Calculus Notes

Grinshpan

THE P-SERIES

The series
∞
X 1 1 1 1
p
= 1 + p + p + ... + p + ...
n=1
n 2 3 n
is called the p-series. Its sum is finite for p > 1 and is infinite for p ≤ 1.
If p = 1 we have the harmonic series.
For p > 1, the sum of the p-series (the Riemann zeta function ζ(p)) is a monotone
decreasing function of p.
For almost all values ofPp the value of the sum is not known. For instance, the
∞
exact value of the sum n=1 n13 is a mystery. But, of course, one can always find
accurate approximations for any given p.
Some of the known sums and approximations are
∞ ∞
X 1 π2 X 1
2
= ≈ 1.2020569
n=1
n 6 n=1
n3
∞ ∞
X 1 π4 X 1
4
= 5
≈ 1.0369278
n=1
n 90 n=1
n
∞ ∞
X 1 π6 X 1
6
= 7
≈ 1.0083493
n=1
n 945 n=1
n
One often compares to a p-series when using the Comparison Test.
P∞
Example. Test the series n=1 n21+3 for convergence.
Solution. Observe that
1 1
2
< 2
P∞ n + 3 n
for every n ≥ 1. The series n=1 n12 converges (p-series with p = 2 > 1). So the
given series converges too, by the Comparison Test.
Or when using the Limit Comparison Test.
P∞
Example. Test the series n=1 n3/2n +3 for convergence.
Solution. Observe that
n 1 n3/2 1
: √ = = → 1 6= 0, n → ∞.
n3/2 + 3 n n3/2 + 3 1 + 3n−3/2
P∞
The series n=1 √1n diverges (p-series with p = 12 ≤ 1). So the given series diverges
as well, by the Limit Comparison Test.