Complex Analysis

Grinshpan

Cauchy-Hadamard formula
∞
Theorem [Cauchy, 1821] The radius of convergence of the power series ∑ cn (z − z0 )n is
n=0
1
R= √ .
limn→∞ n ∣cn ∣
Example. For any increasing sequence of natural numbers nj the radius of convergence
∞
of the power series ∑ z nj is R = 1.
j=1
√
Proof. Let R = 1/ limn→∞ n ∣cn ∣ ∈ [0, ∞].
√
If R < ∞, choose any r > R. Then limn→∞ n ∣cn ∣ > 1/r and so ∣cn ∣rn > 1 for infinitely
many indices n. So cn (z − z0 )n does not approach 0 for any z with ∣z − z0 ∣ = r > R.
So the power series diverges for any z with ∣z − z0 ∣ > R.
√
If R > 0, choose any 0 < r < R. Then limn→∞ n ∣cn ∣ < 1/r and so ∣cn ∣rn < 1 for all but
finitely many indices n. Hence for any z with ∣z − z0 ∣ < r,
∞ ∞ ∞
n z − z0 z − z0 n
n
∑ ∣cn ∣∣z − z0 ∣ = ∑ ∣cn ∣r ∣
n
∣ ≤M ∑∣ ∣ < ∞.
n=0 n=0 r n=0 r
So the power series converges for any z with ∣z − z0 ∣ < R.
It follows that the radius of convergence is R. ◻

Exercises. Find the radius of convergence of each of the following power series.
∞
∑ (1 + 1/n)n z n
n=1
∞
∑ (4 + i/n)n z 2n
n=1
∞
zn
∑ p
n=1 n
∞
zn
∑
n=0 n!
∞
∑ (2 + in )n z n
n=0
∞
∑ sin(n)z n
n=1