• July 11th 2009, 08:32 PM
Hikari
Is it okay to use Comparison Theorem to prove that a sequence converges? I would think so, but I recall my professor commenting on that in class by saying that it works with series. I don't know whether or not he meant that to exclude sequences.

If not, why doesn't it work? I appreciate the help!
• July 11th 2009, 11:07 PM
Jhevon
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikari
Is it okay to use Comparison Theorem to prove that a sequence converges? I would think so, but I recall my professor commenting on that in class by saying that it works with series. I don't know whether or not he meant that to exclude sequences.

If not, why doesn't it work? I appreciate the help!

The comparison test works with series, not sequences.

to see that it does not work in general for sequences, consider the following two sequences

$\{ a_n \} = 2,2,2,2,2 ...$ and

$\{ b_n \} = -1,1,-1,1,...$

note that $|b_n| \le |a_n|$ for all $n$ and $\{ a_n \}$ converges. Yet, $\{ b_n \}$ does not converge
• July 12th 2009, 12:26 PM
Hikari
Thanks so much!