Convergent Subsequence in Closed Interval
Theorem
Let $\left[{a . . b}\right]$ be a closed real interval.
Then every sequence of points of $\left[{a . . b}\right]$ contains a subsequence which converges to a point in $\left[{a . . b}\right]$.
Proof
Let $\left \langle {x_n} \right \rangle$ be a sequence in $\left[{a . . b}\right]$.
Since $\left[{a . . b}\right]$ is bounded, so is $\left \langle {x_n} \right \rangle$.
By the Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem, $\left \langle {x_n} \right \rangle$ has a subsequence $\left \langle {x_{n_r}} \right \rangle$ which is convergent.
Suppose $x_{n_r} \to l$ as $n \to \infty$.
Since $a \le x_{n_r} \le b$, from Lower and Upper Bounds for Sequences it follows that $a \le l \le b$.
So $\left \langle {x_{n_r}} \right \rangle$ converges to a point in $\left[{a . . b}\right]$.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- K.G. Binmore: Mathematical Analysis: A Straightforward Approach (1977)... (previous)... (next): $\S 5.21 \ (4)$