MATH 152 Review Problem Solutions for Midterm 3, Spring 2024.

Michael Monagan
1 8.1 Exercise 1.

We have to find the length of the curve y = 3 − 2x for −1 ≤ x ≤ 3. Using the arc length
dy
formula with dx = −2
Z 3p √ √ √ √
L= 1 + (−2)2 dx = [ 5x]3−1 = 3 5 − (− 5) = 4 5.
−1

The curve is a straight

√ line which
√ forms a right-angle
√ triangle with base 4 and height 8 so by
2 2 2
Pythagoras L = 4 + 8 = 4 + 4 2 = 4 5. 2 2

2 Let R be the region enclosed by y = 1 + x, y = 0, x = 0 and x = 1. Calculate the centroid.

The centroid (x̄, ȳ) of a function f (x) ≥ 0 on [a, b] is given
Z b Z b Z b
1 1 1 2
x̄ = A xf (x)dx, ȳ = A 2 f (x) dx where A = f (x)dx.
a a a

First the area of the region

Z 1
A= (1 + x)dx = [x + 12 x2 ]10 = 23 .
0

Now for the centroid

Z 1
x̄ = 2
3 x(1 + x)dx = 32 [ 12 x2 + 13 x3 ]10 = 2
3 · 5
6 = 59 .
0
Z 1 Z 2
2
ȳ = 2
3
1
2 (1 + x) dx = 1
3 (1 + 2x + x2 )dx = 31 [x + x2 + 13 x3 ]10 = 1
3 · 7
3 = 79 .
0 0

dy 1
3 (Section 10.2) Let x = 3t2 + 1 and y = t3 − 1. For which value(s) of t is dx = 2 ?
dy dy/dt
We need to calculate dy/dx. I suggest remembering dx = dx/dt . For x = 3t2 + 1 and y = t3 − 1
dx dy dy 3t2 dy
we have dt = 6t and dt = 3t2 thus dx = 6t = 2t . Thus solving dx = t
2 = 1
2 we have t = 1.
4 (Section 11.1) Determine if the following sequences are convergent or divergent.
(a) {(1 + 4n2 )/(1 + n2 )} and (b) {ln(n + 1) − ln(n)}. If convergent, find their limit.

Both sequences are convergent. We use the limit test. For the first we use
1 + 4n2 4 + 1/n2
an = =
1 + n2 1 + 1/n2
where I divided the numerator and denominator by n2 . Now it is clear that limn→∞ an = 4
so the first sequence converges to 4.
For the second sequence if we take limn→∞ ln(n + 1) = ∞ and limn→∞ ln n = ∞ we will end
up with ∞ − ∞ which is indeterminant. First we should combine the logarithms using ln A −
A
ln B = ln B . We have ln(n + 1) − ln(n) = ln( n+1
n ) = ln(1 + 1/n). Now limn→∞ ln(1 + 1/n) = 0
so the second sequence converges to 0.

1
 5 11.2 Exercise 42.

Lets rewrite the series

∞ ∞  n ∞  n ∞  n
2n + 4n 4n

X X 2 X 2 X 4
S= = + = + .
en en en e e
n=1 n=1 n=1 n=1

Both sums are geometric sums with r = 2e and r = 4e . Here e = 2.718. Since 2 < e the first
sum is convergent. But since 4 > e the second is divergent. Thus S is the sum of a convergent
plus a divergent series which is divergent.

(Section 11.3) Consider the series S = ∞ −n . What is the smallest n such that S =
P
6 P n=1 e n
n −k
k=1 e is accurate to 4 decimal places? See example 5.
R∞
The error Rn satisfies Rn < n e−x dx. The antiderivative of e−x is −e−x so
Z t t
e−x dx = lim −e−x n = lim (−e−t + e−n ) = e−n

Rn < lim
t→∞ n t→∞ t→∞

We require Rn ≤ 0.0001 = 10−4 . Solving for n we get e−n ≤ 10−4 . Taking logs we get
−n ≤ ln(10−4 ) = −4 ln 10 = −9.2 Negating −n ≤ −9.2 we get n ≥ 9.2 so we take n = 10.

Test if the following series are convergent or divergent. For series B first write it in Sigma notation.
Justify your answers. (Sections 11.4, 11.5 and 11.6)

7 A= ∞ 1 1
P

n=1 n2 + n

We give three solutions. Let H = ∞ 1

P
n=1 n be the Harmonic series which is divergent.
1 1 1
First since n2
+ n > n for n ≥ 1 we have A > H which is divergent so A is divergent too.

Second, an = n12 + n1 = 1+n

n2
. Comparing this series with the Harmonic series H using the
limit comparison test we have limn→∞ abnn where an = 1+n
n2
and bn = n1 thus

an 1+n n n2 + n 1 + 1/n
= · = =
bn n2 1 n2 + 1 1 + 1/n2
1+1/n
and limn→∞ 1+1/n2
= 1. Since H is divergent, S is divergent too.

Third,
R ∞ 1 the1 integral test works too.
1
1 ( x2
+ x )dx = limt→∞ [− x + ln x]t1 = limt→∞ (− 1t + ln t + 1) = ∞ so A diverges.

of 11.2 says if one of ∞

P P∞
Also, exercise 89 n=1 an and n=1 bnPis convergent and the other is
divergent then n=1 (an + bn ) is divergent. In our case since ∞
P∞ 1
R ∞ dx P∞ 1 n=1 n2 is convergent (because
1 x2 = 1) and n=1 n is divergent (it’s the Harmonic series) so A is divergent.
2 2 2 2 2
8 B =2− 3 + 5 − 7 + 9 − 11 + ...

First we express the series in Sigma notation. We have B = ∞ n 2 . You could

P
P∞ n=0 (−1) 2n+1 P∞
n+1 2 n
also use B = n=1 (−1) 2n−1 . The series is an alternating series of the form n=0 (−1) bn
2
where bn = 2n+1 . Since and the sequence {bn } = 2, 2/3, 2/5, 2/7, . . . is positive and decreasing
to 0 series B converges by the alternating series test.

2
 P∞ n
9 C= n=1 en where e = 2.71828.

Two methods. First, using the ratio test we have

an+1 (n + 1) en (n + 1) 1 + 1/n
= n+1 = 1
= .
an e n e n e
1+1/n
Thus r = limn→∞ | an+1
an | = limn→∞ e = 1e < 1. Since r < 1 the series C converges.
R∞ R∞
Second,
R using the integral test. First 1 exx dx = 1 xe−x dx. Using integration by parts we
have xe−x dx = −xe−x − −e−x dx = −(x + 1)e−x + C. Now
R

Z ∞ t (t + 1) 2
xe−x dx = lim −(x + 1)e−x 1 = lim [− + 2e−1 ] =

t→∞ t→∞ e t e
1

I used l’Hôpital’s rule to take limt→∞ (t + 1)/et = limt→∞ 1/et = 0. Since the integral is
convergent, so is the series C.