Convert a double index sequence into a single index sequence

convergence-divergencereal-analysissequences-and-series

Suppose I have a double index sequence $\{x_{n,m}\}$ in $\mathbb{R}$. Am looking for a bijection $f:\mathbb{N}\times\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}$ such that $\{x_{n,m}\}$ converges if and only if $\{x_{f(n,m)}\}$ converges.

In other words, I would like to transform a double index sequence into a single index sequence without affecting convergence. This is in order to use results about single index sequences for my double index sequence.

Is this possible? The usual diagonal enumeration of $\mathbb{N}\times\mathbb{N}$ won't work here because $k>f(n,m)$ does not imply $n_k>n$ and $m_k>m$, where $(n_k,m_k)=f^{-1}(k)$.

Note: By convergence of a double sequence I mean $x_{m,n} \to x$ if and only if for all $\epsilon>0$ there exist $N\in \mathbb{N}$ such that $m,n\geq N$ implies $\mid x_{m,n}-x \mid < \epsilon$.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Best Answer

First we need to note that the notation in the question makes no sense: If $f:\Bbb N^2\to\Bbb N$ is a bijection and $(x_{n,m})$ is a double sequence then " $\{x_{n,m}\}$ converges if and only if $\{x_{f(n,m)}\}$ converges" is impossible. Because there's simply no such thing as $x_{f(m,n)}$, since $f(m,n)\notin\Bbb N^2$.

There are various ways to state the natural question that seems likely to be what the OP really meant to ask about, for example

Q. Does there exist a bijection $f:\Bbb N \to\Bbb N^2$ such that for any doubly-indexed sequence $x_{m,n}$ we have $x_{m,n}\to x$ (as defined above) if and only if $x_{f(k)}\to x$?

The answer is no, there is no such bijection. Given $f$, choose $k_n\in\Bbb N$ with $$f(k_n)=(0,n).$$

Easy Exercise. $\lim_{n\to\infty}k_n=\infty$.

Now let $$x_{m,n}=\begin{cases} 1,&(m=0),\\0,&(m>0).\end{cases}$$ Then $x_{m,n}\to0$. But $x_{f(k_n)}=1\not\to0,$ and since $k_n\to\infty$ this shows that $$x_{f(k)}\not\to0.$$

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