576 Chapter 10 Infinite Sequences and Series

COMPUTER EXPLORATIONS 1
149. a1 = 1, an + 1 = an +
Use a CAS to perform the following steps for the sequences in 5n
Exercises 147–158. 150. a1 = 1, an + 1 = an + (-2)n
a. Calculate and then plot the irst 25 terms of the sequence.
1
Does the sequence appear to be bounded from above or 151. an = sin n 152. an = n sin n
below? Does it appear to converge or diverge? If it does
converge, what is the limit L? sin n ln n
153. an = n 154. an = n
b. If the sequence converges, ind an integer N such that
 an - L  … 0.01 for n Ú N. How far in the sequence do 155. an = (0.9999)n 156. an = (123456)1>n
you have to get for the terms to lie within 0.0001 of L?

148. an = a1 + n b
8n n41
157. an = 158. an =
147. an = 2n
n 0.5 n n! 19n

10.2 Infinite Series

An infinite series is the sum of an infinite sequence of numbers
a1 + a2 + a3 + g + an + g
The goal of this section is to understand the meaning of such an infinite sum and to
develop methods to calculate it. Since there are infinitely many terms to add in an infinite
series, we cannot just keep adding to see what comes out. Instead we look at the result of
summing just the first n terms of the sequence. The sum of the first n terms
sn = a1 + a2 + a3 + g + an
is an ordinary finite sum and can be calculated by normal addition. It is called the nth
partial sum. As n gets larger, we expect the partial sums to get closer and closer to a limiting
value in the same sense that the terms of a sequence approach a limit, as discussed in
Section 10.1.
For example, to assign meaning to an expression like
1 1 1 1
1 + + + + +
2 4 8 16 g
we add the terms one at a time from the beginning and look for a pattern in how these par-
tial sums grow.

suggestive expression
partial sum Value for partial sum
First: s1 = 1 1 2 - 1
1 3 1
Second: s2 = 1 + 2 -
2 2 2
1 1 7 1
Third: s3 = 1 + + 2 -
2 4 4 4
f f f f
1 1 1 2n - 1 1
sn = 1 + + + + 2 -
2 4 g 2n - 1
nth:
2n - 1 2n - 1

Indeed there is a pattern. The partial sums form a sequence whose nth term is
1
sn = 2 - .
2n - 1
 10.2  Infinite Series 577

This sequence of partial sums converges to 2 because limnSq (1>2n - 1) = 0. We say

1 1 1
“the sum of the infinite series 1 + + + + + is 2.”
2 4 g 2n - 1 g
Is the sum of any finite number of terms in this series equal to 2? No. Can we actually add
an infinite number of terms one by one? No. But we can still define their sum by defining
it to be the limit of the sequence of partial sums as n S q, in this case 2 (Figure 10.8).
Our knowledge of sequences and limits enables us to break away from the confines of
finite sums.

1 14

0 12 18 2

FIGURE 10.8 As the lengths 1, 1>2, 1>4, 1>8, . . . are added one by one, the sum
approaches 2.

Given a sequence of numbers 5an 6 , an expression of the form

HistoricAL BiogrApHy
Blaise pascal
DEFINITIONS
(1623–1662) a1 + a2 + a3 + g + an + g

5sn 6 defined by
www.goo.gl/9NNLtv
is an infinite series. The number an is the nth term of the series. The sequence

s1 = a1
s2 = a1 + a2
f

sn = a1 + a2 + g + an = a ak
n

k=1

f
is the sequence of partial sums of the series, the number sn being the nth
partial sum. If the sequence of partial sums converges to a limit L, we say that
the series converges and that its sum is L. In this case, we also write

a1 + a2 + g + an + g = a an = L.
q

n=1

If the sequence of partial sums of the series does not converge, we say that the
series diverges.

