4100 AWL/Thomas_ch11p746-847 8/25/04 2:41 PM Page 777

11.4 Comparison Tests 777

11.4 Comparison Tests

We have seen how to determine the convergence of geometric series, p-series, and a few
others. We can test the convergence of many more series by comparing their terms to those
of a series whose convergence is known.

THEOREM 10 The Comparison Test

Let gan be a series with no negative terms.
(a) gan converges if there is a convergent series gcn with an cn for all
n 7 N, for some integer N.
(b) gan diverges if there is a divergent series of nonnegative terms gdn with
an dn for all n 7 N, for some integer N.

Proof In Part (a), the partial sums of gan are bounded above by
HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY q
Albert of Saxony M = a1 + a2 + + aN + a cn .
n=N+1
(ca. 13161390)
They therefore form a nondecreasing sequence with a limit L M.
In Part (b), the partial sums of gan are not bounded from above. If they were, the par-
tial sums for gdn would be bounded by
q
M * = d1 + d2 + + dN + a an
n=N+1

and gdn would have to converge instead of diverge.

EXAMPLE 1 Applying the Comparison Test

(a) The series

q
5
a 5n - 1
n=1

diverges because its nth term

5 1 1
= 7 n
5n - 1 1
n -
5
is greater than the nth term of the divergent harmonic series.

Copyright 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

4100 AWL/Thomas_ch11p746-847 8/25/04 2:41 PM Page 778

778 Chapter 11: Infinite Sequences and Series

(b) The series

q
1 1 1 1
a n! = 1 + 1! + 2! + 3! +

n=0

converges because its terms are all positive and less than or equal to the correspon-
ding terms of
q
1 1 1
1 + a n = 1 + 1 + + 2 + .
n=0 2 2 2

The geometric series on the left converges and we have

q
1 1
1 + a n = 1 + = 3.
n=0 2 1 - s1>2d

The fact that 3 is an upper bound for the partial sums of g n = 0 s1>n!d does not
q

mean that the series converges to 3. As we will see in Section 11.9, the series con-
verges to e.
(c) The series

2 1 1 1 1 1
5 + + + 1 + + + + + +
3 7 2 + 21 4 + 22 8 + 23 2 + 2n
n

converges. To see this, we ignore the first three terms and compare the remaining terms
with those of the convergent geometric series g n = 0 s1>2n d. The term 1>s2n + 2nd of
q

the truncated sequence is less than the corresponding term 1>2n of the geometric se-
ries. We see that term by term we have the comparison,

1 1 1 1 1 1
1 + + + + 1 + + + +
2 + 21 4 + 22 8 + 23 2 4 8

So the truncated series and the original series converge by an application of the Com-
parison Test.

The Limit Comparison Test

We now introduce a comparison test that is particularly useful for series in which an is a
rational function of n.

THEOREM 11 Limit Comparison Test

Suppose that an 7 0 and bn 7 0 for all n N (N an integer).
an
1. If lim = c 7 0, then gan and gbn both converge or both diverge.
n: q bn

an
2. If lim = 0 and gbn converges, then gan converges.
n: q bn
an
3. If lim = q and gbn diverges, then gan diverges.
n: q bn

Copyright 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

4100 AWL/Thomas_ch11p746-847 8/25/04 2:41 PM Page 779

11.4 Comparison Tests 779

Proof We will prove Part 1. Parts 2 and 3 are left as Exercises 37(a) and (b).
Since c>2 7 0, there exists an integer N such that for all n
Limit definition with
n 7 N Q ` - c` 6 .
an c P = c>2, L = c , and
bn 2 an replaced by an>bn

Thus, for n 7 N,

c an c
- 6 - c 6 ,
2 bn 2

c an 3c
6 6 ,
2 bn 2

a bbn 6 an 6 a bbn .
c 3c
2 2

If gbn converges, then gs3c>2dbn converges and gan converges by the Direct Compari-
son Test. If gbn diverges, then gsc>2dbn diverges and gan diverges by the Direct Com-
parison Test.

EXAMPLE 2 Using the Limit Comparison Test

Which of the following series converge, and which diverge?
q q
3 5 7 9 2n + 1 2n + 1
(a) + + + + = a = a 2
4 9 16 25 n=1 sn + 1d2
n=1 n + 2n + 1
q
1 1 1 1 1
(b) + + + + = a n
1 3 7 15 n=1 2 - 1
q
1 + 2 ln 2 1 + 3 ln 3 1 + 4 ln 4 1 + n ln n
(c) + + + = a
9 14 21 2
n=2 n + 5

Solution
(a) Let an = s2n + 1d>sn 2 + 2n + 1d. For large n, we expect an to behave like
2n>n 2 = 2>n since the leading terms dominate for large n, so we let bn = 1>n. Since
q q
1
a bn = a n diverges
n=1 n=1

and

an 2n 2 + n
lim = lim 2 = 2,
n: q bn n: q n + 2n + 1

gan diverges by Part 1 of the Limit Comparison Test. We could just as well have
taken bn = 2>n, but 1> n is simpler.

Copyright 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

4100 AWL/Thomas_ch11p746-847 8/25/04 2:41 PM Page 780

780 Chapter 11: Infinite Sequences and Series

(b) Let an = 1>s2n - 1d. For large n, we expect an to behave like 1>2n , so we let
bn = 1>2n . Since
q q
1
a bn = a 2n converges
n=1 n=1

and
an 2n
lim = lim n
n: q bn n: q 2 - 1

1
= lim
n: q 1 - s1>2n d
= 1,

gan converges by Part 1 of the Limit Comparison Test.

(c) Let an = s1 + n ln nd>sn 2 + 5d. For large n, we expect an to behave like
sn ln nd>n 2 = sln nd>n, which is greater than 1> n for n 3, so we take bn = 1>n.
Since
q q
1
a bn = a n diverges
n=2 n=2

and

an n + n 2 ln n
lim = lim
n: q bn n: q n2 + 5
= q,

gan diverges by Part 3 of the Limit Comparison Test.

q
ln n
EXAMPLE 3 Does a 3>2
converge?
n=1 n

Solution Because ln n grows more slowly than n c for any positive constant c
(Section 11.1, Exercise 91), we would expect to have
ln n n 1>4 1
3>2
6 3>2 = 5>4
n n n
for n sufficiently large. Indeed, taking an = sln nd>n 3>2 and bn = 1>n 5>4 , we have
an ln n
lim = lim 1>4
n: q bn n: q n
1>n
= lim lHpitals Rule
n: q s1>4dn -3>4

4
= lim = 0.
n 1>4
n: q

Since gbn = gs1>n 5>4 d (a p-series with p 7 1) converges, gan converges by Part 2 of
the Limit Comparison Test.

Copyright 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley