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6
Alternating Series
DEFINITION
Series whose terms alternate between positive and negative.
+
TYPE 1 : ( −1)
k +1
ak = a1 − a2 + a3 − .....
k =1
+
1 1 1
Example : ( −1)
k +1
= 1 − + − .....
k =1 k 2 3
+
TYPE 2 : ( −1) ak = − a1 + a2 − a3 + .....
k
k =1
+
1 1 1
Example : ( −1) = −1 + − + .....
k
k =1 k 2 3
TERMINOLOGY
+
"converges absolutely" → If u
k =1
k converges.
+
"converges conditionally" → If the series converges by AST but u
k =1
k diverges.
+
"diverges absolutely" → If u
k =1
k diverges.
CONVERGENCE TESTS
k =1 k
+
k +1
b) ( −1)
k +1
k =1 3k + 1
+
k +1
c) ( −1)
k
k =1 k +1
SOLUTION
+
1
( −1)
k +1
a)
k =1 k
1
→ Let ak = .
k
a k
• k +1 = <1 → ak is decreasing.
ak k +1
1
• lim ak = lim = 0.
k →+ k →+ k
+
1
( −1)
k +1
Conclusion : converges conditionally.
k =1 k
SOLUTION
+
k +1
( −1)
k +1
b)
k =1 3k + 1
k +1
→ Let ak = .
3k + 1
ak +1 3k 2 + 7 k + 2
• = <1 → ak is decreasing.
ak 3k 2 + 7 k + 4
k +1 1
• lim ak = lim = 0.
k →+ k →+ 3k + 1 3
+
k +1
( −1)
k +1
Conclusion : diverges.
k =1 3k + 1
SOLUTION
+
k +1
c) ( −1)
k
k =1 k +1
k +1
→ Let ak = .
k +1
k +1 k + 1/ k
• lim ak = lim = lim = + 0.
k →+ k →+ k +1 k →+ 1 + 1/ k
+
k +1
( −1)
k
Conclusion : diverges.
k =1 k +1
TEST 8
RATIO TEST FOR ABSOLUTE
CONVERGENCE (RTAC)
k =1 k
+
2k
b) ( −1)
k
k =1 k!
+
c) ( −1)
k +1 ( 2k − 1)!
k =1 3k
SOLUTION
+
1
( −1)
k +1
a)
k =1 k
1
→ Let uk = ( −1)
k +1
.
k
1 1 1
Then, uk = ( −1)
k +1
= and uk +1 = .
k k k +1
uk +1 k
• = lim = lim =1.
k →+ uk k →+ k + 1
2k • 2 k!
= lim • k
k →+ ( k + 1) • k ! 2
2
= lim
= 0 1.
k →+ k + 1
+ k
k 2
Conclusion : ( −1) converges absolutely.
k =1 k !
SOLUTION
+
( 2k − 1)!
( −1)
k +1
c)
k =1 3k
→ Let uk = ( −1)
k +1 ( 2k − 1)! .
3k
Then, uk = ( −1)
k +1 ( 2k − 1)! = ( 2k − 1)! and uk +1 =
( 2k + 1)! .
3k 3k 3k +1
• = lim
uk +1
= lim
( 2k + 1)! • 3k
= lim
( 2k + 1)( 2k )( 2k − 1)!
•
3k
k →+ uk k →+ 3k +1 ( 2k − 1)! k →+ 3k • 3 ( 2k − 1)!
4k 2 + 2k
= lim = +.
k →+ 3
+
( 2k − 1)!
( −1)
k +1
Conclusion : diverges.
k =1 3k
EXERCISES
Use any method to test the following series.
( −1)
k
+ +
k!
k+ d) ( −1)
k
a)
k =1 k k =1 ( 2k + 3 ) !
( −1) ln k
k
+
2 3 4
b) e) 1 − + − + .....
k =2 k 3 9 27
( −1) 2
k
+
1 1 1
c) k
f) 1 − + − + .....
k =1 e 2 3 4
ANSWERS
a) AST + LCT → converges conditionally