[Math] Limits of nth-root on various sequences

power seriessequences-and-series

I have been computing the ratius of convergence for different power series using the the root-test. In many of them, I am left with nth-root expressions that computationally approaches 1 when n goes to infinity. But I miss a formal justification for why they approaches 1. Examples include: $$\limsup (\sin(\frac{\pi n}{6})^{\frac{1}{n}}) = 1 $$
$$\limsup (n^2+1)^{\frac{1}{n}} = 1 $$
$$\limsup (\frac{1}{n^k})^{\frac{1}{n}} = 1 $$

Is there a theorem relating nth-root to different sequences?

Best Answer

For the second limit: $n^2 \leq (n^2+1) \leq (2n^2)$ for $n\geq1$, so we have:

$$n^{\frac{2}{n}} \leq (n^2+1)^{\frac{1}{n}} \leq 2^{\frac{1}{n}}n^{\frac{2}{n}}$$

I'm guessing you have as a standard result that $n^{\frac{1}{n}} \rightarrow 1$ as $n \rightarrow \infty$ and $a^{\frac{1}{n}} \rightarrow 1$ as $n \rightarrow \infty$ for $a > 0$. Then by the product (both sequences on either side of the inequality go to 1) and squeeze rule, $(n^2+1)^{\frac{1}{n}} \rightarrow 1$.

As for the final one:

$$\left(\frac{1}{n^k}\right)^{\frac{1}{n}} = n^{\frac{-k}{n}} = \left(n^{\frac{1}{n}}\right)^{-k}$$

Since $k$ is fixed, and we have $n^{\frac{1}{n}} \rightarrow 1$, by the product/quotient rule, $\left(\frac{1}{n^k}\right)^{\frac{1}{n}} \rightarrow 1$.