Infinite Series of Positive and Negative Terms

Definition of an Alternating Series

If an > 0 for all positive integers n, then the series
+∞

∑(−1)n+1 an = a1 − a2 + a3 − a4 + ⋯ + (−1)n+1 an + ⋯ (1)

n=1

and the series

+∞

∑(−1)n an = −a1 + a2 − a3 + a4 + ⋯ + (−1)n an + ⋯ (2)

n=1

are called alternating series.

Illustration 1
An example of and alternating series of the form 1, where the first term is positive is
+∞
1 1 1 1 1
∑(−1)n+1 = 1 − + − + ⋯ + (−1)n+1 + ⋯
n 2 3 4 n
n=1

An example of and alternating series of the form 2, where the first term is negative is
+∞
1 1 1 1 1
∑(−1)n = −1 + − + + ⋯ + (−1)n + ⋯
n! 2! 3! 4! n!
n=1

Theorem Alternating-Series Test

Suppose we have the alternating series ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n+1 a or ∑+∞ (−1)n a , where a > 0 and a
n n=1 n n n+1 < an for all positive
integers n. If lim an = 0, the alternating series is convergent.
n→+∞

Example 1
Prove that the following alternating series is convergent:
+∞
1 1 1 1 1
∑(−1)n+1 = 1 − + − + ⋯ + (−1)n+1 + ⋯
n 2 3 4 n
n=1

Example 2
n+2 n2
Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n and ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n .
n(n+1) n2 +5

Definition of Absolutely Convergent

The infinite series ∑+∞ +∞
n=1 un is absolutely convergent if the series ∑n=1 |un | is convergent.
Illustration 3
Consider the series
+∞
2 2 2 2 2 2
∑(−1)n+1 n = − 2 + 3 − 4 + ⋯ + (−1)n+1 n + ⋯ (3)
3 3 3 3 3 3
n=1

The series will be absolutely convergent if the series

+∞
2 2 2 2 2 2
∑ n = + 2 + 3 + 4 + ⋯+ n + ⋯
3 3 3 3 3 3
n=1
1
is convergent. Because this is the geometric series with r = < 1, it is convergent. Therefore, series (3) is absolutely
3
convergent.

Illustration 4
In Example 1 we proved that the series
+∞
1
∑(−1)n+1
n
n=1

is convergent. This series is not absolutely convergent because the series of absolute values is the harmonic series, which
is divergent.

The series in Illustration 4, sometimes called alternating harmonic series, is an example of a conditionally convergent
series.

Definition of Conditionally Convergent

A series that is convergent, but not absolutely convergent, is conditionally convergent.

Theorem
If the series ∑+∞ +∞
n=1 |un | is convergent, then the series ∑n=1 un is convergent.

Example 3
nπ
cos 3
Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n+1 .
n2

Solution: Denoting the given series by ∑+∞

n=1 un , we have

+∞ 1 1 1 1 1 nπ
1 1 cos
2 2 2 2 2
∑ un = 2 − 2 − 2 − 2 − 2 − 2 − 2 − ⋯ + 3 −⋯
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 n 2
n=1
 +∞
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
∑ un = − − − + + + −⋯
2 8 9 32 50 36 98
n=1

This is a series of positive and negative terms. We can prove this series is convergent if we can show that it is absolutely
convergent.
+∞ +∞ nπ
cos
∑ |un | = ∑ 3
n2
n=1 n=1

nπ
Because |cos | ≤ 1 for all n
3

nπ
|cos |
3 ≤ 1 for all positive integers n
n 2 n2
1
The series ∑+∞
n=1 is the p series, with p = 2, and is therefore convergent. So by the comparison test ∑+∞
n=1 |un | is
n2
convergent. The given series is therefore absolutely convergent; hence, it is convergent.

Observe that the terms of the series ∑+∞

n=1 |un | neither increase monotonically nor decrease monotonically. For example,
1 1 1
|u4 | = , |u5 | = , |u6 | = ; and so |u5 | < u4 , but |u6 | > |u5 |.
32 50 36

The ratio test, given in the next theorem, is used frequently to determine whether a given series is absolutely
convergent.

