On uniform convergence of sequence

In summary, the sequence of functions {f_n'(x)} obtained from the derivative of x / (1 + n^2 x^2) does not converge uniformly on the interval (-oo, +oo) due to the discontinuity of the function on that interval.
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irony of truth
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Suppose (f_n} is a sequence of functions where f_n(x) = x / (1 + n^2 x^2).

I am finding the pointwise limit of the sequence of {f_n'(x)} on the interval
(-oo, + oo)...in which {f_n'(x)} is the sequence of functions obtained from the derivative of x / (1 + n^2 x^2) and I am trying to find out if this {f_n'(x)}
converges uniformly or not.

SOlution:

Well, the derivative of x / (1 + n^2 x^2) is :

(1 - n^2 x^2) / ( 1 + n^2 x^2 )^2.

Now,
when x = 0, lim (n -> +oo) f_n'(0) = (1 - n^2 0^2) / ( 1 + n^2 0^2 )^2 = 1

When x is not 0,

lim (n -> +oo) f_n'(x) = (1 - n^2 x^2) / ( 1 + n^2 x^2 )^2

lim (n -> +oo) f_n'(x) = (1 - n^2 x^2) / ( 1 + 2n^2 x^2 + n^4 x^4 )

Multiplying both numerator and denominator by 1/n^4 yields

lim (n -> +oo) f_n'(x) = ( 0 - 0) / ( 0 + 0 + x^4 ) = 0 / x^4 = 0.
Since for a large value of x, I can make my n larger than x.

Hence, f(x) = 0 when x = 0 and f(x) = 1, when x is not 0.

Since the function f(x) is not continuous on the interval (-oo, +oo), then
{f_n'(x)} does not converge uniformly on that interval.



Have I done my solution correctly?
 
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  • #2
It looks correct.
 

FAQ: On uniform convergence of sequence

What is uniform convergence of a sequence?

Uniform convergence of a sequence refers to the behavior of a sequence of functions as the number of terms in the sequence increases. It means that the sequence of functions is converging to a single function, and that this convergence is consistent across the entire domain of the functions.

How is uniform convergence different from pointwise convergence?

Pointwise convergence only requires that the sequence of functions approaches a single function at each point in the domain, while uniform convergence requires that the sequence of functions approaches the single function uniformly across the entire domain.

What are the conditions for uniform convergence of a sequence?

The two main conditions for uniform convergence are that the sequence of functions must converge pointwise to a single function, and that this convergence must be uniform across the entire domain of the functions.

Can a sequence of continuous functions converge uniformly to a non-continuous function?

No, a sequence of continuous functions can only converge uniformly to another continuous function. This is because uniform convergence preserves continuity, meaning that if the sequence of functions is continuous, then the limit function must also be continuous.

How is uniform convergence related to the concept of epsilon-delta convergence?

Epsilon-delta convergence is a more general concept that applies to both sequences and series of functions. Uniform convergence is a specific type of epsilon-delta convergence, where the error term (epsilon) is independent of the specific point in the domain (delta). This means that the error in the approximation of the limit function is the same for all points in the domain.

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