Series Convergence/Divergence Flow Chart

TEST FOR DIVERGENCE

P
Does limn an = 0? NO an Diverges

YES P
p-SERIES an Converges
YES
Does an = 1/np , n 1? YES Is p > 1?
NO P
an Diverges
NO
a
P
GEOMETRIC SERIES n=1 an = 1r
YES
Does an = arn1 , n 1? YES Is |r| < 1?
NO P
an Diverges
NO
ALTERNATING SERIES
Does an = (1)n bn or Is bn+1 bn & lim bn = 0?
P
YES YES an Converges
an = (1)n1 bn , bn 0? n

NO
TELESCOPING SERIES P
Do subsequent terms cancel out previous terms in the Does an = s
YES
sum? May have to use partial fractions, properties YES lim sn = s
n NO
of logarithms, etc. to put into appropriate form.
P
s finite? an Diverges

NO
TAYLOR SERIES
P
n=0 an = f (x)
f (n) (a)
YES
Does an = n! (x
n
a) ? YES Is x in interval of convergence?
NO P
an Diverges
NO

Try one or more of the following tests:

P
Is 0 an bn ? YES an Converges
COMPARISON TEST YES
P
Pick {bn }. Does bn converge? NO
NO P
Is 0 bn an ? YES an Diverges

LIMIT COMPARISON TEST P

an Converges
lim an

Pick {bn }. Does =c>0 X YES
n bn YES Does bn converge?
c finite & an , bn > 0? n=1 NO P
an Diverges
INTEGRAL TEST P
Does an = f (n), f (x) is contin- Z n=a an Converges
YES
uous, positive & decreasing on YES Does f (x)dx converge?
[a, )? a NO P
an Diverges

P
RATIO TEST an Abs. Conv.
YES
 
Is limn |an+1 /an | =
6 1? YES Is lim  aan+1  < 1?
 
n n
NO P
an Diverges

P
ROOT TEST an Abs. Conv.
p p
Is lim n |an | < 1? YES
Is limn n |an | 6= 1? YES n NO P
an Diverges
 Problems 1-38 from Stewarts Calculus, page 784

n2 1

X X X k ln(k)
1. 14. sin(n) 27.
n=1
n2 + n n=1
(k + 1)3
k=1

X n1 X n!
e1/n
2. 15.
X
n 2+n 2 5 8 (3n + 2) 28.
n=1 n=0 n=1
n2

n2 + 1

X 1 X
3. 2
16. X tan1 (n)
n +n n3 + 1 29.
n=1 n=1
n=1
n n

X n1 X

4. (1)n1 17. (1)n 21/n
j
n2 + n
X
j
n=1 n=1 30. (1)
j=1
j+5

(3)n+1

X X (1)n1
5. 18.
n=1
23n n=2
n1

X 5k
31.
n 3k + 4k
 k=1
X 3n X ln(n)
6. 19. (1)n
n=1
1 + 8n n
(2n)n
n=1 X
32.
n2n
X 1 X k+5 n=1
7. 20.
5k
p
n=2 n ln(n) k=1 X
sin(1/n)
33.

X 2k k! X
(2)2n n=1
n
8. 21.
k=1
(k + 2)!
n=1
nn
X 1
34.
X X n2 1 n + n cos2 (n)
9. k 2 ek 22. n=1

k=1 n=1
n3 + 2n2 + 5
n 2

X n

3
35.
n+1
X X
10. n2 en 23. tan(1/n) n=1
n=1 n=1

X 1
(1)n+1

X X cos(n/2) 36.
11. 24. (ln(n))ln(n)
n=2
n ln(n) n=1
n2 + 4n n=2

n n!
X
37. ( 2 1)n
X X n
n
12. (1) 2 25.
n=1
n + 25 n=1
en2 n=1

X
3 n n2 X
n2 + 1

X
13. 26. 38. ( 2 1)
n

n=1
n! n=1
5n n=1