TITLE: Sequence satisfies weak law of large numbers but doesn't satisfy strong law of large numbers
QUESTION [9 upvotes]: Let $\{X_n\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$ be a sequence of independent random variables such that $$P(X_n=n+1)=P(X_n=-(n+1))=\frac{1}{2(n+1)\log(n+1)}$$
$$P(X_n=0)=1-\frac{1}{(n+1)\log(n+1)}$$
Prove that $X_n$ satisfies weak law of large numbers but doesn't satisfy strong law of large numbers.
I thought that I could show that $\mathbb EX_n=0$ and then I tried to show that $\frac{ \mathrm{Var}X_n}{n^2} \rightarrow 0$. But I don't think this is the right way, I think I need to use $S_n$ somehowe. How should it be done?

REPLY [5 votes]: To show convergence in probability, 
$$ \mathbb E[X_n] = \frac{n+1}{2(n+1)\log(n+1)} - \frac{n+1}{2(n+1)\log(n+1)} = 0$$ 
and $$
\mathrm{Var}(X_n)=\mathbb E[X_n^2]
= \frac{2(n+1)^2}{2(n+1)\log(n+1)} = \frac{n+1}{\log(n+1)}.
$$
Hence $\mathbb E[S_n]=0$, and
$$\begin{align*}
\frac1{\varepsilon^2}\mathbb E\left[\left(\frac{S_n}n\right)^2\right] &= \frac1{n^2\varepsilon^2} \mathbb E[S_n^2]\\
&= \frac1{n^2\varepsilon^2} \mathrm{Var}\left(\sum_{i=1}^n X_i\right)\\
&= \frac1{n^2\varepsilon^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \mathrm{Var}(X_i)\\
&= \frac1{n^2\varepsilon^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{i+1}{\log(i+1)}\\
&\leqslant \frac1{n^2\varepsilon^2}\left(\frac{n(n+1)}{\log(n+1)}\right)\\
&= \frac{n+1}{n\log(n+1)\varepsilon^2}\\
&= \frac1{\log(n+1)\varepsilon^2} + \frac1{n\log(n+1)\varepsilon^2}\stackrel{n\to\infty}{\longrightarrow}0. 
\end{align*}$$
By Markov's inequality,
$$ \mathbb P\left(\frac{S_n}n \geqslant\varepsilon \right)\leqslant \frac{\mathbb E\left[\left(\frac{S_n}n\right)^2 \right]}{\varepsilon^2}\stackrel{n\to\infty}{\longrightarrow}0.$$
To show that the convergence is not almost sure, for each $n$ we have, as pointed out by @Frank
$$ \{X_n=n+1\} \subset \left\{|S_n|\geqslant \frac n2\right\} \cup \left\{|S_{n-1}|\geqslant \frac n2\right\}.$$
Since $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \mathbb P(X_n=n+1) = \sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac1{2(n+1)\log(n+1)}=+\infty,$$
by Borel-Cantelli we have $$\limsup_{n\to\infty} \mathbb P\left(\frac{|S_n|}n\geqslant \frac12\right)=1,$$
and hence $$\mathbb P\left(\lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{S_n}n = 0\right)<1.$$