Theorem Ratio Test

Let ∑+∞
n=1 un be a given infinite series for which every un is nonzero:

un+1
i) if lim | | = L < 1, the series is absolutely convergent;
n→+∞ un
un+1 un+1
ii) if lim | | = L > 1 or if lim | | = +∞, the series is absolutely divergent;
n→+∞ un n→+∞ un
u
iii) if lim | n+1| = 1 no conclusion may be made from this test.
n→+∞ un

Example 4
n
Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n+1 .
2n
n+1
n n+1 u 2n+1 n+1
Solution: un = (−1)n+1 and un+1 = (−1)n+2 . Therefore | n+1| = n =
2n 2n+1 un 2n
2n

un+1 n+1 1
So lim | | = lim = < 1.
n→+∞ un n→+∞ 2n 2

Therefore, by the ration test, the given series is absolutely convergent and hence, it is convergent.
Example 5
n+2
In example 2 we showed that the series ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n is convergent. Is this series absolutely convergent or
n(n+1)
conditionally convergent?

Solution: To test for absolutely convergence we apply the ratio test.

(n + 1) + 2
un+1 (n + 1)(n + 1 + 1)
lim | | = lim | |
n→+∞ un n→+∞ n+2
n(n + 1)
n+3
(n + 1)(n + 2)
= lim | |
n→+∞ n+2
n(n + 1)
n2 + 3n
= lim | 2 |
n→+∞ n + 4n + 4

n2 + 3n
= lim
n→+∞ n2 + 4n + 4

=1
So the ratio test fails. Because
n+2 n+2 1 1
|un | = = ⋅ >
n(n + 1) n + 1 n n
1
the comparison test can be applied. And because the series ∑+∞
n=1 is the harmonic series, which diverges, we conclude
n
that the series ∑+∞ +∞
n=1|un | is divergent and hence ∑n=1 un is not absolutely convergent. Therefore the series is not
conditionally convergent.
un+1
Note that the ratio test does not include all possibilities for lim | | because it is possible that the limit does not exist
n→+∞ un
and is not +∞.

Theorem Root Test

Let ∑+∞
n=1 un be a given infinite series for which every un is nonzero:

i) if lim n√|un | = L < 1, the series is absolutely convergent;

n→+∞
ii) if lim n√|un | = L > 1, or if lim n√|un | = +∞, the series is divergent;
n→+∞ n→+∞
iii) if lim n√|un | = 1, no conclusion regarding convergence may be made from this test.
n→+∞

Example 6
32n+1
Apply the root test to determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n
.
n2n

Solution: By applying the root test we have

1/n
32n+1 32+1/n
lim n√|un | = lim ( ) = lim =0<1
n→+∞ n→+∞ n2n n→+∞ n2
Therefore, by the root test, the given series is absolutely convergent. Hence, it is convergent.

Example 7
1
Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
n=1 .
[ln(n+1)]n

Solution: All terms of the series are positive.

1/n
n 1 1
lim √|un | = lim ( ) = lim =0<1
n→+∞ n→+∞ [ln(n + 1)]n n→+∞ ln(n + 1)

From the root test, the given series is convergent.

Exercises
Determine whether the alternating test is convergent or divergent.
1
1. ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n+1
2n
1
2. ∑+∞
n=1(−1)
n
n2
∑+∞ n 3
3. n=1(−1) 𝑛2 +1

∑+∞ n 1
4. n=1(−1) ln 𝑛
𝑛
∑+∞ n+1 3
5. n=1(−1) 𝑛2

Determine if the series is absolutely convergent, conditionally convergent, or divergent.

2 𝑛
1. ∑+∞
n=1 (− ) 3
𝑛
∑+∞ (−1) n+1 2
2. n=1 𝑛!
+∞ 𝑛2
3. ∑n=1
𝑛!
+∞ 2𝑛
4. ∑n=1(−1)n 3
𝑛
2 𝑛
5. ∑+∞
n=1 𝑛 (3)