Infinite Series of Constant Terms

An important part of the study of calculus involves representing functions as “infinite sums”. To do this requires extending
the familiar operation of addition of a finite set of numbers to addition of infinitely many numbers. To carry this out we
deal with a limiting process by considering sequences.

Let us associate with the sequence 𝑢1 , 𝑢2 , 𝑢3 , … , 𝑢𝑛 , … an “infinite sum” denoted by 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑛 +

⋯.

But what is the meaning of such an expression? That is, what do we mean by the “sum” of an infinite number of
terms, and under what circumstances does such a sum exist? To get an intuitive idea of the concept of such a sum,
suppose a piece of string of length 2ft is cut in half. One of these halves of length 1 ft is set aside and the other piece is
1
cut in half again. One of the resulting pieces of length is set aside and the other piece is cut in half is that two pieces of
2
1 1
length ft, are obtained. On of the pieces of length ft is set aside and then the other pieces is cut in half; so two pieces,
4 4
1
each of length ft are obtained. Again, one of the pieces I set aside and the other is cut in half. If this procedure is
8
continued indefinitely, the number of feet in the sum of the lengths of the pieces set aside can be considered as the
1 1 1 1 1
infinite sum 1 + + + + + ⋯+ + ⋯ (1).
2 4 8 16 2𝑛−1

Because we started with a piece of string 2ft in length our intuition indicates that the infinite sum (1) should be 2. We
demonstrate that this is indeed the case in the next illustration. However, we first need some preliminary definitions.

From the sequence 𝑢1 , 𝑢2 , 𝑢3 , … , 𝑢𝑛 , … we form a new sequence {𝑠𝑛 } by adding successive elements of {𝑢𝑛 }:

𝑠1 = 𝑢1
𝑠2 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2

𝑠3 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3

⋮
𝑠𝑛 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑛
The sequence {𝑎𝑛 } obtained in this manner from the sequence {𝑠𝑛 } is a sequence of partial sums called an infinite series.

Definition of Infinite Series

If {𝑢𝑛 } is a sequence and 𝑠𝑛 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑛 then {𝑠𝑛 } is a sequence of partial sums called an infinite series
denoted by
+∞

∑ 𝑢𝑛 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑛
𝑛=1

The numbers 𝑢1 , 𝑢2 , 𝑢3 , … , 𝑢𝑛 , … are the terms of the infinite series.

Illustration 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Consider the sequence { }: 1, , , , , … , 𝑛−1 , …
2𝑛−1 2 4 8 16 2

From this sequence let us form a sequence of partial sums:

𝑠1 = 1
 1 3
𝑠2 = 1 + =
2 2
1 1 7
𝑠3 = 1 + + =
2 4 4

1 1 1 15
𝑠4 = 1 + + + =
2 4 8 8
1 1 1 1 31
𝑠5 = 1 + + + + =
2 4 8 16 16

𝑠𝑛 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + 𝑢4 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑛
The sequence of partial sums {𝑠𝑛 } is the infinite series denoted by
+∞
1 1 1 1 1 1
∑ =1+ + + + + ⋯ 1 + 𝑛−1 + ⋯
2𝑛−1 2 4 8 16 2
𝑛=1

Observe that this is the infinite sum (1) obtained in the discussion of repeatedly cutting a string of length 2ft. It is an
example of a geometric series.

When {𝑠𝑛 } is a sequence of partial sums, 𝑠𝑛−1 = 𝑢1 + 𝑢2 + 𝑢3 + ⋯ + 𝑢𝑛−1 . Thus 𝑠𝑛 = 𝑠𝑛−1 + 𝑢𝑛 .

Example 1
1
Given the infinite series ∑+∞ +∞
𝑛=1 𝑢𝑛 = ∑𝑛=1 𝑛(𝑛+1)

a) Find the first four elements of the sequence of partial sums {𝑠𝑛 } and
b) Find a formula for {𝑠𝑛 } in terms of n.

