Department of Mathematics

MTL 100: Calculus

Tutorial Sheet 1: The Real Number System, Sequences & Series

1. If x and y are arbitrary real numbers, x < y, prove that there exists at least one rational
number r satisfying x < r < y.
T  1 1 
n=1
n , n = {0}.

2. Use the Archimedian property to show that

3. Show that the set S = {r Q : r2 < 2 and r 0} has no maximum.

4. Find the supremum and infimum of the set S =

m
m+n

: m, n N .

5. Find lim sup an and lim inf an if an is given by:

n

(a) (1)n (1 + n1 );
(b) sin n
3 .
6. Show that the real valued sequence {an } is convergent, and find its limit.
(a) 3an+1 = 2 + a3n for n 1, a1 = 32 .

(b) an+2 = an an+1 , a1 0, a2 0.

7. Discuss the convergence of the sequence

n+1

n n1 .

+ +an ). Show that

8. Let {an } be a real sequence. Define the sequence {sn } by sn = n1 (a1 +a
 2

1
1
if {an } converges to ` then {sn } converges to `. Hence find lim n 1 + 12 + + n1
.
n

9. Show that lim

n
X

1
n2 +k

= 1.

k=1

xn
m(m 1)(m 2) . . . (m n + 1).
n (n 1)!

10. For |x| < 1 and a fixed positive integer m, find lim
11. Show that if lim

an+1
= `, then lim n an = `. Hence prove that
n
an
1

{(n + 1)(n + 2) . . . (n + n)} n

4
lim
= .
n
n
e
12. Suppose {an } is a bounded sequences and {bn } is a sequence which converges to 0. Show that
the sequence {an bn } converges to 0. Does this result hold when {bn } converges to ` 6= 0?
n

13. Show that the sequence (1 + n1 )n

o
n1

is monotonically non-decreasing, bounded, and con-

vergent, with a limit that lies between 2 and 3.

14. Discuss the convergence of the sequence

( n
X

1
.
(n + k)2
k=1

15. Check if the following sequences are Cauchy sequences or not:

(a) an =

n
X
1
k=1

k!

(b) an+1 = 1 +

(1)n
2n

an , n 1, a1 = 1.

16. Let lim an = a, lim bn = b and sn = min(an , bn ), tn = max(an , bn ). Show that {sn } and {tn }
are convergent, and that lim sn = min(a, b) and lim tn = max(a, b).
17. Discuss the convergence of the sequence {an } defined by
1
2
an +
, n 1,
2
an


an+1 =

18. If the terms of the convergent series

a1 = 2.

an are positive and non increasing, then prove that

n=1

lim 2n a2n = 0.

19. Let a1 = 1, and let an+1 =

n
2n+1 an

for n 1. Does the series

an converge or diverge?

20. Use basic comparison test to determine convergence of the following series:

2
3
1
+
+ .
(a) +
5
7
9

21
31
41
(b) 3
+ 3
+ 3
+ .
3 1
4 1
5 1
(c)
(d)

p
X
3
n=1

n3 + 1 n .

n=1

n+1
n

n1

21. Use Cauchys test to determine convergence of the following series:

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

( n 1)n .

n=1

en .

n=1

1
.
(log n)n
n=2

X

n=1

n
n1

n2

22. Use Ratio test to determine convergence of the following series:

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

X
n!
n=1

10n

n!
;
(2n
+ 1)!
n=1

x2n1

,
2n 1
n=1

x > 0;

X
1 3 5 (2n 1) 4n + 1
n=1

2 4 6 (2n)

2n + 1

23. Show that the series

24. Show that the series

vergent if 0 < p 1.
25. Show that the series

1
converges if p > 1 and diverges if p 1.
n(log n)p
n=2

(1)n1

n=1

(1)n

n=2

1
is absolutely convergent if p > 1 and conditionally connp

1
is conditionally convergent.
n log n

26. Test for the convergence and absolute convergence:

(a)
(b)

(1)n1

n=1

(1)n

n=1

n2
;
(n + 1)!

cos n
.
n n

27. If |x| 1, show that

(1)n1

n=1

x2n1
converges.
2n 1

28. Investigate the behavior of the following series:

22 2

12 1

29. Test for convergence

X
sin nx + cos nx

n n

n=1

30. Let

un and

!1

(b) if

!2

+ .

vn be the two series of positive terms such that

Show that
(a) if

33 3

23 2

vn converges, then
un diverges, then

un converges.

vn diverges.

un
vn
>
for all n n0 .
un+1
vn+1

Answers.
4. sup S = 1, inf S = 0.

5. (a) lim sup = 1, lim inf = 1; (b) lim sup =

6. (a) 1; (b)

3
2 ,

lim inf =

3
2 .

q
3

a1 a22 .

7. converges to 0.
8. 0.
10. 0.
12. The conclusion is not valid when ` 6= 0.
14. converges to 0.
15. (a) Cauchy; (b) Cauchy.

17. converges to 2.
19. converges.
20. (a) diverges; (b) converges; (c) converges; (d) converges.
21. (a) converges; (b) converges; (c) converges; (d) diverges.
22. (a) diverges; (b) converges; (c) convergent for 0 < x < 1, divergent for x 1; (d) test fails.
26. (a) absolutely convergent; (b) absolutely convergent.
28. convergent.
29. convergent.