# Eventually self-outgrowing = eventually monotonic?

• May 31st 2012, 06:38 AM
jens
Eventually self-outgrowing = eventually monotonic?
Hi,

Consider a bounded sequence $(a_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ whose terms are eventually "outgrown" by other terms of the sequence, i.e., for any index $n$ there exists an $n' > n$ such that $a_{n'} > a_n$. Does this property imply that $a_n$ is eventually monotonic, i.e., that there exists an index $n_0$ such that $a_n$ is monotonically increasing from index $n_0$ onwards? I can't think of any counterexample. If true, do you know if this a known theorem which I can reference from some standard textbook?

NB: the boundedness assumption is essential, otherwise you can construct simple counterexamples like $a_n = n + (-1)^n$

Thanks,
jens
• May 31st 2012, 06:46 AM
girdav
Re: Eventually self-outgrowing = eventually monotonic?
$a_{2n}:=1-\frac 1{2n}$ and $a_{2n+1}=0$.
• May 31st 2012, 03:49 PM
jens
Re: Eventually self-outgrowing = eventually monotonic?
Sorry for the mess, but I had only sequences in mind whose variations become "tiny", that is, whose $\lim\sup$ and $\lim\inf$ coincide. But I forgot to tell. So let me correct my question:
Assume $a_n$ converges to a finite limit and for any index $n$, there exists $n' > n$ such that $a_{n'} > a_n$. Does this imply that there exists an index $n_0$ such that for any two $n_1$ and $n_2$ both larger than $n_0$, we have $n_1 < n_2 \Rightarrow a_{n_1} < a_{n_2}$?
What about $a_{2n}=1-1/n^2$ and $a_{2n+1}=1-1/n$?