Chapter 2: Problem 1
Which of the following sequences are non-decreasing? non-increasing? bounded? (a) \(\frac{1}{n}\) (b) \(\frac{(-1)^{n}}{n^{2}}\) (c) \(n^{5}\) (d) \(\sin \left(\frac{n \pi}{7}\right)\) (e) \((-2)^{n}\) (f) \(\frac{n}{3^{n}}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
(a) non-increasing and bounded, (b) bounded, (c) non-decreasing, (d) bounded, (e) neither, (f) non-increasing and bounded.
Step by step solution
01
Analyze sequence \(\frac{1}{n}\)
For this sequence, as n increases, the value of \(\frac{1}{n}\) decreases. It is a strictly decreasing sequence. It is bounded below by 0.
02
Analyze sequence \(\frac{(-1)^{n}}{n^{2}}\)
This sequence alternates between positive and negative values depending on the parity of n. The magnitude of the terms decreases as n increases. The sequence is bounded and non-increasing when considering the magnitude, but not monotonous overall.
03
Analyze sequence \(n^{5}\)
For this sequence, each term grows significantly larger as n increases. It is strictly increasing and unbounded.
04
Analyze sequence \(\sin \left(\frac{n \pi}{7}\right)\)
This sequence oscillates between -1 and 1, and does not have a monotonous nature. It is bounded by -1 and 1.
05
Analyze sequence \((-2)^{n}\)
This sequence changes sign with each term and grows in magnitude. It is neither bounded nor monotonous.
06
Analyze sequence \(\frac{n}{3^{n}}\)
As n increases, the term \(\frac{n}{3^{n}}\) decreases exponentially to 0, making it strictly decreasing. It is also bounded below by 0.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Non-Decreasing Sequences
In calculus, a sequence is called non-decreasing if each term is greater than or equal to the previous one. Formally, a sequence \((a_n)\) is non-decreasing if for all \(n\), \(a_{n+1} \geq a_n\). This means the sequence either stays the same or increases as \(n\) gets larger.
Examples include:
Examples include:
- \(a_n = n\): Here, each term is greater than the last, making the sequence non-decreasing.
- \(a_n = 2\): This constant sequence remains the same for all terms, hence it's non-decreasing.
- \(\frac{1}{n}\): This is strictly decreasing, not non-decreasing.
- \(\frac{(-1)^n}{n^2}\): This alternates and decreases in magnitude.
- \(n^5\): This is strictly increasing.
- \(\sin \left( \frac{n \pi}{7} \right)\): This is oscillatory.
- \((-2)^n\): This alternates in sign and increases in magnitude.
- \(\frac{n}{3^n}\): This is strictly decreasing.
Non-Increasing Sequences
A sequence is non-increasing if each term is less than or equal to the previous one. Formally, a sequence \((a_n)\) is non-increasing if for all \(n\), \(a_{n+1} \leq a_n\). This implies the sequence either stays the same or decreases as \(n\) gets larger.
Examples include:
Examples include:
- \(a_n = -n \): Each term is less than the last, making it non-increasing.
- \(a_n = 5\): This constant sequence remains the same for all terms; it's non-increasing.
- \(\frac{1}{n}\): This sequence is strictly decreasing, therefore non-increasing.
- \(\frac{n}{3^n}\): This sequence decreases exponentially and is non-increasing.
- \(\frac{(-1)^n}{n^2}\): Alternates in sign and decreases in magnitude but not simply non-increasing overall.
- \(n^5\): This is strictly increasing.
- \(\sin \left( \frac{n \pi}{7} \right)\): This is oscillatory.
- \((-2)^n\): Alternates in sign and magnitude, not monotonous.
Bounded Sequences
A sequence is bounded if there exists a number that all terms of the sequence lie within. Specifically, a sequence \((a_n)\) is bounded if there exist numbers \(M\) and \(m\) such that \(m \leq a_n \leq M\) for all \(n\).
Simply put:
Simply put:
- If you can find a box around the sequence, it's bounded.
- \(\frac{1}{n}\): Bounded below by 0.
- \(\frac{(-1)^n}{n^2}\): Bounded since it alternates and decreases in magnitude.
- \(n^5\): This is unbounded as terms grow infinitely large.
- \(\sin \left( \frac{n \pi}{7} \right)\): Bounded by \([-1, 1]\).
- \((-2)^n\): Unbounded as magnitude grows infinitely.
- \(\frac{n}{3^n}\): Bounded below by 0 as it trends towards 0.
Monotonic Sequences
A sequence is considered monotonic if it is either entirely non-decreasing or non-increasing. In simpler terms, a monotonic sequence doesn’t change its direction; it keeps going up or down.
Examples include:
Examples include:
- \(a_n = n\): This sequence is strictly increasing, hence monotonic.
- \(a_n = -n\): This sequence is strictly decreasing, and also monotonic.
- \(a_n = 5\): A constant sequence, remaining the same; it is both non-decreasing and non-increasing, thus monotonic.
- \(\frac{1}{n}\): Strictly decreasing; it's a monotonic decreasing sequence.
- \(\frac{(-1)^n}{n^2}\): Not monotonic; alternates in sign.
- \(n^5\): Strictly increasing, hence monotonic.
- \(\sin \left( \frac{n \pi}{7} \right)\): Oscillatory, not monotonic.
- \((-2)^n\): Not monotonic as terms change signs and magnitude.
- \(\frac{n}{3^n}\): Strictly decreasing, hence monotonic.
Sequence Oscillation
Sequence oscillation refers to sequences that do not settle into a single pattern of growth or decay but instead move back and forth. These sequences change direction frequently and are not monotonic.
Examples include:
Examples include:
- \(\sin(n)\): Oscillates between \( -1 \) and \( 1 \).
- \((-1)^n\): Alternates between \(1\) and \(-1\).
- \(\sin \left( \frac{n \pi}{7} \right)\): Oscillates between \(-1\) and \(1\), demonstrating clear oscillatory behavior.
- \((-2)^n\): Alternates in sign and magnitude, hence oscillatory.
- Other sequences do not show oscillation as they follow a clear increasing or decreasing trend.