Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Single Variable Calculus (MTH 111M)
Semester 2025-2026-I
Hints for Exercise Sheet 1
1. Supremum and infimum of subsets of R†
1.1. Find the supremum and infimum, whichever exists, of the following subsets of the real line:
␣ (
n
(a) 31 ˘ 3n`1 :nPN ,
n
Solution. Since 3n`1 ď 31 , for all n P N, so clearly 0 and 23 are lower and upper bounds
respectively. We now show 0 and 23 are respectively the inf and sup of the set. Let ε ą 0.
Observe that, for any n P N, we have 13 ´ 3n`1 n 1
“ 3p3n`1q ă n1 . Choose N ą 1ε . Then
` ˘
clearly one has 31 ´ 3NN`1 ă N1 ă ε and 23 ´ ε ă 23 ´ N1 ă 23 ´ 13 ´ 3NN`1 ă 13 ` 3NN`1 .
This shows that 0 is the infimum and 23 is the supremum.
! )
m
(b) |m|`n : m P Z, n P N ,

Answer. sup “ 1 and inf “ ´1.

␣ (
(c) 21m ` 31n ` 51r : m, n, r P N ,
Answer. sup “ 21 ` 13 ` 1
5
and inf “ 0.
! 2
)
(d) pn`1q
2n
: n P N ,

Sketch of the proof. First show by induction that 2n ą pn ` 1q2 , for all n ě 6.
2 ␣ 9 25 9 ( 9
Hence pn`1q
2n ă 1, whenever n ě 6. Hence the supremum will be max 2, 4 , 16 , 8 “ 4 ,
as other elements are ă 1. For the infimum, first show that 2n ě n3 , for all n ě 10.
2 2
(How?) Now observe that, for any n ě 9, one has pn`1q2n
“ 2pn`1q
2n`1
2
ď pn`1q ď n2 . From
this, by an argument similar to that of (1.1.a), show that inf “ 0.
2
␣ P R1 : 3x ` (3 ă 10xu,
(e) tx
(f) x ` x : x ą 0 .
1.2. For any α P R and H ‰ A, B Ň R, define the following:
" *
def 1 def 1
´A “ t´a : a P Au, “ : a P A , provided 0 R A,
A a
def def
A ` B “ ta ` b : a P A, b P Bu, A ´ B “ ta ´ b : a P A, b P Bu,
def def
αA “ tαa : a P Au, and A ¨ B “ tab : a P A, b P Bu.

Note: For α P R, any β ă α can be written as α ´ ε, for some ε ą 0. If α ą 0, then any

β ă α is necessarily of the form cα, for some 0 ă c ă 1.
Show the following:
(a) If A is bounded below then, ´A is bounded above and supp´Aq “ ´ inf A.
def
Solution. Let α “ inf A. Then, clearly, for all a P A, one has ´a ď ´α. This shows
that ´A is bounded above. Suppose that ε ą 0. From the definition of infimum, there
exists a P A such that α ` ε ă a, which implies that ´a ą ´α ´ ε. Hence, ´α “ sup A.
2 Hints for Exercise Sheet 1 (MTH 111M)

(b) If A and B are bounded above then so is A ` B and suppA ` Bq “ sup A ` sup B.
Solution. For any a P A and b P B, clearly a ` b ď sup A ` sup B. This yields
sup A ` B ď sup A ` sup B. To show the equality, let ε ą 0. There exist a P A and
b P B such that sup A ´ 2ε ă a and sup B ´ 2ε ă b, whence sup A ` sup B ´ ε ă a ` b.
(c) If A is bounded above and B is bounded below then A ´ B is bounded above and
suppA ´ Bq “ sup A ´ inf B.
(d) If A and B are bounded above then so is A Y B and suppA Y Bq “ maxtsup A, sup Bu.
(e) If A, B Ň R` are bounded then A ¨ B is bounded and suppA ¨ Bq “ sup A ¨ sup B.
Solution. Denote by α and β the supremums of A and B respectively. Let ε ą 0.
ε ε
Choose a P A and b P B satisfying α ´ α`β ă a and β ´ α`β ă b. (How?) Then, it is
´ ¯´ ¯
ε ε
clear that αβ ´ ε ă α ´ α`β β ´ α`β ă ab. Hence, suppA ¨ Bq “ αβ.
` ˘
(f) If A Ň R` is bounded below and inf A ą 0 then A1 is bounded and sup A1 “ inf1 A .
Sketch of the proof. It is easy to see that inf1 A is an upper bound of A1 . Let 0` ă c˘ă 1.
Then, there exists a P A satisfying a ă 1c inf A, which implies that, a1 ą c inf1 A . It
follows that no positive number that is smaller than inf1 A can be an upper bound. (How?)
Thus, we obtain that inf1 A is the supremum. (Explain in detail.)
(g) Find the analogues of 1.2.a-1.2.f for infumum.
2. LUB property of R†
2.1. (a) Let A be a nonempty and bounded above subset of R. Show that the set of all upper
bounds of A is a nonempty and bounded below.
(b) Prove the analogue of (2.1.a) if bounded above is replaced by bounded below.
(c) Prove that LUB and GLB properties of R are equivalent.

Sketch of the proof. (2.1.a) and (2.1.b) are straightforward. Hence, they are left to the
students. To show (2.1.c), we show that the LUB property ùñ the GLB property. Let A
be a nonempty subset of R which is bounded below and L be the set of all lower bounds of
A. Then L is nonempty and bounded above. (Why?) Denote sup L by α. Consider a P A.
Then, by definition, a ě ℓ, for all ℓ P L. This shows that a is an upper bound of L. Since
α “ sup L, it follows that a ě α. Hence, α is a lower bound of A. Finally, conclude the
proof by showing that, if β ą α then β R L. The other direction can be proved similarly.