We can represent each term in an infinite series by the area of a rectangle. If all the
terms an in the series are positive, then the series converges if the total area is finite, and
diverges otherwise. Figure 10.9a shows an example where the series converges and Figure
10.9b shows an example where it diverges. The convergence of the total area is related to
the convergence or divergence of improper integrals, as we found in Section 8.8. We make
this connection explicit in the next section, where we develop an important test for conver-
gence of series, the Integral Test.
When we begin to study a given series a1 + a2 + g + an + g, we might not
know whether it converges or diverges. In either case, it is convenient to use sigma nota-
tion to write the series as

a an, a ak, a an
q q A useful shorthand
or when summation
n=1 k=1 from 1 to q is
understood
578 Chapter 10 Infinite Sequences and Series

y y

2 an = 22 2 an = 1 + 1
n n
a1 a1
1 1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6
a2 a3 a4 a5 a6
x x
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
(a) (b)

FIGURE 10.9 The sum of a series with positive terms can be interpreted
as a total area of an infinite collection of rectangles. The series converges
when the total area of the rectangles is finite (a) and diverges when the total
area is unbounded (b). Note that the total area can be infinite even if the area
of the rectangles is decreasing.

Geometric Series
geometric series are series of the form

a + ar + ar 2 + g + ar n - 1 + g = a ar n - 1
q

n=1

g n = 0 ar n. The ratio r can be positive, as in

in which a and r are fixed real numbers and a ≠ 0. The series can also be written as
q

+ + g + a b
1 1 1 n-1
1 + + g, r = 1>2 , a = 1
2 4 2
or negative, as in

+ - g + a- b
1 1 1 n-1
1 - + g. r = - 1>3 , a = 1
3 9 3
If r = 1, the nth partial sum of the geometric series is
sn = a + a(1) + a(1)2 + g + a(1)n - 1 = na,
and the series diverges because limnSq sn = {q, depending on the sign of a. If r = -1,
the series diverges because the nth partial sums alternate between a and 0 and never
approach a single limit. If  r  ≠ 1, we can determine the convergence or divergence of
the series in the following way:
sn = a + ar + ar 2 + g + ar n - 1 Write the nth partial sum.
rsn = ar + ar 2 + g + ar n - 1 + ar n Multiply sn by r.
sn - rsn = a - ar n Subtract rsn from sn. Most of
the terms on the right cancel.
sn(1 - r) = a(1 - r n) Factor.
a(1 - r n)
sn = , (r ≠ 1). We can solve for sn if r ≠ 1.
1 - r
If  r  6 1, then r n S 0 as n S q (as in Section 10.1), so sn S a>(1 - r) in this case.
On the other hand, if  r  7 1, then  r n  S q and the series diverges.

If  r  6 1, the geometric series a + ar + ar 2 + g + ar n - 1 + g converges

to a>(1 - r):

a ar
q
n-1 a
= ,  r  6 1.
n=1 1 - r
If  r  Ú 1, the series diverges.
 10.2  Infinite Series 579

mation index begins with n = 1 in the expression g n = 1 ar n - 1 (or with the index n = 0 if
a The formula a>(1 - r) for the sum of a geometric series applies only when the sum-
q

we write the series as g n = 0 ar ).

q n

ar EXAMPLE 1 The geometric series with a = 1>9 and r = 1>3 is

+ g = a a b
q
1 1 1 1 1 n-1 1>9 1
ar 2
+ + = = .
9 27 81 n=1 9 3 1 - (1>3) 6

ar 3

EXAMPLE 2 The series

a
q (-1)n 5 5 5 5
= 5 - + - +
n=0 4n 4 16 64 g
(a)
is a geometric series with a = 5 and r = -1>4. It converges to
a 5
= = 4.
1 - r 1 + (1>4)

EXAMPLE 3 You drop a ball from a meters above a flat surface. Each time the ball
hits the surface after falling a distance h, it rebounds a distance rh, where r is positive but
less than 1. Find the total distance the ball travels up and down (Figure 10.10).

