1

SEQUENCES AND SERIES

M. Arokiasamy - Dept of Mathematics –ALC-VJA
I. SEQUENCES term.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Definition: A sequence is a set of numbers arranged Examples :
according to a particular order. (i) :  (1)n  . Here an=(-1)n.
Eg : (i) 1, 2, 3, 4 , … (ii) 1, 3, 5, 7, … (iii) 2, 4 ,
a1  1, a2  1, a3  1, a4  1,...
6, … (iv) 1, -1, 2, -2, ….
Definition: A sequence is a function whose domain  (1)  {1,1,  1,1,...} . Range={1,-1}, a finite set.
n

is the set N of all natural numbers. (ii) :  n(1)n  . Here an=n(-1)n.

Definition: Real Sequence :
a1  1(1)  1, a2  2(1)  2, a3  3(1)  3, a4  4,...
A real sequence is a function from the set N of all
natural numbers to the set R of all real numbers. Here the sequence is {1, 2,  3, 4,  5,...} .
If f : N  R then f is called a real sequence. Range={ …, -5, -3, -1, 2, 4, 6, 8,… }, an infinite set.
Consider the function f(n) = 2n + 1. This function (iii) :  an    1, 2, 3, 4,...    n  .
describes the sequence 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, ... 1 1 1 1
Definition: Complex Sequence : (iv) :  an    1, , , ,...  
2 3 4 n
A complex sequence is a function from the set of
of all complex (v) :  an    1  (1)    1  (1) ,1  (1) ,1  (1) ,...}
n 1 2 3
all natural numbers to the set
numbers.  0, 2, 0, 2, 0,... 
If f : N  C then f is called a complex sequence. Its range ={0, 2 }.
Note: We confine our attention only to real (vi) : S1=1, S=1, and Sn+2 = Sn+1 + Sn ,  n  1 .
sequences. From the above recurrence formula,
Representation of a sequence: Let a : N  R be a S3=S2+S1=1+1=2.S4=S3+S2=1+2=3, and so on.
sequence. Each number in a sequence is a term of the
 sn   {1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8,13, 21, ...}
sequence. The image n instead of denoting it as
a(n), we generally denote it by an . This sequence is called Fibonacci sequence , named
an is called the general term or nth term of a sequence. after the Italian Mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci.
Thus a1, a2 , a3, are the first, second, third terms ----------------------------------------------------------------
respectively. Definition: Constant Sequence :
A sequence is usually denoted by writing its nth term A sequence in which all the terms are equal is known
inside the brackets i.e. by {an} or i.e. by as constant sequence.
 a  . Sometimes it is denoted by writing all its Eg :  an   {3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, ...} .
n
terms with in the brackets i.e. {a1, a2, a3, … }. Range of this sequence  an  is {3} , a singleton set.
Note : (i) The mth and nth terms am and an for m  n Definition: Subsequence :
are treated as distinct terms, even if am  an (i.e. If n1  n2  n3  n4 ,... i.e. if  nk  is an increasing
even if they have the same value). sequence of positive integers then  ank  is called a
(ii) It is not necessary that all the terms of the
subsequence of  an  .
sequence should be distinct.
Definition: Range of a sequence : Eg : If  an    1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6,..., n  n  then (i)
The range or range set is the set consisting of all the  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ..., 2n  is a subsequence of  an  .
distinct elements of a sequence without repetition
and without regard to the position of a
M. Arokiasamy-Dept of Mathematics-ALC
 2

Definition: Equality of sequences : (ii) But  8, 6, 4, 2, 10, 12, 14,..., 2n  is not a

