Thanks for catching that! I will make the corrections.

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    Limit Series
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the evaluation of a limit involving the arctangent function as the variable approaches infinity. Participants explore whether the expression represents a sequence or a limit, and they engage in clarifying the application of L'Hôpital's rule and the behavior of the arctangent function in this context.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that L'Hôpital's rule does not apply since the limit is not an indeterminate form and suggests evaluating the numerator and denominator separately.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the expression is a sequence, while others argue it appears to be a limit, possibly related to a convergence test for a series.
  • Several participants discuss the behavior of the arctangent function as the variable approaches infinity, noting that it approaches π/2.
  • There is a correction regarding the notation of limits, with a participant pointing out that the limit should be expressed with respect to n rather than x.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the expression represents a sequence or a limit, and there is no consensus on the application of L'Hôpital's rule. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the classification of the expression and the appropriate limit notation.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the importance of correctly identifying the variable in the limit expression and the implications of using different variables for sequences versus functions.

karush
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$\tiny{242.ws8.d}$
$$\displaystyle
L_d=\lim_{x \to \infty}
\left[\frac{\arctan{(n)}}{\pi +\arctan{(n)}}\right]
=\frac{1}{3}$$

$\text{L' didn't work}$

☕
 
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That's not an indeterminate form, so L'Hopital's rule does not apply. The limit may be found by evaluating the numerator and denominator separately. Do you see how?
 
karush said:
$\tiny{242.ws8.d}$
$$\displaystyle
L_d=\lim_{x \to \infty}
\left[\frac{\arctan{(n)}}{\pi +\arctan{(n)}}\right]
=\frac{1}{3}$$

$\text{L' didn't work}$

☕

First of all, this is not a series, as you aren't summing up terms. This is a sequence. Anyway

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{\arctan{(n)}}{\pi + \arctan{(n)}} &= \frac{1}{\frac{\pi}{\arctan{(n)}} + 1} \end{align*}$

What happens to the arctangent function as $\displaystyle \begin{align*} n \to \infty \end{align*}$?
 
Prove It said:
This is a sequence.

That's odd - it looks like a limit to me - possibly part of a convergence test for a series that is not given. Why do you think it's a sequence?
 
greg1313 said:
That's odd - it looks like a limit to me - possibly part of a convergence test for a series that is not given. Why do you think it's a sequence?

The convention is that when "n" is used as the variable, it's a sequence, while where "x" is used is a function.
 
Prove It said:
$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{\arctan{(n)}}{\pi + \arctan{(n)}} &= \frac{1}{\frac{\pi}{\arctan{(n)}} + 1} \end{align*}$

What happens to the arctangent function as $\displaystyle \begin{align*} n \to \infty \end{align*}$?

$$\arctan(\infty)\implies\frac{\pi}{2}$$

$$\frac{1}{\frac{\pi}{\pi/2} + 1}
=\frac{1}{2+1}=\frac{1}{3}$$
 
karush said:
$$\arctan(\infty)\implies\frac{\pi}{2}$$

Actually, I think you'd want to write

$$\lim_{n\to\infty}\arctan(n)=\frac{\pi}{2}$$

Note that $\tan(u)$ is one to one over the interval $\left(-\frac{\pi}{2},\frac{\pi}{2}\right)$ and that $\tan(u)\to\infty$ as $u\to\frac{\pi}{2}$.

So,

$$\lim_{n\to\infty}\arctan(n)=\lim_{u\to\pi/2}\arctan(\tan u)=\frac{\pi}{2}$$

Also, you're writing

$$\lim_{x\to\infty}$$

in several places where the limit is with respect to $n$, so you should be writing

$$\lim_{n\to\infty}$$
 

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