Convergence Tests

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Series
• Given a sequence {a0, a1, a2,…, an }

• The sum of the series, Sn= n

a k
k 1
• A series is convergent if, as n gets larger and larger, Sn goes to
some finite number.
• If Sn does not converge, and Sngoes to ∞, then the series is
said to be divergent
Geometric and P-Series
• The two series that are the easiest to test are geometric series
and p-series.

• Geometric is generally in the form



 ar k

• P-series is generally in the form k 1


1
  n
p
n 1


 Geometric Series
• A geometric series is a series in which there is a constant ratio
between successive terms

• 1 +2 + 4 + 8 + … each successive term is the previous term

multiplied by 2

• each successive term is the previous term

squared.
1 1 1 1
    ...
2 4 16 256


Geometric Series

• Sn =  =arar +ar^2 + ar^3 + … +ar^k
k

k 1

• As a result, if |r|<1, the geometric series will converge to


, and if |r| 1 the series will diverge.

a 
1 r



P-Series

• Given a series 
1
p
n 1
n

• This series is said to be convergent if p>1,


• And divergent if p 1


Geometric and P-Series
Examples
  n 1 This series is
3
n
 3 
   3  geometric with a=3 The Sum of the series, S
n 1
n 1
4 n 1
 4  and r =3/4. Since
a
r<1, this series will S 
So S= 3/(1-3/4) = 12
converge. 1 r


1 Here, p=3, so p>1. Therefore our series
 will converge

3
n 1
n

1
 
1  1 2 Here, p=1/2, so p<1. Therefore our series will
    
 n 
diverge
n 1
n n 1
Convergence Tests
• Divergence test
• Comparison Test
• Limit Comparison Test
• Ratio Test
• Root Test
• Integral Test
• Alternating Series Test
 Divergence Test

• Say you have some series
 an
• The easiest way to see if a series diverges
n  0 is this test

• Evaluate L= Lim
• If L 0, the series diverges
• a 
If L=0, then this test is inconclusive
n
n 

 




 Divergence Test Example
 2
n
 5n 2
4
Let’s look at the limit
n 1 of the series

2 2
n n 1
Lim 2
 Lim 2
  0 Therefore, this series is divergent
n  5n  4 n  5n 5



1
  2 The limit here is equal to zero, so this test is inconclusive.
n 1
n
However, we should see that
1 this a p-series with p>1, therefore this will converge.
Lim 2
 0
n  n
 Comparison Test
• Often easiest to compare geometric and p series.

• Let and be series with non-negative terms.

• If  ak for
 k,
b as k gets big, then
k
• If converges, then converges
• If diverges, then diverges


b k a k
b k a k

b k a k


 

 
 Comparison Test Example

1
3 n
1
Test to see if this series converges
using the comparison test
n 1

1
This is very similar to 3 n
which is a geometric series so
it will converge
n 1


 
1 1
And since 3 n
 3 n
1
our original series will also converge
 n 1 n 1


 Limit Comparison Test
• Let and b be series with non-negative terms.
 ak  k
• Evaluate Lim
• If lim=L, some finite number,
ak then both and
either converge or diverge.
  k  bk
• and are generally geometric series or p-series, so
seeing whether these series are convergent is fast.  ak

b k


 ak b k 



 
 Limit Comparison Test
Example
 n
9 Determine whether
 3  10 n
this series
n
n 1 converges or not 9
  n
9
n
 9  n
Lim 3  10n  1  0
Compare it with  n
   
10 
so n    9 
n 1
10 n 1  
10 
  n
 9 
And since    Is a geometric series with r<1, this series converges,
n 1
10  therefore so does our original series
 


Ratio Test
• Let be a series with non-negative terms.
a k

• Evaluate L= Lim
a k 1

• If L < 1, then converges
ak
• If L > 1, then kdiverges


 isa kinconclusive
• If L = 1, then this test


a k





Ratio Test Example
Test for convergence
 3
n a n 1
  1
n Look at the limit of
n an
n 1
3
n 1 3
(  1) ( n  1)
3 n
3
n 1 ( n  1) 3
Lim n 3
 Lim n 1
 3
n  (  1) n n  3 n
Since L<1, this series
n
3 will converge based
on the ratio test
1 n 1 3 1 1 3 1
 Lim ( )  Lim (1  )  1
3 n  n 3 n  n 3
Root Test
• Let be a series with non-negative terms.
 an
• Useful if involves nth powers
a
• Evaluate L= Limn 1


• If L < 1, is convergent (a n ) n
• If L > 1, n 
is divergent
•If L = 1, thenthis
an
test is inconclusive

a n





Root Test Example
Test for convergence

4n  5
1

 ( 5n  6 ) n Lets evaluate the limit, L =Lim (a n ) n

n 

n 1 


1
4n  5 n 4n  5 4
Lim (( ) ) n
 Lim  1
n  5n  6 n  5n  6 5
By the root test, since L<1, our series will converge.
 Integral Test
• Given the series , let  =a f(k) ak
k

• f must be continuous, positive, and decreasing for x > 0

• will converge only if converges.
• If diverges,
 then the series will also diverge.

 
•  ak
In general, however,
k0

f ( x ) dx
0


 f ( x ) dx
0

  

 ak   1
f ( x ) dx
 k 1


Integral Test Example
Test for convergence Since x>0, f(x) is

1 1 continuous and
 (2 n  1) 3
So let f (x)  3
positive.

n 1 (2 x  1) f’(x) is negative so
we know f(x) is
decreasing.

 1 1 1 t
Now let’s look
at the integral
 1
(2 x  1)
3
dx  
2
 2 Lim [
t  (2 x  1)
2 ]
1

 1 1 1
  Lim ( 2
 2
)
t  (2 t  1) ( 3) 9

Since the integral converged to a finite number, our original series will also converge

 will most likely not converge to 1/9, but it will converge nonetheless.
Note: Series
 Alternating Series Test
• Given a series  (1) k
ak , where ais positive for all k
k
• IF
• for all k, and
• Lim = 0

a k 1  a k 
Then the series is convergent
k 
ak





 Alternating Series Test
Example
Test for convergence
 2
n Check:
  1
n 1
3
Is this series decrease- yes
n 1
n 4 Is the Lim=0?

2
n
Lim 3
0 Yes
n  n 4

 2
n
  1
n 1
3
Therefore,
n 1
n 4 , is convergent.



 More Examples
 
cos n 
2
1 n  n
1.  n
3 4
2.  2 6
n 1 n 1 1 n  n


 n 1

3.  ( n  1) 4
10 
2 n 1
4.  n ln n
n2
n 1

 
Answers
• 1. By Alternating series test, series will converge
• 2. By the comparison test, series will diverge
• 3. By the ratio test, series will converge
• 4. By the integral test, series will diverge