Solution The total distance is

2ar 1 + r
s = a + 2ar + 2ar 2 + 2ar 3 + g = a + = a .
(+++++)+++++* 1 - r 1 - r
This sum is 2ar>(1 - r).

If a = 6 m and r = 2>3, for instance, the distance is

# 1 + (2>3) = 6a b = 30 m.
5>3
s = 6
1 - (2>3) 1>3
(b)

FIGURE 10.10 (a) Example 3 shows

how to use a geometric series to calcu- EXAMPLE 4 Express the repeating decimal 5.232323 c as the ratio of two integers.
late the total vertical distance traveled
Solution From the definition of a decimal number, we get a geometric series
by a bouncing ball if the height of each
rebound is reduced by the factor r. (b) A 23 23 23
5.232323 c = 5 + + + +
stroboscopic photo of a bouncing ball. 100 (100)2 (100)3 g

a1 + + a b + gb
(Source: PSSC Physics, 2nd ed., Reprinted
2
by permission of Educational Develop- 23 1 1 a = 1,
= 5 + r = 1>100
ment Center, Inc.) 100 100 100
(++++++)++++++*

a b = 5 +
1>(1 - 0.01)

23 1 23 518
= 5 + =
100 0.99 99 99

Unfortunately, formulas like the one for the sum of a convergent geometric series are
rare and we usually have to settle for an estimate of a series’ sum (more about this later).
The next example, however, is another case in which we can ind the sum exactly.

Find the sum of the “telescoping” series a

q
1
EXAMPLE 5 .
n=1 n(n + 1)
580 Chapter 10 Infinite Sequences and Series

Solution We look for a pattern in the sequence of partial sums that might lead to a for-
mula for sk. The key observation is the partial fraction decomposition
1 1 1
= - ,
n(n + 1) n n + 1
so

a n(n + 1) = a a n - n + 1 b
k k
1 1 1
n=1 n=1

and

sk = a - b + a - b + a - b + g+ a - b.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 2 3 3 4 k k + 1
Removing parentheses and canceling adjacent terms of opposite sign collapses the sum to
1
sk = 1 - .
k + 1
We now see that sk S 1 as k S q. The series converges, and its sum is 1:

a
q
1
= 1.
n = 1 n(n + 1)

The nth-Term Test for a Divergent Series

One reason that a series may fail to converge is that its terms don’t become small.

EXAMPLE 6 The series

a
q
n + 1 2 3 4 n + 1
n = 1 + 2 + 3 + g+ n + g
n=1

diverges because the partial sums eventually outgrow every preassigned number. Each
term is greater than 1, so the sum of n terms is greater than n.

We now show that limnSq an must equal zero if the series g n = 1 an converges. To see
q

why, let S represent the series’ sum and sn = a1 + a2 + g + an the nth partial sum.
When n is large, both sn and sn - 1 are close to S, so their difference, an, is close to zero.
More formally,
Difference Rule
an = sn - sn - 1 S S - S = 0. for sequences

This establishes the following theorem.

Theorem 7 does not say that g n = 1 an If a an converges, then an S 0.

caution q
∞
THEOREM 7
n=1
converges if an S 0. It is possible for
a series to diverge when an S 0.
(See Example 8.)
Theorem 7 leads to a test for detecting the kind of divergence that occurred in Example 6.

The nth-Term Test for Divergence

a an diverges if nlim
q
an fails to exist or is different from zero.
n=1 Sq

EXAMPLE 7 The following are all examples of divergent series.

