CHAPTER1 MAT455

Pensyarah:Sumarni Abu Bakar; FSKM, Tingkat 3-52; 0126163540(sms)

1. SEQUENCES AND SERIES

1.0 Introduction to sequences

 A sequence can be defined as an unending succession of numbers

 The numbers in a sequence are called the term of the sequence
 A sequence can be represented by a formula and can be written in bracket
notation,
n=∞
Eg: { a n }n=1 = { a 1 , a2 , a3 , … … … … }

Sequence can be classified into 2 groups:

1) Finite sequence : a sequence that contains finite number of terms.

n=k
Eg: {a n }n=1 = a1 , a2 , a3 , ………, ak
2) Infinite sequence : a sequence with infinite number of terms.

n=∞
Eg: {a n }n=1 = a1 , a2 , a3 , ………

Definition 1
n=∞
1) A sequence { a n }n=1 is said to converge iff

lim an =L
n→∞

2) A sequence that does not converge to some finite number is said to be

divergent

lim an =∞
n→∞

Theorem 1
If lim f ( x )=L and f(n) = an when n is an integer, then lim an =L.
x→ ∞ n→∞

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Example 1
Determine whether the following sequences converge or diverge.
∞
n
a) { }
n+ 1 n=1

∞
n2
b) { 2 n−1 } n=1

∞
ln n
c) { }
n n=1

NOTE:
0 −1<r <1
1. lim r = 1
x→ ∞
∞
x
r=1
|r|>1 {
x +k x k
2. lim
x→ ∞
( ) x
=e

x x −k
3. lim
x→ ∞
( ) x +k
=e

Definition 2
A sequence { a n } is called increasing if an < an+1 for all n ≥ 1, that is a1 < a2 < a3 <…. It
is called decreasing if an > an+1 for all n ≥ 1. It is called monotonic if it is either
increasing or decreasing

Example 2
Show that each of the following sequence is decreasing
3 n
a){ }
n+ 5
b) 2
n +1{ }

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1.1 Infinite series

n=∞
If we add the terms of an infinite sequence { a n }n=1 we will get an expression of the
form
a1 + a2 + a3 + …………

which is called an infinite series (or just series) and is denoted by

n=∞

∑ an
n=1

Definition 3
An infinite series is the summation of terms in an infinite sequence.

If Sn is the summation of n terms, then

S1 = a1
S2 = a1 + a2
S3 = a1 + a2 + a3 etc

The number Sn is called the nth partial sum of the series and {Sn} is the sequence of
partial sum.

Definition 4
n=∞
Given a series ∑ an= a1 + a2 + a3 + …………, and let Sn denote its nth partial sum,
n=1

n
Sn = ∑ ai=¿ ¿ a1 + a2 + a3 + …………+ an
i=1

If the sequence of the partial sum {Sn} is convergent and nlim

→∞
S n=s exist as a real
n=∞
number, then the series ∑ an is called convergent and we write
n=1

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n=∞
a1 + a2 + a3 + …………= s or ∑ an= s
n=1

The number s is called the sum of the series. Otherwise the series is called divergent.
n=∞
Thus the sum of a series is the limit of the sequence of the partial sums. So when we write ∑ an= s, we mean that by
n=1
adding sufficiently many terms of the series, we can get as close as we like to the number s.

1.2 Types of series

a) The Geometric series:

∞

∑ ar n−1 = a + ar + ar 2
+ ar3 + ….
n =1

∞
n−1 a
is convergent if |r| < 1 and its sum is ∑ ar = .
n =1 1−r

If |r| > 1, the geometric series is divergent.

Example 3
Determine whether the following series is convergent or divergent
∞ ∞ ∞
3 2n 3 n−1
a) ∑ n
n =1 2
b) ∑
n =1 100
c) ∑
n =1
2
4 ()
b) The Harmonic series:

∑ 1n =1+ 12 + 13 +… is a divergent series

n =1

c) The p-series (also known as hyperharmonic series)

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∑ n1p =1+ 21p + 31p +… .. , where p > 0

n =1

i) converges if p > 1

ii) diverges if 0 < p ≤ 1

Example 4
Determine if the following series is convergent or divergent
∞ ∞ ∞
1 1 2 1
a) ∑ 3
n =1 n
b) ∑ 3
n =1 n √ n
c) ∑ n +
n =1 3 √n ( )

d) Telescoping Series
∞
a
Series of the form ∑ known as the telescoping series can be written in the
n =1 f ( n ) g(n)
∞
A B
form of ∑ ( + ¿ )¿ using the method of partial fraction.
n =1 f ( n ) g ( n)

Example 5
∞
1
Show that the series ∑ is convergent and find its sum.
n =1 n( n+1)

Example 6
∞
3
Show that the series ∑ is convergent and find its sum.
n =1 ( n+3)(n+ 4)

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