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Convergence of Bounded Decreasing Sequence to Its Infimum

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Prove that if a decreasing sequence is bounded, then it converges to the infimum of the set of values that it takes on.

In this problem, we explore an important concept in real analysis: the behavior of sequences, specifically, decreasing sequences that are bounded. When we say a sequence is decreasing, it means that each term is less than or equal to the preceding term. A sequence being bounded means it has both an upper and a lower bound, meaning there exists a value that is greater than or equal to every term in the sequence (upper bound) and another value that is less than or equal to every term in the sequence (lower bound).

In the context of real numbers, these properties are particularly significant due to the completeness of the real numbers—which states that every non-empty set of real numbers bounded above has a least upper bound (supremum), and every non-empty set bounded below has a greatest lower bound (infimum).

For a bounded decreasing sequence, while it is naturally constrained by its first term (serving as an upper bound), it converges towards its greatest lower bound, the infimum of the set of its values. This infimum serves as the limit of the sequence.

It is a cornerstone example of how boundedness and monotonicity (being decreasing or increasing) ensure convergence in the real number system, showcasing the powerful structure and properties of completeness in analysis. Understanding this principle aids in grasping more advanced convergence topics such as those involving series and function limits.

Posted by Gregory 4 hours ago

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