Solution:

a) Because 𝑠𝑛 = 𝑠𝑛−1 + 𝑢𝑛
1 1 1 1 2
𝑠1 = 𝑢1 = = 𝑠2 = 𝑠1 + 𝑢2 = + =
1(1+1) 2 2 2(2+1) 3

2 1 3 3 1 4
𝑠3 = 𝑠2 + 𝑢3 = + = 𝑠4 = 𝑠3 + 𝑢4 = + =
3 3(3+1) 4 4 4(4+1) 5

1 1 1
b) Because 𝑢𝑘 = we have, by partial fractions 𝑢𝑘 = − . Therefore,
𝑘(𝑘+1) 𝑘 𝑘+1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑢1 = − =1− 𝑢2 = − = − 𝑢3 = − = −
1 1+2 2 2 2+1 2 3 3 3+1 3 4
⋮
1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑢𝑛−1 = − = − 𝑢𝑛 = −
𝑛−1 𝑛−1+1 𝑛−1 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛+1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑠𝑛 = (1 − ) + ( − ) + ( − ) + ⋯ + ( − ) +( − ).
2 2 3 3 4 𝑛−1 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛+1

Simplifying the sum, we get

1
𝑠𝑛 = 1 − .
𝑛+1

This method, however, applies only to a special case. Generally, it is not possible to obtain such an expression for 𝑠𝑛 .
Exercise 1
Obtain a formula for ∑+∞
𝑛=1 𝑛 = 1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ 𝑛 + ⋯.

Definition of the Sum of an Infinite Series

Let ∑+∞
𝑛=1 𝑢𝑛 denote a given infinite series for which {𝑠𝑛 } is the sequence of partial sums. If lim 𝑠𝑛 exists and is equal to
𝑛→+∞
𝑆, then the series is convergent and 𝑆 is the sum of the series. If lim 𝑠𝑛 does not exist, the series is divergent, and the
𝑛→+∞
series does not have a sum.

Illustration 2
The infinite series of Illustration 1 is
+∞
1 1 1 1 1 1
∑ =1+ + + + + ⋯ 1 + 𝑛−1 + ⋯ (2)
2𝑛−1 2 4 8 16 2
𝑛=1

and the sequence of partial sums is {𝑠𝑛 }, where

1 1 1 1
𝑠𝑛 = 1 + + + + ⋯ + 𝑛−1 (3)
2 4 8 2
To determine if infinite series (2) has a sum we must compute lim 𝑠𝑛 . To find a formula for 𝑠𝑛 , we use the identity from
𝑛→+∞
algebra:

𝑎𝑛 − 𝑏 𝑛 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑏 + 𝑎𝑛−3 𝑏 2 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑏 𝑛−2 + 𝑏 𝑛−1 ).

1
Applying this identity with 𝑎 = 1 and 𝑏 = we have
2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1− 𝑛 = (1 − ) (1 + + 2 + 3 + 4 + ⋯ + 𝑛−1 )
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1
⇒ 2 (1 − 𝑛
) = (1 + + 2 + 3 + 4 + ⋯ + 𝑛−1 ) = 𝑠𝑛
2 2 2 2 2 2
1
lim 𝑠𝑛 = lim 2 (1 − )=2
𝑛→+∞ 𝑛→+∞ 2𝑛
Therefore, infinite series (2) has a sum of 2.

Example 2
Determine if the infinite series of Example 1 has a sum. To do this we just get
1
lim (1 − ) = 1.
𝑛→+∞ 𝑛+1
So the infinite series
+∞
1 1 1 1 1 1
∑ = + + + + ⋯+ +⋯=1
𝑛(𝑛 + 1) 2 6 12 20 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
𝑛=1
Example 3
1
Write with sigma notation the infinite series that is the following sequence of partial sums {𝑠𝑛 } = { 𝑛 }. Also determine if
2
the infinite series is convergent or divergent; if it is convergent, find its sum.
1 1
Solution: Because 𝑠1 = , then 𝑢1 = . If 𝑛 > 1,
2 2
1 1 1
𝑢𝑛 = 𝑠𝑛 − 𝑠𝑛−1 = − =− .
2𝑛 2𝑛−1 2𝑛

