Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / ia / Paper 1 / 3E (Analysis I)

Let $(u_n)$ be increasing and bounded above, and let $L=\sup \{u_n:n\in \mathbb{N}\}$. For every $\epsilon >0$, the definition of the supremum supplies $N$ with $L-\epsilon <u_N\le L$. Monotonicity gives $L-\epsilon <u_n\le L$ for every $n\ge N$, proving $u_n\to L$. This is the monotone bounded sequence theorem.

For the recurrence, $f(x_n)>0$ makes $(x_n)$ increasing. If it were bounded above, it would converge to some $L$. Since $x_n\le L$ and $f$ is decreasing, $f(x_n)\ge f(L)>0$, whencea contradiction. Therefore $x_n\to \infty$.