Proposition (Subsequence inherits the limit). Let (X,d)(X,d) be a , and let (xn)(x_n) be a sequence in XX that to aXa\in X. If (xnk)(x_{n_k}) is a of (xn)(x_n), then xnkax_{n_k}\to a.

Proof sketch. Fix ε>0\varepsilon>0. Since xnax_n\to a, there exists NN such that d(xn,a)<εd(x_n,a)<\varepsilon for all nNn\ge N. Because (nk)(n_k) is increasing and unbounded, there exists KK such that nkNn_k\ge N for all kKk\ge K. Then d(xnk,a)<εd(x_{n_k},a)<\varepsilon for all kKk\ge K, so xnkax_{n_k}\to a.

Examples
  • In R\mathbb{R}, if xn=1/n0x_n=1/n\to 0, then any subsequence xnk=1/nkx_{n_k}=1/n_k also converges to 00.
Remarks

Context. This is the basic "stability" property of limits under passing to subsequences. It is used constantly in compactness arguments and in extracting limits from sequences.