Let us consider functions of the form $$ f(x) = x^{2} - a, $$ now the task is to find a root of f.
I was asked to prove that for every initial guess $ x_{0} > 0 $ it is true that $ x_{1} \geq x_{2} \geq ... \geq \sqrt a $ and that the limit $ \lim_{x->\infty} x_{n} $ is convergent to $ \sqrt a $. Having seen a geometrical explanation of this approach I do see the two statements clearly must hold, though I do not know how to rigorously justify them. Any ideas?
Suppose $x_n>\sqrt{a}$. The tangent line to $x^2-a$ at $x_n$ lies below the curve (why?), so it hits the $x$ axis to the right of $\sqrt{a}$ (why?). Where it hits the $x$ axis is $x_{n+1}$ (why?), so $x_{n+1}>\sqrt{a}$. Thus once $x_{n_0}>\sqrt{a}$ for some $n_0$ then $x_n>\sqrt{a}$ for all $n \geq n_0$ (by induction).
This finishes the case $x_0>\sqrt{a}$ (in which case the desired inequalities can be extended to $n=0$ as well). What happens in the case $0<x_0<\sqrt{a}$? Is $x_1>\sqrt{a}$ or not?