The sequence un is defined by u1 = 2 and un+1 = (1)/(2)(un + (2)/(un)) for n >= 1. 1. Show that un > sqrt(2) for all n >= 1. 2. Show that un+1 < un for all n >= 1. 3. Hence explain why un converges, and find n infinity un. 4. Find the sum sumn=1^infinity (un - un+1).

Mathematics

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Step-by-step solution

4 steps
  1. Show that un>2u_n > \sqrt{2} for all n≥1n \geq 1.

    We use the AM-GM inequality, which states that for non-negative numbers aa and bb, a+b2≥ab\frac{a+b}{2} \geq \sqrt{ab}.
    Let a=una = u_n and b=2unb = \frac{2}{u_n}.
    Since u1=2>0u_1 = 2 > 0, and the recurrence relation involves division by unu_n, all unu_n must be positive.
    Thus, un>0u_n > 0 and 2un>0\frac{2}{u_n} > 0.
    Applying AM-GM to unu_n and 2un\frac{2}{u_n}:

    un+1=12(un+2un)≥un⋅2unu_{n+1} = \frac{1}{2}\left(u_n + \frac{2}{u_n}\right) \geq \sqrt{u_n \cdot \frac{2}{u_n}} un+1≥2u_{n+1} \geq \sqrt{2}

    The equality holds if and only if un=2unu_n = \frac{2}{u_n}, which means un2=2u_n^2 = 2, so un=2u_n = \sqrt{2}.
    However, u1=2u_1 = 2, which is not equal to 2\sqrt{2}.
    If un>2u_n > \sqrt{2}, then un≠2unu_n \neq \frac{2}{u_n}, so the inequality is strict: un+1>2u_{n+1} > \sqrt{2}.
    Since u1=2>2u_1 = 2 > \sqrt{2}, it follows that u2>2u_2 > \sqrt{2}, u3>2u_3 > \sqrt{2}, and so on.
    Therefore, un>2u_n > \sqrt{2} for all n≥1n \geq 1.

  2. Show that un+1<unu_{n+1} < u_n for all n≥1n \geq 1.

    To show that un+1<unu_{n+1} < u_n, we need to show that un−un+1>0u_n - u_{n+1} > 0.

    un−un+1=un−12(un+2un)u_n - u_{n+1} = u_n - \frac{1}{2}\left(u_n + \frac{2}{u_n}\right) un−un+1=un−un2−1unu_n - u_{n+1} = u_n - \frac{u_n}{2} - \frac{1}{u_n} un−un+1=un2−1unu_n - u_{n+1} = \frac{u_n}{2} - \frac{1}{u_n} un−un+1=un2−22unu_n - u_{n+1} = \frac{u_n^2 - 2}{2u_n}

    From Step 1, we established that un>2u_n > \sqrt{2} for all n≥1n \geq 1.
    This implies un2>(2)2=2u_n^2 > (\sqrt{2})^2 = 2, so un2−2>0u_n^2 - 2 > 0.
    Also, since un>2u_n > \sqrt{2}, it means unu_n is positive, so 2un>02u_n > 0.
    Therefore, un2−22un>0\frac{u_n^2 - 2}{2u_n} > 0.
    This shows that un−un+1>0u_n - u_{n+1} > 0, which means un+1<unu_{n+1} < u_n for all n≥1n \geq 1.
    The sequence unu_n is strictly decreasing.

  3. Hence explain why unu_n converges, and find lim⁡n→∞un\lim_{n \to \infty} u_n.

    From Step 1, the sequence unu_n is bounded below by 2\sqrt{2} (i.e., un>2u_n > \sqrt{2} for all n≥1n \geq 1).
    From Step 2, the sequence unu_n is monotonically decreasing (i.e., un+1<unu_{n+1} < u_n for all n≥1n \geq 1).
    A fundamental theorem in real analysis states that any sequence that is both monotonic and bounded converges. Therefore, unu_n converges.

    To find the limit, let L=lim⁡n→∞unL = \lim_{n \to \infty} u_n.
    If unu_n converges to LL, then un+1u_{n+1} also converges to LL.
    Taking the limit of the recurrence relation:

    lim⁡n→∞un+1=lim⁡n→∞12(un+2un)\lim_{n \to \infty} u_{n+1} = \lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{1}{2}\left(u_n + \frac{2}{u_n}\right) L=12(L+2L)L = \frac{1}{2}\left(L + \frac{2}{L}\right)

    Multiply by 2:

    2L=L+2L2L = L + \frac{2}{L}

    Subtract LL from both sides:

    L=2LL = \frac{2}{L}

    Multiply by LL:

    L2=2L^2 = 2 L=±2L = \pm \sqrt{2}

    Since we established in Step 1 that un>2u_n > \sqrt{2} for all n≥1n \geq 1, the limit LL must be positive.
    Therefore, the limit is 2\boxed{\sqrt{2}}.

  4. Find the sum ∑n=1∞(un−un+1)\displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \left(u_n - u_{n+1}\right).

    This is a telescoping series. Let SNS_N be the NN-th partial sum:

    SN=∑n=1N(un−un+1)S_N = \sum_{n=1}^{N} \left(u_n - u_{n+1}\right) SN=(u1−u2)+(u2−u3)+(u3−u4)+⋯+(uN−uN+1)S_N = (u_1 - u_2) + (u_2 - u_3) + (u_3 - u_4) + \dots + (u_N - u_{N+1})

    All intermediate terms cancel out, leaving:

    SN=u1−uN+1S_N = u_1 - u_{N+1}

    The sum of the infinite series is the limit of the partial sums as N→∞N \to \infty:

    ∑n=1∞(un−un+1)=lim⁡N→∞SN=lim⁡N→∞(u1−uN+1)\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \left(u_n - u_{n+1}\right) = \lim_{N \to \infty} S_N = \lim_{N \to \infty} (u_1 - u_{N+1})

    We know u1=2u_1 = 2.
    From Step 3, we found that lim⁡N→∞uN+1=2\lim_{N \to \infty} u_{N+1} = \sqrt{2}.
    Substituting these values:

    ∑n=1∞(un−un+1)=2−2\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \left(u_n - u_{n+1}\right) = 2 - \sqrt{2}

    The sum is 2−2\boxed{2 - \sqrt{2}}.

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