit of a sequence, which is a fundamental concept in calculus and other areas of mathematics.

Similar threads

  • Topology and Analysis
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
11
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
716
  • Topology and Analysis
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • Topology and Analysis
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Topology and Analysis
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • Topology and Analysis
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Topology and Analysis
Replies
29
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
274
Replies
1
Views
178
Back
Top