INFINITE SERIES

CONVERGENCE OF SERIES
It is not always possible to tell
whether a particular series
converges by using the
comparison test or the limit
comparison test.
We might not be able to find a
series to compare it with.
The next two tests are intrinsic
and very easy to apply.
1. D’Alembert’s Ratio Test
( The Ratio Test )
2. Cauchy’s Nth Root Test
( The Nth Root Test )
 THE RATIO TEST

Let  an
n 1
be a series with

positive terms and suppose

that
c) the test is inconclusive if
The ratio test is often
effective when the terms of
the series contain factorials of
expressions involving n, or
expressions raised to the nth
power, or combinations of
both.
 THE MEANING OF
FACTORIALS
4! 4  3  2  1 0!
 EXAMPLE 6
Test the given series for
convergence or divergence
using the ratio test :

n !n !

n 1  2n  !
 EXAMPLE 7
Test the given series for
convergence or divergence
using the ratio test :

2 5
n


n 1 3 n
 THE N-TH ROOT TEST

Let  an
n 1
be a series with

positive terms and suppose

that
c) the test is inconclusive if
 EXAMPLE 8
Test the given series for
convergence or divergence
using the root test :

 1 
  n
n 1  n 
 EXAMPLE 9
Test the given series for
convergence or divergence
using the root test :

2 
n

  
 n2 
n 1  
 EXAMPLE 10
Test the given series for
convergence or divergence
using the root test :
 n
 1
 1  
n 1  n