Problem #PRU-61297

Problems Calculus Number sequences Limit of a sequence, convergence Algebra Sequences Recurrent relations Recurrent relations (other)

Problem

The Babylonian algorithm for deducing \(\sqrt{2}\). The sequence of numbers \(\{x_n\}\) is given by the following conditions: \(x_1 = 1\), \(x_{n + 1} = \frac 12 (x_n + 2/x_n)\) (\(n \geq 1\)).

Prove that \(\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} x_n = \sqrt{2}\).