Two sequences  an  and  bn  are said to be subsequence. Why?
equal if an  bn for every n. i.e.  k  R   x  k , x  S.
-------------------------------------------------------------- Note : upper bound , lower bound may or may not
Boundedness of subsets of R belong to the set S.
A non empty subset A of R is called an aggregate. Examples :
(i) : Any finite set is bounded.
Definition: Bounded above set:
A set S is said to be bounded above if  a real (ii) : The subsets N, Z, Q, R of R are not bounded.
number k  x ≤ k ,  x  S . The number k is called  (1)n 
(iii) The aggregate 1  / n  N  is bounded.
an upper bound for the set S.  n 
Any number greater than an upper bound is also an ----------------------------------------------------------------
upper bound for the set. Definition: Bounded above sequence :
If u is an upper bound of S and any real number
A sequence  an  is said to be bounded above if 
less than u is not an upper bound of S, then u is
called the least upper bound (lub) or supremum k  R  an  k n  N. The number k is called an
(sup) of S. upper bound for  an  .
The smallest upper bound is called the supremum. Any number greater than an upper bound is also an
If u  is the supremum of S, then for each   0 upper bound for the sequence.
, u   is not an upper bound of S.
Note : If no such k exists satisfying an  k n  N
Definition: Bounded below set:
A set S is said to be bounded below if  a real then the sequence is not bounded above.
number l  x  l ,  x  S . The number l is called a Examples :
lower bound of S. (i) :  an    (1) n  {1, 1,  1, 1,...} .
If l is a lower bound of S then any real number less Here an  1 n  N .
than l is also a lower bound of S.  1 is an upper bound for  an  .
If v is a lower bound of S and any real number
greater than v is not a lower bound of S, then v is 1.01, 1.00, 1.0001, 1.1, 1.11, 2, 3, 3.0001, … are all
called the greatest lower bound (glb) or infimum upper bounds for  an  , but they need not belong
(inf) of S. to the sequence.
If v  R is the infimum of S, then for each   0 , 1 1 1 1
(ii) :  an   1, , , ,...  .
v   is not a lower bound of S. n 2 3 4
Examples : an  1 n  N . Here 1 is an upper bound for the
(i) : R  is bounded above and 0 is an upper bound. sequence or any number greater than 1 is also an upper
(ii) : R  is bounded below and 0 is a lower bound. bound for  a  .
n
(iii) : N is bounded below and not is bounded above.
1 1 1 1
(iv) : 0 and 1 are infimum and supremum of the (iii) :  an   , , ,...  .
1  n 1 2 3 4
set S   / n   1 1
n  Here an  1 n  N or an  n  N .  , 1 are all
Definition: Bounded set: 2 2
A set S is said to be bounded if it is both bounded upper bounds.
above as well as bounded below, that is to say, if Examples :
 l , k  R  l  x  k , x  S .
M. Arokiasamy-Dept of Mathematics-ALC
 3

(ii) :  an    n(1)n    1, 2,  3, 4,  5,...  . (i) :  an  n  1, 2, 3, 4,...  . Here we cannot
This sequence is also not bounded above. produce a real number k  an  k n  N. Hence the
(iii) :  an    (n)  {1,  2,  3, 4,...} is above sequence is not bounded above.
bounded above . 0 is an upper bound. Behavior of a sequence: A sequence may (i) converge
-------------------------------------------------------------- , (ii) diverge , (iii) oscillate.
Definition: Bounded below sequence : ----------------------------------------------------------------
A sequence  an  is said to be bounded below if  Definition: Convergent sequence :
l  R  l  an n  N. The number l is called a A sequence  an  is said to converge to a real
number l if for a given   0,  m  N ( m depends up
lower bound for  an  .
Any number less than a below bound is also a ower on  )  an  l   n  m.
bound for the sequence. i.e. l    an  l   n  m.
Note : If no such l exists satisfying l  an n  N (Or if lim a  l , then we say that  a  converges
n n
n 
then the sequence is not bounded below.
Examples : to l or  an  is convergent.)
(i) :  an    (1) n   {1, 1,  1, 1,...} . ----------------------------------------------------------------
Geometrical Representation: Geometrically a
Here 1  an n  .
sequence  an  converges to l means from mth term
 -1 is a lower bound for  an  . and after mth term, every term in the sequence must lie
Any number less than -1, viz , -2, -3, -4, … are all between the strip l   and l   . (fig-ppt)
lower bounds for  an  , but they need not belong Note : (i) : Convergence of a sequence means for large
to the sequence. values of n, the terms of the sequence will be very very
(ii) : The sequence  an    n 2  is bounded close to l.
The number l is called a limit of the sequence an.
below. 1 is a lower bound.
(ii) : l need not be a member of the sequence.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Definition: Bounded sequence : (iii) : If  an  converges to l , we write lim an  l or
n 

A sequence  an  is said to be bounded if it is both an  l as n  .

bounded above and bounded below, that is ----------------------------------------------------------------
 l , k  R  l  an  k , n  N. Definition: Diverges to   :
i.e. if the range of the sequence is bounded. A sequence  an  is said to diverge to   if for a
Examples :
given k  R  (however large)  m  N ( depending on
(i) : The sequence  (1)  {1,1,  1,1,...} is
n
k )  an  k n  m.
bounded. 1 and -1 are its upper and lower bounds
respectively. Symbolically it can be written as lim an   or
n 

(ii) : The sequence   1, , , ,...  is an   as n  .

1 1 1 1
n 2 3 4 ---------------------------------------------------------------
bounded. 1 is the least upper bound and 0 is the Examples :
greatest lower bound. 1 1 1 1
(iii) : The sequences  n3 ,  (1)n n2 , and (i) : The sequence  n  1, 2 , 3 , 4 ,... 
 (2)n  are unbounded sequences. converges to 0.

M. Arokiasamy-Dept of Mathematics-ALC
 4

n n 1 2 3 4
The sequence   converges to 1. (ii) :  an       , , , ,... 
n 1 n 1 2 3 4 5
n a1= 0.5, a3= 0.6666, a1000= 0.999000999001
(iii) : Consider the sequence  an    . a1000 000 = 0.999999000001. The limit is 1.
2n  1
Here a1= 3, a2= 4/3 , a3= 1, a1000= .5012506253127, Definition: Diverges to   :
a1000 000 = 0.5000012500006. The limit is 0.5. The A sequence  an  is said to diverge to   if for a
n2 
sequence  an     converges to 0.5=1/2. given k  R (however large)  m  Z ( depending on
2n  1 k )  an  k n  m.
(iv) : Let a n = n.
Then  an  =<1, 2, 3, 4, …> = <n> Symbolically it can be written as lim an   or
n 

The sequence <n> diverges to +  because for a an   as n  .

given k (however large)  m   an  k n  m. Equivalently,  an  is said to diverge to   if for a
(v) : The sequence  2n  3  5, 7, 9,11,...  given k  R  (however small)  m  Z  an  k
diverges to +  .
n  m.
Convergent Sequences
Examples (cont) :
The values get closer and
closer to a fixed value. (vi) : : Let an  n .
There is a horizontal Then < a n >=<-1, -2, -3, -4, …> = <-n>
asymptote. This sequence   n  diverges to   because for a
The values of this given k  m  N  an  k n  m
convergent sequence
In particular if k=898,  m  899   an  k
oscillate back and forth
about one value. There is a n  m.  n  is said to diverge to  .
horizontal asymptote (vii) : Similarly the sequences  n2 ,  2n ,
n2
Divergent Sequences  2n  n 2 ,   ,... diverge to  .
n 1
The sequence diverges to ----------------------------------------------------------------
+∞. The values grow in Definition: Divergent sequence :
size becoming infinitely A sequence which diverges to   or to   is said to
large. be a divergent sequence.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The sequence is periodic. Remark : (i) : A sequence  an  which is divergent
A set of values is to   is not bounded above but it is bounded below.
repeated at periodic
(ii) : A sequence which is divergent to   is not
intervals.
bounded below but it is bounded above.
(iii) Therefore every divergent sequence is unbounded.
The sequence is both (iv) : The converse of the statements are not true.
oscillatory and divergent. Let  an  be a sequence where

M. Arokiasamy-Dept of Mathematics-ALC
 5

n if n is even

an   1
 n if n is odd
 an  is bounded below by zero but is not bounded
above . The sequence does not diverge to  

M. Arokiasamy-Dept of Mathematics-ALC