(a) a n2 diverges because n2 S q.
q

n=1
 10.2  Infinite Series 581

(b) a
q
n + 1 n + 1
n diverges because n S 1. limnSq an ≠ 0
n=1

(c) a (-1)n + 1 diverges because limnSq (-1)n + 1 does not exist.

q

n=1

(d) a
q
-n -n 1
diverges because limnSq = - ≠ 0.
n=1 2n + 5 2n + 5 2

EXAMPLE 8 The series

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 + + + + + + + g + n + n + g + n + g
2 2 4 4 4 4
(+)+* (+++)+++* 2 2
(++++)++++* 2
2 terms 4 terms 2n terms

diverges because the terms can be grouped into infinitely many clusters each of which
adds to 1, so the partial sums increase without bound. However, the terms of the series

series g 1>n also behaves in this manner.

form a sequence that converges to 0. Example 1 of Section 10.3 shows that the harmonic

Combining Series
Whenever we have two convergent series, we can add them term by term, subtract them
term by term, or multiply them by constants to make new convergent series.

THEOREM 8 If g an = A and g bn = B are convergent series, then

g (an + bn) = g an + g bn = A + B
g (an - bn) = g an - g bn = A - B
1. Sum Rule:

g kan = kg an = kA
2. Diference Rule:
3. Constant Multiple Rule: (any number k).

Proof The three rules for series follow from the analogous rules for sequences in
Theorem 1, Section 10.1. To prove the Sum Rule for series, let
An = a1 + a2 + g + an, Bn = b1 + b2 + g + bn.
Then the partial sums of g (an + bn) are
sn = (a1 + b1) + (a2 + b2) + g + (an + bn)
= (a1 + g + an) + (b1 + g + bn)
= An + Bn.
Since An S A and Bn S B, we have sn S A + B by the Sum Rule for sequences. The

To prove the Constant Multiple Rule for series, observe that the partial sums of g kan
proof of the Diference Rule is similar.

form the sequence

sn = ka1 + ka2 + g + kan = k(a1 + a2 + g + an) = kAn,
which converges to kA by the Constant Multiple Rule for sequences.

As corollaries of Theorem 8, we have the following results. We omit the proofs.

2. If g an converges and g bn diverges, then g (an + bn) and g (an - bn) both
1. Every nonzero constant multiple of a divergent series diverges.

diverge.
582 Chapter 10 Infinite Sequences and Series

caution Remember that g (an + bn) can converge even if both g an and g bn diverge.
For example, g an = 1 + 1 + 1 + g and g bn = (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + . . . di-
verge, whereas g (an + bn) = 0 + 0 + 0 + g converges to 0.

EXAMPLE 9 Find the sums of the following series.

(a) a = a a n - 1 - n - 1b
q q
3n - 1 - 1 1 1
n-1
n=1 6 n=1 2 6

= a n-1 - a n-1
q q
1 1
Diference Rule
n=1 2 n=1 6
1 1
= - Geometric series with a = 1 and r = 1>2, 1>6
1 - (1>2) 1 - (1>6)
6 4
= 2 - =
5 5

(b) a n = 4 a n
q q
4 1
Constant Multiple Rule
n=0 2 n=0 2

b
1
= 4a Geometric series with a = 1, r = 1>2
1 - (1>2)
= 8

Adding or Deleting Terms

We can add a finite number of terms to a series or delete a finite number of terms without

will usually change the sum. If g n = 1 an converges, then g n = k an converges for any k 7 1
altering the series’ convergence or divergence, although in the case of convergence this
q q

and

a an = a1 + a2 + g + ak - 1 + a an.
q q

g n = k an g n = 1 an
n=1 n=k
q q
Conversely, if converges for any k 7 1, then converges. Thus,

a 5n = 5 + 25 + 125 + a 5n
q q
1 1 1 1 1
n=1 n=4

and

a n = a a 5n b - 5 - 25 - 125 .
q q
1 1 1 1 1
n=4 5 n=1

HistoricAL BiogrApHy The convergence or divergence of a series is not affected by its first few terms. Only the
richard Dedekind “tail” of the series, the part that remains when we sum beyond some finite number of ini-
(1831–1916) tial terms, influences whether it converges or diverges.
www.goo.gl/aPN8sH

Reindexing
As long as we preserve the order of its terms, we can reindex any series without altering its
convergence. To raise the starting value of the index h units, replace the n in the formula
for an by n - h:

a an = a an - h = a1 + a2 + a3 + g.
q q

n=1 n=1+h

To lower the starting value of the index h units, replace the n in the formula for an by n + h:

a an = a an + h = a1 + a2 + a3 + g.
q q

n=1 n=1-h
 10.2  Infinite Series 583

We saw this reindexing in starting a geometric series with the index n = 0 instead of the
index n = 1, but we can use any other starting index value as well. We usually give prefer-
ence to indexings that lead to simple expressions.

EXAMPLE 10 We can write the geometric series

a 2n - 1 = 1 + 2 + 4 + g
q
1 1 1
n=1

as

a n, a n-5, a 2n + 4 .
q q q
1 1 1
or even
n=0 2 n=5 2 n = -4

The partial sums remain the same no matter what indexing we choose to use.

EXERCISES 10.2

17. a b + a b + a b + a b + a b + g
Finding nth Partial Sums 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5
In Exercises 1–6, find a formula for the nth partial sum of each series 8 8 8 8 8

18. a b + a b + a b + a b + a b + g
and use it to find the series’ sum if the series converges.
-2 2 -2 3 -2 4 -2 5 -2 6
2 2 2 2
1. 2 + + + + + +
3 9 27 g 3n - 1 g
3 3 3 3 3

19. 1 - a e b + a e b - a e b + a e b - g
9 9 9 9 2 2 2 2 3 2 4
+ + + g+ +
100n g
2.
100 1002 1003

20. a b - a b + 1 - a b + a b - g
3. 1 -
1 1 1
+ - +
1
+ (- 1)n - 1 n - 1 + g 1 -2 1 -1 1 1 2
2 4 8 g 2 3 3 3 3

21. 1 + a b + a b + a b + a b +g
4. 1 - 2 + 4 - 8 + g + (-1)n - 1 2n - 1 + g
10 2 10 4 10 6 10 8
1 1 1 1 9 9 9 9
2 # 3 3 # 4 4 # 5 g (n + 1)(n + 2) g
5. + + + + +
9 27 81 243 729
5 5 5 5 22. - + - + - g
6. # + # + # + g + + 4 8 16 32 64
1 2 2 3 3 4 n(n + 1) g
Repeating Decimals
Series with Geometric Terms Express each of the numbers in Exercises 23–30 as the ratio of two
In Exercises 7–14, write out the first eight terms of each series to integers.
show how the series starts. Then find the sum of the series or show 23. 0.23 = 0.23 23 23 c
that it diverges.
24. 0.234 = 0.234 234 234 c
7. a n 8. a n
q (- 1)n q
1
25. 0.7 = 0.7777 c
n=0 4 4
n=2

9. a a1 - n b
26. 0.d = 0.dddd c , where d is a digit
10. a (- 1)n n
q q
7 5
27. 0.06 = 0.06666 c
n=1 4 n=0 4

11. a a n + n b 12. a a n - n b
28. 1.414 = 1.414 414 414 c
q q
5 1 5 1 29. 1.24123 = 1.24 123 123 123 c
n=0 2 3 n=0 2 3

13. a a n + b 14. a a n b
30. 3.142857 = 3.142857 142857 c
q (-1)n q
1 2n + 1
5n Using the nth-Term Test
n=0 2 n=0 5
In Exercises 31–38, use the nth-Term Test for divergence to show that
In Exercises 15–22, determine if the geometric series converges or the series is divergent, or state that the test is inconclusive.

31. a 32. a
diverges. If a series converges, find its sum. q q n(n + 1)

15. 1 + a b + a b + a b + a b + g
n
2 2 2 2 3 2 4 n = 1 n + 10 n=1 (n + 2)(n + 3)

33. a 34. a 2
5 5 5 5 q q
1 n
16. 1 + (- 3) + (-3)2 + (-3)3 + (-3)4 + g n=0 n + 4 n=1 n + 3