Therefore, the infinite series is

1 1
− ∑+∞
𝑛=2
2 2𝑛
1
Because lim 𝑠𝑛 = lim =0
𝑛→+∞ 𝑛→+∞ 2𝑛

As mentioned above, in most cases it is not possible to obtain an expression for 𝑠𝑛 in terms of 𝑛; so we must have other
methods for determining whether or not a given infinite series has a sum or, equivalently, whether a given infinite series
is convergent or divergent.

Some Theorems
Theorem 1 If the infinite series ∑+∞
𝑛=1 𝑢𝑛 is convergent, then lim 𝑢𝑛 = 0.
𝑛→+∞

Example 4 Prove that the following two series are divergent

𝑛2 +1 5 10 17
a. ∑+∞
𝑛=1 = 2+ + + +⋯
𝑛2 4 9 16
b. ∑+∞
𝑛=1(−1)
𝑛+1 ⋅3 =3−3+3−3+⋯

The converse of the first theorem is false. That is if lim 𝑢𝑛 = 0, it does not follow that the series is necessarily
𝑛→+∞
convergent. In other words, it is possible to have a divergent series for which lim 𝑢𝑛 = 0. An example of such series is
𝑛→+∞

+∞
1 1 1 1 1
∑ = 1+ + + + ⋯+ + ⋯
𝑛 2 3 4 𝑛
𝑛=1
1
called the harmonic series. Clearly, lim = 0, but this series diverges.
𝑛→+∞ 𝑛

Theorem 2 The harmonic series is divergent.

𝑎
Theorem 3 The geometric series converges to the sum if |𝑟| < 1 and diverges if |𝑟| ≥ 1.
1−𝑟

Example 5 Express 0.3333… as a common fraction

3 3 3 3
Solution 0.333 = + + + ⋯+ +⋯
10 1 000 10 000 10𝑛
 3 1
This is a geometric series in which 𝑎 = and 𝑟 = . Because |𝑟| < 1, it follows from the theorem that the
10 10
𝑎
series converges and its sum is . Therefore,
1−𝑟

3
10 1
0.3333̅ = = .
1 3
1−
10

Theorem 4 Let 𝑐 be any nonzero constant.

i) If the series ∑+∞ +∞

𝑛=1 𝑢𝑛 is convergent and its sum is 𝑆, then the series ∑𝑛=1 𝑐𝑢𝑛 is also convergent and
its sum is 𝑐 ⋅ 𝑆.
ii) If the series ∑+∞ +∞
𝑛=1 𝑢𝑛 is divergent, then the series ∑𝑛=1 𝑐𝑢𝑛 is also divergent.

Theorem 5 If ∑+∞ +∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 and ∑𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 are convergent infinite series whose sums are 𝑆 and 𝑇,respectively, then

i) ∑+∞
𝑛=1(𝑎𝑛 + 𝑏𝑛 ) is a convergent and its sum is 𝑆 + 𝑇;
ii) ∑+∞
𝑛=1(𝑎𝑛 − 𝑏𝑛 ) is a convergent and its difference is 𝑆 − 𝑇;

Theorem 6 If the series ∑+∞ +∞ +∞

𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 is convergent and the series ∑𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 is divergent, then ∑𝑛=1(𝑎𝑛 + 𝑏𝑛 ) is divergent.

Theorem 7 If ∑+∞ +∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 and ∑𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 are two infinite series, differing only in their first 𝑚 terms
(i.e. 𝑎𝑘 = 𝑏𝑘 , 𝑖𝑓 𝑘 > 𝑚), then either both series converge or both series diverge.

1
Example 6 Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
𝑛=1 .
4𝑛

1 1
Example 7 Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
𝑛=1 ( + ).
4𝑛 4𝑛

1
Example 8 Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent: ∑+∞
𝑛=1 .
𝑛+4