Calculus I

Tutorial #12 (11–13 Dec 2023)

Topics:

• Alternating Series
• Power Series
• Taylor and Maclaurin Series

In Problems 1–2, determine if the alternating series converges or diverges. Some of the
series do not satisfy the conditions of the Alternating Series Test.
X∞  n n
Problem 1. (−1)n+1 .
n=1
10

∞ √
n+1 3 n + 1
X
Problem 2. (−1) √ .
n=1
n+1

Which of the series in Problems 3–4 converge absolutely, which converge, and which
diverge? Justify your answers.
∞
X (−2)n+1
Problem 3. .
n=1
n + 5n

∞
X ln n
Problem 4. (−1)n .
n=1
n − ln n

In Problems 5–7, for each series, find the radius and interval of convergence. For what
values of x does the series converge:

(a) absolutely?
(b) conditionally?

∞
X (x − 1)n
Problem 5. √ .
n=1
n

∞
X
Problem 6. nn xn .
n=1

∞
X
Problem 7. (−2)n (n + 1)(x − 1)n .
n=1

1
Problem 8. Find the radius of convergence for the series
∞
X n! xn
.
n=1
3 · 6 · 9 · · · 3n

Problem 9. Find the Taylor polynomials of orders 0, 1, 2, and 3 generated by f (x) =

π
sin x at a = .
4
Problem 10. Find the Maclaurin series for the functions f (x) = 5 cos πx.

Problem 11. Find the Taylor series generated by f (x) = 2x at x = 1.

Problem 12. Use power series operations to find the Taylor series at x = 0 for the
1
functions f (x) = ex + .
1+x
x3
Problem 13. Estimate the error if P3 (x) = x − is used to estimate the value of
6
sin x at x = 0.1.
√ x
Problem 14. The estimate 1 + x = 1 + is used when x is small. Estimate the
2
error when |x| < 0.01.

Problem 15. Replace x by −x in the Taylor series for ln(1 + x) to obtain a series
for ln(1 − x). Then subtract this from the Taylor series for ln(1 + x) to show that for
|x| < 1,
x3 x5
 
1+x
ln =2 x+ + + ··· .
1−x 3 5

Problem 16. How many terms of the Taylor series for ln(1 + x) should you add to
be sure of calculating ln(1.1) with an error of magnitude less than 10−8 ? Justify your
answer.
1 2x
Problem 17. Use the Taylor series for 2
to obtain a series for .
1−x (1 − x2 )2

Additional Exercises (if time allows)

∞
X
Problem 18. Consider the series an defined by the formula
n=1

n(n + 1)
a1 = 1, an+1 = an .
(n + 2)(n + 3)

Is this series convergent? Justify your answer.

2
Problem 19. Consider the function f (x) = cos x near x = 69. What Taylor series
would you choose to represent the function? (There may be more than one good
answer.) Write out the first four nonzero terms of the series you choose.

Problem 20. Find all values of x for which

∞
X nxn
n=1
(n + 1)(2x + 1)n

converges absolutely.