Lesson 1b

INFINITE SERIES AND

TELESCOPING SUMS
INFINITE SERIES
 Infinite Series

Is an expression that can be written in the form

∞

෍ 𝑢𝑘 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + . . . + 𝑢𝑘 + . . .
𝑘=1
where the numbers 𝑢1 , 𝑢2 , 𝑢3 , . . . are called the terms
of the series.

Example: 0.3333 . . . = 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + . . .

or equivalently,
3 3 3 3
0.3333 . . . = + + + + ...
10 102 103 104
 Sum of an Infinite Series
From 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + . . . + 𝑢𝑘 + . . .

Let 𝑠𝑛 denote the sum of the initial terms of the series, up to and
including the term with index 𝑛. Thus,

𝑠1 = 𝑢1
𝑠2 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2
𝑠3 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3
⋮
𝑛

𝑠𝑛 = From 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + . . . + 𝑢𝑛 = ෍ 𝑢𝑘
𝑘=1

The number 𝑠𝑛 is called the nth partial sum of the series and
the sequence 𝑆𝑛 +∞𝑛=1 is called the sequence of partial sums.
 Convergence and Divergence of Sequence
of Partial Sums

Let 𝑆𝑛 be the sequence of partial sums of the series

𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + . . . + 𝑢𝑘 + . . .

If the sequence 𝑆𝑛 converges to a limit S, then the series is said to

converge to S, and S is called the sum of the series. We denote this by
writing

S = σ𝑛𝑘=1 𝑢𝑘

If the sequence of partial sums diverges, then the series is said to diverge. A
divergent series has no sum.
 EXAMPLE
From 0.3333 . . . = 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + . . .
or equivalently,
3 3 3 3
0.3333 . . . = + 2 + 3 + 4 + . . .
10 10 10 10

The following sequence of (finite) sums are:

3
𝑠1 = = 0.3
10
3 3
𝑠2 = + 2 = 0.33
10 10

3 3 3
𝑠3 = + 2 + = 0.333
10 10 103
3 3 3 3
𝑠4 = + 2 + + 4 = 0.3333 and so on.
10 10 103
10
The sequence of partial sums of the given series
converges.
 CONVERGING AND DIVERGING SERIES

For the infinite series

σ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + 𝑎2 + 𝑎3 + ⋯
the nth partial sum is given by
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1 + 𝑎2 + 𝑎3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛
If the sequence of partial sums converges to L
lim 𝑆𝑛 = 𝐿 ,
𝑛→∞
Then the series converges. L is the sum of the
series.
If 𝑆𝑛 , diverges, then the series diverges.
SPECIAL TYPES OF SERIES
 Special Types of Series

 Geometric Series
A geometric series
σ∞ 𝑘 2 3 𝑘
𝑘=0 𝑎𝑟 = 𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 + . . . + 𝑎𝑟 + . . . 𝑎≠0
converges if 𝑟 < 1 and diverge if 𝑟 ≥ 1.
If the series converges, then the
𝑎
sum is σ∞
𝑘=0 𝑎𝑟
𝑘 =
1 −𝑟

Note: the number 𝑟 is called the ratio for the series

Example:
1. 1 + 2 + 4 + 8+ . . . + 2𝑘 + . . . 𝑎 = 1, 𝑟 = 2

3 3 3 3 3 1
2. + + + ...+ + ... 𝑎= ,𝑟 =
10 102 103 10𝑘 10 10
 EXAMPLE
5
Example 1. Determine whether the series σ∞
𝑘=0 4 𝑘
converges, and if so find its sum.

Solution:
Identify first four terms in the series:
5 5 5 5
σ∞
𝑘=0 =5+ + +
4𝑘 4 16 64
solving fo the ratio r;
5 5
4 1 16 1 1
𝑟= = ; 𝑟= 5 = , thus 𝑎 = 5 , 𝑟 =
5 4 4 4
4
1
Since │r│= < 1, the series converges and the sum is
4
∞ 5 𝑎 5 20
෍ = = =
𝑘=0 4
𝑘 1−𝑟 1−1 3
4
 EXAMPLE
2. Find the sum of the infinite geometric series
8 + 12 + 18 + 27 + . . . if it exists.

Solution:
Find the ratio 𝑟.
𝑎2 12 3
𝑟= = = ;
𝑎1 8 2
𝑎 18 3
𝑟= 3= =
𝑎2 12 2

Since 𝑟 > 1, the series diverges.