2.2. Let x P R. Show that there exists a unique integer n satisfying the following:
n ď x ă n ` 1. (2.1)
def
Hint. Consider the set “ tm P Z : m ď xu. Do you see that S ‰ H? (How? Use
Archimedian property.) Does S have a supremum? If α P R is the supremum of S, there
exists n P S such that α ´ 1 ă n ď α. (Why?) Can you show that this n satisfies (2.1)?
Show further that no other integer can satisfy (2.1).

Solution. From Archimedian property, there exists n P N such that n ą ´x. Then ´n ă
x ùñ ´n P S. It is obvious that S is bounded above. Hence sup S exists in R, say α. It
is clear that there exists n P S such that α ´ 1 ă n ď α, since α is the LUB. Then, by
†Theexercises in these sections will first be discussed during the tutorial sessions. This will enhance your
understanding and ensure that you are well-prepared.
Hints for Exercise Sheet 1 (MTH 111M) 3

definition, n ď x, and n ` 1 ą x, as otherwise n ` 1 ą α would belong to S which is not

possible. Now to show the uniqueness, suppose there are integers n1 ‰ n2 both satisfying
(2.1). Without any loss in generality, we may assume n1 ă n2 . Since they are integers, we
have n1 ď x ă n1 ` 1 ď n2 ď x, which is clearly absurd.
Note: The unique integer n satisfying (2.1) is called the greatest integer ď n and denoted
by rxs.
ˇ ˇ 1
2.3. (a) Show that, for any x P R and n P N, there exists m P Z such that ˇx ´ m n
ˇă .
n
(b) From (2.3.a), deduce that for any a, b P R with a ă b, there exists at least a rational
number r satisfying a ă r ă b, and hence infinitely many.

def a`b
Hint. Show that m “ rnxs works. To deduce the density of rationals from this, take x “ 2
2
and n P N such that n ą b´a . (Draw picture!). The details are left as an exercise.
Note: The property (2.3.b) is often described by saying that the rational numbers are
dense in the real number system.
def
2.4. Let F “ Q or R and x ą 0. Consider S “ tt P F : t ą 0 and t2 ă xu. Show the following:
(a) sup S exists in R.
Hint. Choose n P N such that n ą x1 . Then n1 P S (Why?) Pick any m ą x. If m
is not an upper bound, there would exist t P S such that t ą m. Do you now see any
problem with that?
` ˘2
(b) For all t P S then there exists n P N such that t ` N1 ă x.
` ˘2
Hint. Since t ` N1 “ t2 ` N 2t
` N12 ď t2 ` 2t`1
N
, so making t2 ` 2t`1
N
ă x by choosing
N suitably will be enough!
` ˘2
(c) Show that if t ą 0 and t2 ą x then there exists N P N such that t ´ N1 ą x.
Hint. Make similar observation as in (2.4.b)
(d) Denote sup S by α. From (2.4.b) and (2.4.c) show that α2 “ x.
Solution. α2 ă x is not possible, as then by (2.4.b), one would have an N P N such
that α ` N1 P S. On the other hand, if α2 ą x then by (2.4.c), we obtain an an N P N
` ˘2
such that α ´ N1 ą 0 and α ´ N1 ą x. Since α is the least upper bound, so there
` ˘2
exists t P S such that t ą α ´ N1 . This yields that x ą t2 ą α ´ N1 ą x, which is
absurd.
(e) Show that α is the unique positive number whose square is x.
Solution. Suppose that there are two positive numbers α and β with the property
α2 “ x “ β 2 . Without any loss in generality, we may assume α ą β. This leads to
x “ α2 ă β 2 “ x, which is a contradiction.
Note: This unique α w.r.t. the property mentioned above in (2.4.e) α is called the square
? 1 ?
root of 2 and denoted by x or x 2 . Clearly x ą 0.
2.5. Show the following:
(a) There is no α P Q such that α2 “ 2.
Solution. This is a common high school level exercise!
(b)˚ Q does not satisfy the least upper bound property, i.e., Q admits a nonempty bounded
above subset which does not have a least upper bound in Q.
4 Hints for Exercise Sheet 1 (MTH 111M)

Hint. How about the set S defined above in (2.4.) with x “ 2, when F “ Q? If S has
a sup in Q, then does (2.4.) not provide you with an α P Q such that α2 “ 2?
(c) Q enjoys the Archimedian property, i.e., N is not bounded above in Q.
Solution. Let p P Z and q P N. If p ă 0, then obviously pq cannot be an upper bound
of N. So let us now assume that p ą 0. Then it is easy to see that p ` 1 ą pq .

Remark. Recall that in R, the Archimedean property is a consequence of the least upper bound
property. Now (2.5.b) and (2.5.c) show that this is not the situation for Q, which enjoys the
Archimedean property in its own right even though the LUB property does not hold!

2.6. From the density of rationals in R, (2.4.e) and (2.5.a), deduce that for any x, y P R with
x ă y, there exists at least an irrational number z satisfying x ă z ă y, and hence infinitely
many.
? ?
Hint. Can you find a rational number in the open interval px ´ 2, y ´ 2q?
Note: This property is often described by saying that the irrationals are dense in the real
number system.