Problem #PRU-61302

Problems Methods Real numbers Integer and fractional parts. Archimedean property Pigeonhole principle (angles and lengths) Pigeonhole principle Calculus

Problem

Old calculator I.

a) Suppose that we want to find \(\sqrt[3]{x}\) (\(x> 0\)) on a calculator that can find \(\sqrt{x}\) in addition to four ordinary arithmetic operations. Consider the following algorithm. A sequence of numbers \(\{y_n\}\) is constructed, in which \(y_0\) is an arbitrary positive number, for example, \(y_0 = \sqrt{\sqrt{x}}\), and the remaining elements are defined by \(y_{n + 1} = \sqrt{\sqrt{x y_n}}\) (\(n \geq 0\)).

Prove that \(\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} y_n = \sqrt[3]{x}\).

b) Construct a similar algorithm to calculate the fifth root.