AP Calculus BC

Chapter 9 Test 1 Review Outline

Sequences: an

1. Listing the terms of a sequence

2. Finding a formula for the nth term of a sequence
3. Determining the convergence/divergence of a sequence


Series: a
k 1
k


1. Geometric:  ar
k 1
k 1
 a  ar  ar 2  , a  0, r  0

a. Converges if r  1 , diverges otherwise

a
b. If it converges, the sum =
1r


1 1 1 1
2. Harmonic: k 1 2  3  4 
k 1
(diverges)


1 1 1 1
3. P-series: k
k 1
p
1  
2p 3p 4p


a. Converges if p > 1
b. Diverges if 0 < p  1

4. Alternating:

a. Be able to approximate the sum of an alternating series

b. Error of approximation is less than the next unused term
 
c. Absolute convergence:  ak converges absolutely if
k 1
a
k 1
k converges.
 
d. Conditional convergence: If  ak converges but
k 1
a
k 1
k does not

e. If a series converges absolutely, then it converges (two for one.)

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AP Calculus BC
Chapter 9 Test 1 Review Outline

Tests for Convergence of Series

1. Geometric series – see above

2. p-series test (including harmonic) – see above


3. Divergence/nth term test: If lim ak  0   ak diverges.
k 
k 1

 
4. Integral test:  c
f ( x )dx and a k 1
k both converge or both diverge

ak 1
5. Ratio test: If   lim <1 then the series converges, if  >1 then it diverges, if  =1 then
ak k 

the test is inconclusive.

1
6. Root test: If   lim  ak  k < 1 then the series converges, if  >1 then it diverges, if  =1 then
k 

the test is inconclusive.

ak
7. Limit comparison test: If   lim is finite and greater than 0, then both series converge
k  b
k

or both diverge.

 
8. Comparison test: If a
k 1
k  b
k 1
k term by term, then

 
a. If b
k 1
k converges then a
k 1
k converges. (If the bigger converges, the smaller must.)
 
b. If  ak diverges then
k 1
b
k 1
k diverges. (If the smaller diverges, the bigger must.)

9. Alternating series test: an alternating series converges if

a. a1  a2  a3 , i.e. the sequence an is decreasing (prove), and

b. lim ak  0
k 

ak 1
10. Ratio test for absolute convergence: If   lim <1 then the series converges
k  ak
absolutely, if  >1 then it diverges, if  =1 then the test is inconclusive.

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Summary of the convergence tests that may appear on the AP Calculus BC exam.

Test Name The series … will converge if Or will diverge if Comments

∞ For divergence
nth –term test ∑a
n =1
n
lim an ≠ 0
n →∞
only; the converse
is false.
∞

∑ ar n −1 a
Geometric −1 < r < 1 r ≤ −1 or r ≥ 1 Sum =
n =1 1− r
∞ an +1 < an and Error bound
Alternating Series ∑ (−1)
n =1
n −1
an
lim an = 0 S∞ − Sn < an+1
n →∞
∞ f must be
Integral test
∑ an and
n =1 1
∞
∫ f ( x ) dx
∞
∫ f ( x ) dx
1
continuous,
positive and
an = f ( n ) ≥ 0 converges diverges
decreasing.
∞
1
p‐series ∑n
n =1
p
p >1 p ≤1

∞
0 < an ≤ bn and 0 < bn ≤ an and
Direct comparison ∑a ∞ ∞

n =1
n
∑
n =1
bn converges ∑b
n =1
n diverges

| an +1 |
∞ |a | |a | If lim =1
∑a
n →∞ | a |
Ratio Test n
lim n +1 < 1 lim n +1 > 1 n
n →∞ | a | n →∞ | a |
n =1 n n the ratio test
cannot be used.

Other useful convergence tests that may be used.

Test Name The series … will converge if Or will diverge if Comments

an > 0, bn > 0 an > 0, bn > 0
an an
∞ lim =L>0 lim =L>0
Limit Comparison ∑a
n =1
n
n →∞ b
n
n →∞ b
n
∞ ∞
and ∑ bn converges and ∑b n diverges
n =1 n =1
The test cannot
∞
Root Test ∑a n
lim an < 1
n →∞
n lim an > 1
n →∞
n be used if
n =1 lim n an = 1
n →∞

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