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Show that $r^nrightarrow 0$ if $|r|<1$

Mathematics Asked by Mary Star on February 26, 2021

Let $rin mathbb{C}$, $|r|<1$. Show that $r^nrightarrow 0$.

For that we have to show that $r^n$ is decreasing and bounded, right?

Let $a_n:=r^n$.

Then we have that $frac{a_{n+1}}{a_n}=frac{r^{n+1}}{r^n}=rleq |r|<1$ and so the sequence is decreasing.

Since $|r|<1$ we get that $-1<r<1Rightarrow (-1)^n<r^n<1^n Rightarrow (-1)^n<r^n<1$ and so the sequence is bounded.

So we know that the sequence converges to a limit $L$.

We have that $r^{n+1}=rcdot r^n$. Since $r^nrightarrow L$ we also have that $r^{n+1}rightarrow L$ and so we get for $nrightarrow infty$ that $L=rcdot LRightarrow Lcdot (r-1)=0$ and since $|r|<1$ and so $rneq 1$ it follows that $L=0$.

Is everything correct?

3 Answers

No, it is not. Even assuming that $rinBbb R$, you did not prove correctly that the sequence is decreasing, and you could not have possibly have done so, since, if $-1<r<0$, the sequence is not decreasing (nor increasing, for that matter).

Besides, you don't have to prove that the sequence is bounded and decreasing.

Correct answer by José Carlos Santos on February 26, 2021

As for any complex number $$|r^n-0|=||r|^n-0|$$ it suffices to show that the property holds in the reals.

Let $s:=|r|>0$. Now for any $epsilon>0$, $|s^n-0|<epsilon$ if $ngelog_sepsilon$, and the latter expression is always defined. (Needless to say, $s=0$ also works.)

Answered by Yves Daoust on February 26, 2021

So $|z^n - 0| = |z^n| = |z|^n rightarrow 0$, which is the definition of $z^n rightarrow 0$.

Answered by math on February 26, 2021

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