Determining General Values of Convergence for a seqence

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the values of "r" for which the sequence \( r^n \) converges. Participants explore the implications of different ranges of "r" and the behavior of the sequence under various conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants consider the convergence of the sequence for different values of "r", particularly questioning the cases when \( r = -1 \) and when \( |r| < 1 \). They discuss the logarithmic transformation \( y = \ln(|r|^n) \) and its implications for convergence.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants questioning assumptions and exploring the behavior of the sequence as "r" varies. Some guidance has been offered regarding the implications of logarithmic behavior on convergence, but no consensus has been reached on the final interpretation.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the complexities of convergence criteria and the implications of oscillation in the case of \( r = -1 \). There is an ongoing examination of the behavior of the sequence in the range \( -1 < r < 1 \) and its relationship to logarithmic functions.

trap101
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Determine the values of "r" for which rn converges.


Is there a specific procedure I should try to apply to figure this out? The only things I could intuitively come up with that will converge in this scenario are when -1 ≤ r ≤ 1...is there anything else to this?
 
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Really? r = -1?? For |r|<1 I guess it depends on what you have to work with. You might consider what happens to ##y=\ln(|r|^n)##.
 
LCKurtz said:
Really? r = -1?? For |r|<1 I guess it depends on what you have to work with. You might consider what happens to ##y=\ln(|r|^n)##.



I don't fully see what your getting at. From what you wrote that would become n ln(r), but in that case it would not converge.
 
LCKurtz said:
Really? r = -1?? For |r|<1 I guess it depends on what you have to work with. You might consider what happens to ##y=\ln(|r|^n)##.

trap101 said:
I don't fully see what your getting at. From what you wrote that would become n ln(r), but in that case it would not converge.

That's "you're", not "your".

What about ##r=-1##? Have you thought about that?

Yes, ##y=\ln(|r|^n) = n \ln(|r|)## doesn't converge. But what does it do? Since ##y## is the logarithm of your problem, what does that tell you about your problem?
 
LCKurtz said:
That's "you're", not "your".

What about ##r=-1##? Have you thought about that?

Yes, ##y=\ln(|r|^n) = n \ln(|r|)## doesn't converge. But what does it do? Since ##y## is the logarithm of your problem, what does that tell you about your problem?



In the case of r = -1, the sequence oscillates so it is divergent.

In the second part ##y=\ln(|r|^n) = n \ln(|r|)## goes to infinity whenever r > 1, when 0 < r < 1 then it converges.

So the main behavior to try and examine occurs between -1 < r < 1 then
 
trap101 said:
In the case of r = -1, the sequence oscillates so it is divergent.

In the second part ##y=\ln(|r|^n) = n \ln(|r|)## goes to infinity whenever r > 1, when 0 < r < 1 then it converges.

So the main behavior to try and examine occurs between -1 < r < 1 then

Yes, that's what I'm getting at. What happens to ##y## when ##|r|<1##?
 
LCKurtz said:
Yes, that's what I'm getting at. What happens to ##y## when ##|r|<1##?

In that instance it appears as if it's going to converge to 0, but when r is in the form ##ln(r)## it's tending toward negative infiniti
 
trap101 said:
In that instance it appears as if it's going to converge to 0, but when r is in the form ##ln(r)## it's tending toward negative infiniti

You can't just assert ##|r|^n\to 0##; that's what you are trying to prove if ##|r|<1##. But once you know ##\ln|r|^n\to -\infty##, doesn't that show it?
 
LCKurtz said:
But once you know ##\ln|r|^n\to -\infty##, doesn't that show it?


After staring and thinking about it for a second is this the proper rationale behind the convergence to 0?:

SO I know: ##\ln|r|^n\to -\infty## .

if I raise both sides to "e": e ##ln|r|^n## --> e##-\infty##. since that would simplify to |r|n --> 1/ e##infty## and that tends to 0.
 
  • #10
LCKurtz said:
But once you know ##\ln|r|^n\to -\infty##, doesn't that show it?


After staring and thinking about it for a second is this the proper rationale behind the convergence to 0?:

SO I know: ##\ln|r|^n\to -\infty## .

if I raise both sides to "e": e ##ln|r|^n## --> e##-\infty##. since that would simplify to |r|n --> 1/ e##infty## and that tends to 0.

Is that how it ends up converging to 0?
 
  • #11
trap101 said:
After staring and thinking about it for a second is this the proper rationale behind the convergence to 0?:

SO I know: ##\ln|r|^n\to -\infty## .

if I raise both sides to "e": e ##ln|r|^n## --> e##-\infty##. since that would simplify to |r|n --> 1/ e##infty## and that tends to 0.

That's the idea, although you can probably find a more proper way to express it.
 
  • #12
Thanks. and thanks for having the patience to help me through it
 

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