04/03/2019

Convergence The first requirement of convergence is that the terms

The series that are of the most interest to us are those must approach zero.
that converge.
nth term test for divergence
Today we will consider the question:



n 1
an diverges if lim
n
an fails to exist or is not zero.
“Does this series converge, and if so, for what values of
x does it converge?”


Ex.Note ! x n prove
2: that thisncan  1 athen
If x that n
grows without
n ! xdiverges,
series but can
n 0
not prove that a series converges.
bound.
n!
If 0  x  1 then lim n ! x  lim n  
n
n  n   1 
 
 x
1
As 
n   ,The
eventually n is larger than , therefore
series diverges. (except
x when x=0)
 the numerator grows faster than the denominator. 

There are three possibilities for power series convergence.

1 The series converges over some finite interval:

(the interval of convergence).
There is a positive number R such that the series
diverges for x  a  R but converges for x  a  R .

The series may or may not converge at the endpoints

of the interval.
2 The series converges for every x. ( R )
3 The series converges at x  a and diverges
everywhere else. ( R  0 ) (As in the previous example.)

The number R is the radius of convergence.



Ratio Technique Geometric series have a constant ratio between terms.

Other series have ratios that are not constant. If the
We have learned that the partial sum of a geometric series absolute value of the limit of the ratio between
is given by: consecutive terms is less than one, then the series will
converge.
1 rn
S n  t1  where r = common ratio between terms 
1 r For t
n 1
n , if L  lim
n 
tn 1
tn
then:
When r  1 , the series converges.
if L 1 the series converges.

if L 1 the series diverges.

if L 1 the series may or may not converge.

 

1
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Ex: x 2 x3 x 4
ln 1  x   x      If we replace x with x-1, we get:
2 3 4 If the limit of the ratio between consecutive terms

1 is less than one, then the series will converge.
  1   x  1
1 1 1 n 1
ln  x    x  1   x  1   x  1   x  1   
2 3 4 n

2 3 4 n 1 n

x 1  1
 1  x  1
n2 n 1

L  lim 
n an 1 1
 an 1 
 1  x  1
n 1
n  n 1 n
an an 1  x 1  1

 x  1  x  1  0 x2
n
n
 lim
n 1  x  1
n  n

If the limit of the ratio The interval of convergence is (0,2).

 lim
 x  1 n  x 1
between consecutive terms
n  n 1 is less than one, then the
The radius of convergence is 1.
series will converge.
 

Ex: 
n
 3  x  5
Ratio Technique n
n
n 1

For t
n 1
n , if L  lim
n 
tn 1
tn
then: 1 2 2 3
 x  5   x  5   x  5  
3

3 9 27

if L 1 the series converges.  n  1 x  5

n 1
3n
L  lim 
n  x  5
n  n 1 n
3
if L 1 the series diverges.

 n  1 x  5   x  5   3n
n

if L 1 the series may or may not converge. L  lim

3n  3  n  x  5 
n  n

L  lim
 n  1 x  5
n  3n 

Ex:  Ex: 
n n!
 3  x  5  n  x  3
n n
n 4
n 1 1 n 1
x 5 1
3
 n  1 x  5 1 2 3
 x  3   x  3  x  3   x  3  
2 3 4
L  lim
n 

3n x 5  3 8 27 32

 n  1! x  3
n 1
n 1 3  x  5  3 n4
L  x  5 lim L  lim 
 n  1 n ! x  3
n  4 n
n  3n
2 x 8
1
L  x5 
n ! n  1 x  3  x  3
n
3 n4
L  lim 
 n  1 n ! x  3
n  4 n
The interval of convergence is (2,8).
1
82
The radius of convergence is 3 .  n 
4

2 L  x  3 lim  n  1  

n 
 n 1  

2
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Ex: 
n!
 n  x  3
n
4
n 1

1
4
 n 
L  x  3 lim  n  1  
n 
 n 1 

L for all x 3. Radius of convergence = 0.

At x  3, the series is 0  0  0  , which converges to zero.

Note: If R is infinite, then the series converges for all values of x.

