Definition:Limit Inferior of Sequence of Sets
Definition
Definition 1
Let $\sequence {E_n : n \in \N}$ be a sequence of sets.
Then the limit inferior of $\sequence {E_n : n \in \N}$, denoted $\ds \liminf_{n \mathop \to \infty} E_n$, is defined as:
\(\ds \liminf_{n \mathop \to \infty} E_n\) | \(:=\) | \(\ds \bigcup_{n \mathop = 0}^\infty \bigcap_{i \mathop = n}^\infty E_n\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \paren {E_0 \cap E_1 \cap E_2 \cap \ldots} \cup \paren {E_1 \cap E_2 \cap E_3 \cap \ldots} \cup \cdots\) |
Definition 2
Let $\sequence {E_n : n \in \N}$ be a sequence of sets.
Then the limit inferior of $\sequence {E_n : n \in \N}$, denoted $\ds \liminf_{n \mathop \to \infty} E_n$, is defined as:
- $\ds \liminf_{n \mathop \to \infty} E_n := \set {x: x \in E_i \text { for all but finitely many } i}$
Also denoted as
The limit inferior of $E_n$ can also be seen denoted as:
- $\ds \underset {n \mathop \to \infty} {\underline \lim} E_n$
but this notation is not used on $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.
Some sources merely present this as:
- $\ds \underline \lim E_n$
The abbreviated notation $E_*$ can also be seen.
Also known as
The limit inferior of a sequence of sets is also known as its inferior limit.
Also see
- Results about limits inferior of set sequences can be found here.
Linguistic Note
The plural of limit inferior is limits inferior.
This is because limit is the noun and inferior is the adjective qualifying that noun.