Cassie Seubert cassie.math126@gmail.

com Sequences

Sections 8.1 and 8.2

Math 126 www.dornsife.usc.edu/126

Things to Know About Sequences A sequence is a list of numbers. We are often concerned with trying to gure out what happens to a sequence as n becomes very large. Here, we talk about the lim an . n A sequence converges if lim an exists. n A sequence diverges if lim an does not exist.
n

lim rn =

Every bounded, monotonic sequence is convergent

Determine whether the following sequences are convergent or divergent. If convergent nd the limit. 1. an = n3 1 + n2

2. an =

9n+1 10n

3. an =

(1)n (8n3 + n2 ) 7n3 + 2n2 + 2

4. an =

cos2 n 4n

5. an =

(n + 2)! n!

6. an =

2n n!

Cassie Seubert cassie.math126@gmail.com Series Things to Know About Series

Sections 8.1 and 8.2

Math 126 www.dornsife.usc.edu/126

A series is the sum of a sequence. We denote an innite series by

n=1

an
n

We cant actually add together an innite number of terms, so in order to understand what is happening in these innite series we consider the n-th partial sum denoted Sn =
i=1

ai = a1 + a2 + a3 + + an

Now we consider the sequence of n-th partial sums and nd out what happens when n goes to innity

If a sequence {an } is convergent and lim Sn = s where s is a real number, then the innite series
n n=1

an

is convergent and
n=1

an = s

Test for Divergence: If lim an = 0 or lim Sn = s does not exist then

n n n=1 n

an is divergent.

Note: This does not mean that the series is convergent if lim an = 0 There are only two types of innite series that we will deal with in this class in which we can actually compute the sum: geometric and telescoping

The Geometric Series

n=1

arn1 is convergent when |r| < 1 and divergent when |r| 1 If it is a . 1r

convergent
n=1

ar

n1

To deal with Telescoping Series we nd the formula for the n-th partial sum and then compute the limit of that sequence. Determine whether the following series are convergent or divergent. If convergent nd the sum. 7. 5n 3n1 23n n=1

8.

n+1 2n 3 n=1

9.

(6)n1 5n1 n=1

10.

1 n(n + 2) n=1