Convergence of Series

A series is an expression of the form u1 + u2 + u3 + ..+ un in which the successive terms follow some regular law. For e.g. 1 + 3 + 5 + 7+.+ 2n-1+ 1+ x + x2 + x3 + ..+ xn + ., |x| < 1 1 + 2x + 3x2 + 4x3 + 1 1 1 1 + + + + .......... 2 4 8
If a series terminates at some particular term, it is called a finite series. If the number of terms is unlimited, it is called an infinite series.
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Let Sn be sum of first n terms of the infinite series un i.e. Sn = u1 + u2 + u3 +.. + un. Then the infinite series is said to be convergent to a number S if Sn tends to a finite limit S as n increases indefinitely.
n

lim S n = S

The series Sn is said to be divergent if

n

lim S n = or

The series Sn is said to be oscillatory if it does not tend to a unique limit, finite or infinite.t
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Example
Sn = 1+ 2 + 3 + + n = n(n+1)/2 n (n + 1) lim S n = lim n n 2 Hence, this series is divergent. Sn = 2 2 + 2 2 + 2 . S1 = 2, S2 = 0, S3 = 2, S4 = 0
n

lim S n does not exist. Hence it is oscillatory.

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Geometric Series
a + ar + ar + ..... + ar
2
2

n 1

+ ........ = ar n 1
n 1

S n = a + ar + ar + ..... + ar r Sn =

n =1

ar + ar 2 + ..... + ar n 1 + ar n

(1 r )S n = a (1 r n )
a (1 r n ) a ar n lim S n = = n (1 r ) 1 r 1 r
Case I | r | <1
than r n 0

a lim S n = n 1 r

Convergent Series
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Case II

| r | >1

than r n

r>1

lim S n =

Divergent series

r < -1, let r = -k where k > 1 r n = (1) n k n a (1 r n ) a (1 (1) n k n ) lim S n = = n (1 r ) (1 ( k )) = if n is odd Oscillatory Series = - if n is even Case III r=1 a + a + a + ..+ a = na Divergent Series
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Case IV

r = -1 a - a + a - .. Sn = a, if n is odd Sn = 0, if n is even Oscillatory Series Oscillatory Series Divergent Series Convergent Series to -1
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

1 2 + 4 8 + .........
9 27 2+3+ + + ......... 2 4 5 5 5 + + ......... 4 16 64

Nth Term Test

If

u
n =1

converges, then lim u n = 0

n

The converse of above is not true.

i.e if lim u n = 0 then the series may not be convergent. It may diverge.
n

Hence lim u n is a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for convergence.
n

Pf : S n = u 1 + u 2 + .......... + u n S n = S n 1 + u n
Let the series be convergent, and its sum upto infinity be S.
n

lim S n = S

lim S n 1 = S

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

lim S n = lim S n 1 + lim u n

n n

lim u n = S S = 0

If lim u n 0 or fails to exist then the series diverge.

n

2 3 4 n 1 + + + + ....... + + .......... 3 4 5 n +1 2 3 4 n S n = 1 + + + + ....... + 3 3 5 n +1 n 1 un = lim u n = =1 n n +1 1 + 1/ n

Hence the series is divergent.

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

 1+

1 2

1 3 1 2 1 n 1 3

+ +

1 4 1 3

+ ....... + + 1 4

1 n

+ .......... 1 n n =0 1 n n + 1 + ........... + 1 n

Sn = 1 + un = 1+ 1 2 +

+ ....... + 1

lim u n = 1 n

1 4

+ ....... +

Sn n
n

lim S n =

n Hence the series diverges.

n = n

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Ratio Test

u n +1 = r then Let un be a series of positive terms such that lim un

(a) The series converges if r < 1. (b) The series diverges if r > 1. (c) The test fails for r = 1.

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Example
4 2 5 3 3 Test the series 2 + x + x + x + ........... 4 2 3
(n + 1) n 1 un = x n
u n +1 (n + 2) n = x (n + 1)

u n +1 n (n + 2) lim x =x = 2 un (n + 1)

Hence if x < 1, the series is convergent; and if x > 1, the series is divergent. 3 4 5 If x = 1 2 + + + + ........... 2 3 4 n +1 u n = lim =1 0 Thus the series is divergent. n
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Root Test

Let un be a series of positive terms such that lim n u n = r then

n

(a) The series converges if r < 1. (b) The series diverges if r > 1. (c) The test fails for r = 1.

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Example
Discuss the convergence of the series
22 2 33 3 2 + 3 1 2 1 2
(n + 1) un = n n +1
n
n +1

44 4 + 4 + ............. 3 3
n

n +1 n

(u n )

1/ n

(n + 1) = n n +1

n +1

n + 1 n

lim (u n )

1/ n

1 = lim 1 + n n
1 = <1 e 1

n +1

1 n 1 1 1 1 + = lim 1 + 1 + 1 + n n n n n

= (e 1)

Thus the series is convergent.

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Cauchys Integral Test

A positive term series f(1) + f(2) + f(3) ++ f(n) +. where f(n) decreases as n increases, converges or diverges according to the integral

f ( x )dx is finite or infinite.

Examine the convergence of

f ( x ) = xe
x2

ne
n =1

n 2

e x 2 xe dx = lim m 2 1
x2

e m e 1 lim + m 2 2
2

1 is finite. 2e

Hence the series is convergent by Integral Test .

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

Show that the p-series 1 1 1 1 1 n p = 1p + 2 p + 3p + .......... + n p + ......... n =1 ( p a real constant ) converges if p > 1, and diverges if p 1 1 If p > 1, then f(x) = p is a positive decreasing function of x. x p +1 m 1 x dx = x p dx = lim 1 x p 1 m p + 1 1 1 1 1 is finite. = lim p 1 1 = 1 p m m p 1 The series converges by Cauchys Integral Test for p > 1.
Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA

When p < 1

1 lim m1 p 1 f ( x )dx = 1 p m

The series diverges by Cauchys Integral Test for p < 1. When p = 1 1 1 1 1 + + + .......... + + ......... 1 2 3 n

f ( x )dx =

1 dx = [log x ]1 x

The series diverges by Cauchys Integral Test for p = 1.

Ms. Deepali Gupta. JIIT, NOIDA