# Product of Big-O Estimates/Sequences

## Theorem

Let $\sequence {a_n}, \sequence {b_n}, \sequence {c_n}, \sequence {d_n}$ be sequences of real or complex numbers.

Let:

$a_n = \map \OO {b_n}$
$c_n = \map \OO {d_n}$

where $\OO$ denotes big-O notation.

Then:

$a_n c_n = \map \OO {b_n d_n}$

## Proof

Since:

$a_n = \map \OO {b_n}$

there exists a positive real number $C_1$ and natural number $N_1$ such that:

$\size {a_n} \le C_1 \size {b_n}$

for all $n \ge N_1$.

Similarly, since:

$c_n = \map \OO {d_n}$

there exists a positive real number $C_2$ and natural number $N_2$ such that:

$\size {c_n} \le C_2 \size {d_n}$

for all $n \ge N_2$.

Let:

$N = \max \set {N_1, N_2}$

Then, for $n \ge N$, we have:

 $\ds \size {a_n c_n}$ $=$ $\ds \size {a_n} \size {c_n}$ $\ds$ $\le$ $\ds C_1 \size {b_n} \size {c_n}$ since $n \ge N_1$ $\ds$ $\le$ $\ds C_1 C_2 \size {b_n} \size {d_n}$ since $n \ge N_2$ $\ds$ $=$ $\ds C_1 C_2 \size {b_n d_n}$

giving:

$a_n c_n = \map \OO {b_n d_n}$

$\blacksquare$