The Basie Tests for Infinite Series (W Divergence Test Integral Test (©) Comparison Test (@) Limit Comperison Test (© Retio and Root Tests (9) Leibnie Test for Alternating Series <=> PEMINDER The Leone Test states that Stn comergsif the 00600 fn) 'S positive, decreasing, and im, an = 0. This test doesnot apply to the series Example 1 (because the terms 2 on rat donot satisty either of te wo hypotheses: (aa) isnot decreasing andi, an iS F STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES W ite consier many base comergenc et for infinite series in Chapter 11. ‘So given a particular infinite series, which test should you use? There is no single answer, but there are some facts and general guidelines you should Keep in mind. First of all, to develop your intuition, you should be familiar with the following key examples: + Geomen series: Sr" converges ifr] < 1 and diverges otherwise os «+ prseries: 37 converges if p > 1 and diverges otherwise mt™ et + Y= converges by the Ratio Test. yn oor converges conditionally but not absolutely Example 4, Section 11.4). ‘A frst step, when testing an innit series isto check tat the general term ay approaches ero. By the Divergence Tet if lian doesnot exist ori im, exists bat isnot equal to zero, then a diverges. M1 EXAMPLE 1 First Check Whether the General Term Approaches Zero Determine the Sa’ o2 (=1)"n4 ‘convergence of (a) )—~— and (b) . wai & mri Solution Both series diverge: a fener © im = im pice = 1 ome) > SP aves CV? 4, ped a s 0) sig Po in LP, doesnot exisy = 3° SP iver o AM ee eT ene Next, ask yourself if the series resembles a series whose behavior is known. If s0, try using the Comparison or Limit Comparison Tests. The following guidelines may be useful: A LATE TRANSCENDENTALSAPPENDIX F 1 STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES If the series conta Tey: i orcther powers of Comparison or Limit Comparison with p-series| PP (constant) Ratio Test factorials such as n!, (2a)! Ratio Test a Root Test cy Check for absolute convergence or use Leibniz Test EXAMPLE 2 Check for a Simple Comparison Determine the convergence of ¥ Term 1 1 Solution The series converges by the Comparison Test because Te———r S Tg and So ig comersnt omer eres (win Z). atthoug te neal nis alo mu, itcannot be used tots our sees because Jn . °Tetr diverges. Often there is more than one way of testing the convergence of a series. For example, \we may prove thatthe following series converges in at least three ways: Bt lea converges. bmi AEs 1a Tat Sat 2. Comparison Test wits 5° a 3. Limit Compaion wit 3°: L = iy, 2m jim ml 2 ‘When a, = f(n) where f(x) is a rational or algebraic function, we may apply the Limit Comparison Test with a p-series. Recall that the behavior of f(n) as n —> 00 is ‘determined by the highest powers of n appearing in the numerator and denominator. WW EXAMPLE 3 Terms Defined by a Rational Function: Limit Comparison Determine the An? +2n—9 comerene ofS = Laie Solution Step 1. Determine behavior of dy a8. —> 00. “The highest powers of 1 in the numerator and denominator are n? and 7/7, s0 an behaves like the ratio 4n? 4 a on a = 5 an co. LATE TRANSCENDENTALSAPPENDIX F | STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES 2 “This suggests a limit comparison withthe p-seies “9. > Step 2. Apply the Limait Comparison Test with by = n~*/?, 442-908 Tim St = fim Deby ab = tim AP +29 eto Tat ant 2 SP 4n?+2n~9 +» REMINDER By Theorem 1 in Section = jim 7 te 45, Ht das tm #0, then He THEE ST? = 29 (see marginal note) Since L exists and 5 bn = .>n7¥7 isa convergent p-series, 5 ay also converges et a by the Limit Comparison Test . EXAMPLE 4 Terms Defined by an Algebraic Function Linit Comparison Determine SZ n2+2n-9 Lay the convergence of "ae Solution Siep 1. Determine behavior of ay 85» 00. ‘Although the denominator (n7 + Sn®)"/? is an algebraic function rather than a poly- ‘nomial, its behavior is still determined by its leading term: (0? 502) = (7h Sn)" =n (1 Sn“A'2 saqromtes Yas 00 Thus 4mn-9 an yoo = GT eSB ~ I Step 2. Apply the Limit Comparison Test with by = n@¥/3, tim % = tim BESTE gg EMF 1 lin 5 = him, ie = A aT SB a nb +2n-9 n?+2n—9 ‘ 1 = in, ta (um, *) (a) since 1» Oma $2 ty Sn! ea degen paces, Sean so ery the Limit Comparison Test. . EXAMPLE 5 Series Involving Factorials: Ratio Test Determine the convergence of 210 © ws mS " a LATE TRANSCENDENTALSAPPENDIX F J STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES Note that for alt k, wet at oe im, = (aim. ' oe GE (#2. * In Example 7, there are infinitely mony ways of witing the general term as 2 ‘procct ef 2 bounded term end n~? with ‘p> 3. For example, instead of (2), we may write ea) Gala for some constant C. snee Sots 8 convergent pees, we conc again that § also converges. Solution The limit p is zero in both cases, so both series converge by the Ratio Test: oor fq _loont tnt 100 er fi, ToonGeH TD! ene = tm 2 tn SEIT yy OE nt (0) p= fi, Sm tim, EE = in (52) (testa)? vee 7 ‘A factorial in the denominator does not guarantee convergence, as the next example shows. EXAMPLE 6 Deteminethecomesenceof J" 2 am Solution This series diverges by the Ratio Test because p is infinite: a > os fim Stl tea é co oe Jn ram iS e+ ethan? gan ig = i = = in Gat 7 eee i ‘ibs Roe When the general term aq involves logarithms, we may use that fact that Inn grows ‘more slowly than n* for all k > 0. More precisely, it follows from L’Hépital’s Rulle that WE <9 forall exponents @ and k > 0) o Bonk EXAMPLE 7 Determine the convergence of S = Ee = Solution The term n°/* im the denominator suggests comparison with a p-sries. We camo compare with 5 tse? n pens inthe unto Hower, we can still show that § converges by writing the general term of $ asa product: qe BA GIR DR LATE TRANSCENDENTALSAPPENDIX F J STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES 7 intn Applying (1) with a = 2 and & = 1/8, we see that lim “77 = O. In particular, the sequence {In? n/n'/8) is bounded by a constant C, and we obtain 1 we SC (am) el Z 3, since $° 1, ia convent p series the ses converges by compari. Note, by contrast with Example 7, that tan at Loar serses (compare with 7) = itn Indeed, itis easy to check that “Spt > —7 for n > 3. Since the p-series with p = 3/4 ma diverges, cur series also diverge by the Comparison Test. Exercises Determine whether the series converges absolutely, converges condi- tionally, or diverges, by any method. a Ms il a R Me i i 2 in et LATE TRANSCENDENTALS6 APPEWOIX F 4 STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES 0 te Sn 2, 25n!0 + 50 we & Me IMs iM 2 Ms = ¢ aoe LATE TRANSCENDENTALSPolutions to Appendix F Odd Exercises 1. converges 3. diverses 5. diverse 1 converges coniinsly 9 converges 11, cooverees 13, comers 1 diverges 1, verges 19. comers 21. comerees 28, converzesconitonlly 25, comernes 27, comerges APPENDIX F | STRATEGIES FOR TESTING SERIES £7 29. comers ‘31. comerescondtionaly 133, comers aoltely 38, diverses 131. converses coniionaly 39, comers contol 41, diverges