Math 1220-1

Lecture Notes
Section 10.6

A power series is a series of functions. An example is

∞
X sin (nx) sin x sin 2x sin 3x
= + + + ···
n=1
n! 1! 2! 3!

Concerning a given power series, there are two major questions we would like to answer:
1. For what x values does the series converge?

2. To what function does a given power series converge?

The study of general power series is a topic for a more advanced calculus course. We will, however, study a
special case.

Definition 1 A power series in x has the form

∞
X
an xn = a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + · · ·
n=0

Example 1 For what values of x does the series

∞
X
cxn
n=0

converge and what is its sum? Assume c 6= 0.

Solution The above series is really a geometric series with initial term c and ratio term x. We know then
that the series converges for |x| < 1 and diverges otherwise. The sum is
c
(|x| < 1)
1−x
Definition 2 The set on which a power series converges is its convergence set.

Example 2 Find the convergence set for

∞
X xn
n=0
n!

Solution Apply the Absolute Ratio Test

 n+1
 n! xn+1 
  
 = lim |x| = 0
x / (n + 1)! 
ρ = lim 

 = n→∞
lim 

n→∞ xn /n! (n + 1)! xn  n→∞ n + 1

The series converges if ρ < 1, and since ρ = 0, the series converges for all x.

Example 3 Find the convergence set for

∞
X
n! xn
n=0

1
Solution Applying the Absolute Ratio Test yields
 (n + 1)! xn+1 
  
 = lim (n + 1) |x| = 0 if x = 0
ρ = lim 
n→∞ n! xn  n→∞ ∞ if x 6= 0

Hence the series converges only if x = 0.

Theorem 1 The convergence set for a power series in x is always one of the following types:
1. The single point x = 0.
2. An interval (−R, R), plus either one or both endpoints.
3. All real numbers.
The radius of convergence is 0, R, and ∞ for each case, respectively.

Theorem 2 A power series in x converges absolutely on the interior of its interval of convergence.

Definition 3 A power series of the form

∞
X n
cn (x − a)
n=0

is called a power series in (x − a).

Theorem 3 The convergence set for a power series in (x − a) is always one of the following types:
1. The single point x = a.
2. An interval (a − R, a + R), plus either one or both endpoints.
3. All real numbers.

Example 4 Find the convergence set for

∞ n
X (x − 1)
2
n=0 (n + 1)

Solution We apply the Absolute Ratio Test and obtain

  2
 (x − 1)n+1 / (n + 2)2  
n+1
ρ = lim   = lim |x − 1| = |x − 1|
 
n→∞  (x − 1)n / (n + 1)2  n→∞ n + 2

Therefore, the series converges for |x − 1| < 1 and diverges for |x − 1| > 1. This gives us the interval (0, 2).
We must now check the endpoints. For x = 2 we have
∞
X 1
2
n=0 (n + 1)

which converges. For x = 0 we have

∞ n
X (−1)
2
n=0 (n + 1)
which also converges. Hence, the convergence set is the interval [0, 2].