Question #73f2e

1 Answer
Dec 26, 2017

What is the inequality to prove? I can't answer without it!

Explanation:

[What is the arithmetic-geometric sequence?]
An arithmetic-geometric sequence is the product of an arithmetic sequence and geometric sequence.

For example, a sequence
1/1, 3/2. 5/4. 7/8, 9/16,…
is an arithmetic-geometric sequence with general term a_n=(2n-1)*(1/2)^(n-1).

More information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arithmetico%E2%80%93geometric_sequence

[Sample question]
Let a_n=(2n-1)/2^(n-1). Prove that lim_(n->oo) a_n=0.

[How to solve?]
Generally, you can use the mathematical induction and the squeeze theorem to solve this type of inequation or limitation.

For example, if you can prove 0<2n-1<(3/2)^(n-1) for n>=8 with the mathematical induction, the inequation
0<(2n-1)/2^(n-1)<(3/4)^(n-1) is obtained.
Since lim_(n->oo) (3/4)^(n-1)=0, the sequence a_n=(2n-1)/2^(n-1) also converges to zero.

Alternatively, you can caluculate the sum S_n=sum_(k=1)^n a_n (the method is in the wikipedia page) and evaluate lim_(n->oo)S_n. If S_n converges, a_n must converge to zero.