More help please...

Imum Coeli

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
86
I have another question and I'm not sure if my answer can even be called a proof...

Question: Let \(\displaystyle (a_n)\) be a bounded sequence. Define two new sequences \(\displaystyle (b_k) \) and \(\displaystyle (c_k) \) by
\(\displaystyle b_k := sup\{a_n|n \geq k\}, \; c_k := inf\{a_n|n \geq k\} , \; k = 1,2,3,...\)

a) Show that \(\displaystyle (b_k) \) is decreasing and \(\displaystyle (c_k) \) is increasing
b) Briefly explain why the sequences converge

Answer:
a) Since \(\displaystyle (b_1) \) is taken on the largest possible interval of \(\displaystyle (a_n) \) then by definition \(\displaystyle (b_1) \) is the largest possible value for all \(\displaystyle (a_n) \) therefore \(\displaystyle (b_1) \geq (b_k) \; k>1, \; k \in \mathbb{N} \).
Likewise \(\displaystyle (b_k) \) is always the suprema of \(\displaystyle (a_n) \) taken on a larger interval that \(\displaystyle (b_{k+1}) \) then by the same argument we get \(\displaystyle (b_k) \geq (b_{k+1}) \; \forall k \in \mathbb{N} \)
Hence \(\displaystyle (b_k) \) is decreasing.
Similarly for \(\displaystyle (c_k) \)

b) The sequences converge because they are both bounded and monotone.

Thanks
 
Okay except you should state how you know they are bounded.
(Yes, that's trivial but say it! It will shock your teacher!)
 
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