An archived instance of discourse for discussion in undergraduate Real Analysis I.

Exam 1 part 2 3.a

nklausen

I had an alternative idea for an example that could be used to answer the 3.a part of the second part of the exam. \
Note that $\lim_{n\to\infty}(1+\frac{1}{n})^n=e$ and $lim_{n\to\infty}(\frac{2^{4n+1}n!^4}{(2n+1)(2n-1)!^2})=\pi$\

$$(x_n)=\frac{1}{2}\cdot((1+\frac{1}{n})^n+\frac{2^{4n+1}n!^4}{(2n+1)(2n-1)!^2})+\frac{1}{2}\cdot(1+\frac{1}{n})^n)\cdot(-1)^{n}+\frac{1}{2}\cdot(\frac{2^{4n+1}n!^4}{(2n+1)(2n-1)!^2})\cdot(-1)^{n+1}$$
Or written in a more elegant way
$$(x_n)=
\begin{array}{cc}
& \left\{
\begin{array}{cc}
(1+\frac{1}{n})^n & \text{n is even} \\
\frac{2^{4n+1}n!^4}{(2n+1)(2n-1)!^2} & \text{n is odd}
\end{array} \right.
\end{array}
$$









The only two converging subsequences of this sequence is the ones that converge towards $\pi$ and e and all elements of the sequence are rational numbers..

sfrye

This is super elegant. Mad props.

Cromer

Agreed! I like it a lot.

TheBearMinimum

Where did you come up with this from? Any inspiration that we can draw from? Like another post or a problem in the book or something.

nklausen

@TheBearMinimum
IIRC the question asked for an example of a series for which there was two subsequence consisting of only rational numbers that converged to $\pi$ and e. Or prove that none such existed.

During the exam I got the idea that if we constructed a series that alternated between a sequence that 1. consisted of only rational numbers and 2. that converged to $\pi$ and e respectively then we would have the example that we were asked to provide.
I knew that there existed a sequence consisting of rational numbers that converged to $\sqrt{2}$ which is a irrational number. Therefore it seemed likely that there existed some rational sequence that also converged to $\pi$ and e, however I didn't knew those sequences or even knew for certain if they existed.
A quick google search did tell me that they existed in a suprisingly large number so I just picked two that looked simple and constructed a series that alternated between them.

Does that answer your question or were you looking for something else? (: