[Math] Difference Between Limit Point and Accumulation Point

real-analysis

I want to clarify the definition of limit point and accumulation point.

According to many of my text books they are synonymous that is $x$ is a limit/accumulation point of set $A$ if open ball $B(x, r)$ contains an an element of $A$ distinct from $x$.

But from one of the problems in Aksoy: A Problem Book in Real Analysis says:

Show that if $x \in (M,d)$ is an accumulation point of $A$, then $x$ is a limit point
of $A$. Is the converse true?

So what is the definition?

Best Answer

Basically an accumulation point has lots of the points in the series near it. A limit point has all (after some finite number) of points near it.

Think of the series $(-1+\frac 1{n^3})^n$. Both $-1$ and $1$ are accumulation points as there are entries very far out close to each. Neither is a limit because there are points very far out that are far away.