The Comparison Tests

Comments
The Integral Test provides a way for determining
the behavior of a series by using an improper
integral.
The Comparison Tests use series with known
behaviors to determine the behavior of other
series.

Series with Known Behavior

Geometric Series :

n 1
ar

n 1

Geometric Series Test: A geometric series

converges if |r|<1 and diverges otherwise.

1
p - Series : p
n 1 n
p-Series Test: A p-series converges if p > 1
and diverges otherwise.

THE COMPARISON TEST

Suppose that an and bn are series with
positive terms.
If bn is convergent and an bn for all n,
then an is also convergent.
If bn is divergent and an bn for all n, then
an is also divergent.

Example

1
Test n
for convergence.
n 1 2 1
The given series is very similar to the geometric series

1
1 1

n
n 1 2
n 1 2 2

n 1

Since r = , which is of absolute value less than 1,

this geometric series is convergent by the
Geometric Series Test.

The two series are series with positive terms and

1
1
n for all n.
n
2 1 2
Hence, the given series is also convergent by the
Comparison Test.

Example

1
Determine whether 2
converges
n 1 n 3n 1
or diverges.

1
is a convergent p - series, p 2 1

2
n 1 n
1
1
2 for all n
2
n 3n 1 n
Both series are series with positive terms, so the given
series converges by the Comparison Test.

Example

ln(n)
Determine whether
converges
n
n 1
or diverges.
We know that ln(n) > 1 for n > 2. Hence

1 ln(n)

,n2
n
n

The harmonic series is

divergent and the both series are
series with positive terms

Hence the given series is divergent by the

Comparison Test.

Comments
The convergence of a series is not affected by a finite
number of terms, so we need to verify that an bn or
an bn holds for n N, where N is some fixed integer.
The terms of the series being tested must be smaller
than those of a convergent series or larger than those
of a divergent series.
If the terms are larger than the terms of a convergent
series or smaller than those of a divergent series, the
Comparison Test does NOT apply.

LIMIT COMPARISON TEST

Suppose that an and bn are series with
positive terms. If
an
lim c
n b
n
where c is a finite number and c > 0, then
either both series converge or both diverge.

Comment
The Limit Comparison Test also requires a series
with known behavior, but there is no need to
determine if the terms of the series are greater or
less than the terms of the series being tested.
Because of that, the Limit Comparison Test is
easier to apply.

Example

1
Test n
for convergence.
n 1 2 1

1 1
This series resembles the geometric series 2 2

n 1

But the terms of the series under consideration are

greater than the terms of the convergent geometric
series.
The Comparison Test does NOT apply.

n 1

The Limit Comparison Test can be used since both

series are series with positive terms.

1/ 2 1
an
lim lim
n
n b
n
1/ 2
n
n

2
lim n
n 2 1
1
lim
1 0
n
n 1 1/ 2

The limit of the

quotient exists
and is positive, so
both series have
the same
behavior.

Hence the given series also converges by the

Limit Comparison Test.

Example
43
Determine whether n converges
2
n 1
or diverges.

The series under consideration looks like

3
3 3
the geometric series n
n 1 2
n 1 2 2

n 1

By the Geometric Series Test, the geometric

series diverges since r

3
2

Should we use the Comparison Test or the Limit

Comparison Test?

Comparison Test :
3
3 4

for all n
n
n
2
2
n

Since both series are series of positive terms, the

given series diverges by the Comparison Test.

Limit Comparison Test :

3n 4
2n
n
3
n
2n

lim

3 4
4

lim n lim 1 n 1 0
n
n
3
3

The limit of the quotient exists and is positive, so both

series have the same behavior.
Since the geometric series is divergent, the series
under consideration is also divergent by the Limit
Comparison Test.