Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford / 2023 / Prelims / Mathematics II / 1 / a / Solution

For a nonempty set $A\subseteq \mathbb{R}$, a supremum is a real number $s$ such that $a\le s$ for every $a\in A$, and every upper bound $u$ of $A$ satisfies $s\le u$. Equivalently, $s$ is an upper bound and, for every $\epsilon >0$, some $a\in A$ satisfies $a>s-\epsilon$. By completeness of the real numbers, it exists whenever $A$ is nonempty and bounded above.

An increasing monotone sequence satisfies $a_{n+1}\ge a_n$ for every $n$; a bounded sequence satisfies $|a_n|\le M$ for some finite $M$ and every $n$. Put $s=\sup \{a_n:n\ge 1\}$. Given $\epsilon >0$, the defining property of the supremum supplies $N$ with $a_N>s-\epsilon$. For every $n\ge N$, monotonicity givesThis is exactly the definition of convergent sequence, so the bounded monotone sequence theorem gives $\boxed{a_n\to s}$.