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Exercises 5.7 Exercises

1.

Show that the limit of a convergent sequence of non-negative numbers is non-negative.

2.

  1. For \(c \gt 1\text{,}\) show that the sequence \((\sqrt[n]{c})\) is convergent by showing that it is decreasing and bounded below by 1.
  2. Show that \(\sqrt[n]{c} \to 1\text{.}\)
Formulate and prove similar statements for \(0 \lt c \lt 1\) (Hint: consider \(1/c\)).

3.

  1. Show that the function \(\ln(x)/x\) is decreasing for \(x \ge e\text{.}\)
  2. Deduce that the sequence \((n^{1/n})\) is decreasing for \(n \ge 3\text{,}\) i.e.
    \begin{equation*} \sqrt[3]{3} \ge \sqrt[4]{4} \ge \sqrt[5]{5} \ge \cdots\text{.} \end{equation*}
  3. Conclude that the sequence \((n^{1/n})_{n \ge 1}\) is convergent. (The limit is \(1\) see Example 5.23)

4.

Let \(p(x)\) be a polynomial with positive leading coefficient. Show that \((p(n))^{1/n} \to 1\) as \(n \to \infty\text{.}\)
Hint.
\(ax^d\)\(p(x)\text{.}\)\(0 \lt p(n) \lt 2an^d\)\(n\text{.}\)Example 5.23

5.

Show that \((n!)^2 \ge n^n\text{.}\) Deduce that \((n!)^{1/n} \to +\infty.\)

6.

Show that \((\sin(n))\) is a divergent sequence.
Hint.
There are a number of ways of show this. Here is an elementary way: Suppose on the contrary that \(\sin(n) \to L\text{.}\) Then both \(\sin(n+1)\) and \(\sin(n-1)\) converge to \(L\) as well. Then use the identities:
\begin{gather*} \sin(n+1) + \sin(n-1) \equiv 2\sin(n)\cos(1)\\ \sin(n+1) - \sin(n-1) \equiv 2\sin(1)\cos(n) \end{gather*}
to conclude that \(\sin(n) \to 0 \) and that \(\cos(n)\to 0\) as well. This gives us a contradiction as \(\sin^2(n) + \cos^2(n) \equiv 1\text{.}\)

7.

Show the divergence of the following series.
  1. \(\displaystyle \sum \sin(n)\)
  2. \(\displaystyle \sum \frac{n}{n+1}\)

8.

Compute the following sum using the technique in Example 5.66
  1. \(\ds \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{n^2-n}{3^n}\) Hint: differentiate the relation \(\frac{1}{1-x} = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} x^n\) twice.
  2. \(\ds \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{n^2}{3^n}\) Hint: it is the sum of the series in Part (a) and \(\ds \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{n}{3^n}\text{.}\)