 EXAMPLE
3. Determine whether the series converges, and if so find its sum.
3 2
σ∞𝑘=1 𝑘 − 𝑘−1
4 5
Solution:
3 2
Rewriting the series, σ∞
𝑘=1 − 51−𝑘
4𝑘
1 1
− 2(5) σ∞
5
= 3σ ∞
𝑘=1 4𝑘 𝑘=1 5𝑘
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: 5𝑘−1 = 5𝑘 5−1 =
5𝑘
(𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑎𝑤 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)
3 1
for the 1st series, a = and r = , converges
4 4
∞ 1 𝑘 ∞ 1 𝑘 1
= 3σ𝑘=1 4 − 10 σ𝑘=1 5 for the 2nd series, a = 2 and r =
5
, converges

thus, the sum is:

3
3 2 2 3
σ∞
𝑘=1 4 𝑘 − 51−𝑘 = 4
1− 1 = −2
1−4 1−5
 Special Types of Series

 Telescoping Sums

The name is derived from the fact that in simplifying

the sum, one term in each parenthetical expression cancels
one term in the next parenthetical expression, until the
entire sum collapses (like a folding telescope) into just two
terms.
 EXAMPLE
1
1: Determine whether the series σ∞𝑛=0 𝑛2 +3𝑛+2 converges or diverges. If it
converges, find the sum.
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
1 1 1 1
Let 𝑠𝑛 = σ∞
𝑛=0 2 = σ∞
𝑛=0 = σ∞ 𝑛=0 −
𝑛 +3𝑛+2 (𝑛+2)(𝑛+1) 𝑛+1 𝑛+2
𝑖=0 𝑖=1 𝑖=2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑠𝑛 = − + −3 + − + ...+ − 𝑛+1 + −
1 2 2 3 4 𝑛 𝑛+1 𝑛+2
1
𝑠𝑛 = 1 − 𝑛+2
apply limits on both sides
1
lim 𝑠𝑛 = lim (1 − 𝑛+2) = 1
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞

The sequence of partial sum is convergent and so the series is convergent and has
the value of
1
σ∞
𝑛=0 =1
𝑛2 +3𝑛+2
 EXAMPLE
1
2. Determine the sum of the given series σ∞
k=1 .
k(k+2)
1 A B
Solution: σ∞
k=1 k(k+2) = +
k (k+2)
(by partial fractions)
1 A B
= +
k(k+2) k (k+2)
multiply both sides by the LCD: k (k + 2)
1 = A(k+2)+Bk

Solving for A and B: (equate k = 0 and k + 2 = 0 )

if k=0; if k = -2
1 = A(0 + 2) + B(0) 1 = A(-2 + 2) + B(-2)
1 = 2A 1 = -2B
1 1
A =2 B = -2
 EXAMPLE
1 1 1 𝐴 𝐵
𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝐴 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 = − 2 𝑖𝑛 σ∞
𝑘=1 = +
𝑘(𝑘+2) 𝑘 (𝑘+2)
1 1
− 1 1
σ∞
𝑘=1
2
+ 2
= Σ (2𝑘 − 2 )
𝑘 (𝑘+2) 𝑘+2
k=1 k=2 k=3 k=4
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑠𝑛 =(2 − 6)+ (4 − 8)+ (6 − 10)+ (8 − 12)+…+(2𝑘 − 2 )+…
𝑘+2

1 1 1 1
𝑠𝑛 =2 + 4+(2𝑘 − 2 )
𝑘+2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
lim 𝑠𝑛 = lim [ + 4 +( 2𝑘 − 2 )] = + 4+(2(∞) − 2 )
𝑛→∞ 𝑘→∞ 2 𝑘+2 2 ∞+2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑠𝑛 = + 4+(∞ − ∞)= 2 + 4+(0 − 0) = +4
2 2

3
𝑆𝑛 = 4
Answer
 EXERCISES
Determine whether the series converges, and if so finds its sum.

3 𝑘−1
1. σ∞
𝑘=1 −
4

7
2. σ∞
𝑘=1 −1
𝑘−1
6𝑘−1

1
3. σ∞
𝑘=1 𝑘+3 𝑘+4

1
4. σ∞
𝑘=1 9𝑘 2 +3𝑘 −2

1 1
5. σ∞
𝑘=1 −
2𝑘 2𝑘+1