MAT 455 Further Calculus for Engineers

CHAPTER 1: SEQUENCES AND SERIES

A) SEQUENCES

Definition

A sequence can be thought of as a list of number written in a definite order:

a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , , an ,

The numbers in a sequence are called the terms of the sequences.

Notation: The sequence a1 , a2 , a3 , is also denoted by:

an or an n1 .

Sequence can be classified into 2 groups:

a) Finite sequence a sequence that contains finite number of terms.
an n1
nk
a1 , a2 , a3 , ak
b) Infinite sequence a sequence that contains infinite number of terms.
an n1
n
a1 , a2 , a3 ,

Example 1.1:

Express the following sequence in the form an n 1 .

n

Term of Sequence Formula Notation

3,5,7, an 2n 1 2n 1n1

1 2 3 4 an
, , , ,
2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 an
, , , ,
2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 an
, , , ,
3 9 27 81
0,1, 2, 3, an

Convergence and divergence of sequences

a) A sequence an n 1
n
is said to converge if and only if
lim a n L (limit exist)
n

b) A sequence an n 1
n
does not converge to some finite limit is said to
diverge, that
lim a n (limit does not exist)
n
* an becomes large as n becomes large.

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Properties of Limit

If
an and bn are convergent sequences and c is a constant, then:
lim an bn lim an lim bn
a) n n n

lim an bn lim an lim bn

b) n n n

lim can c lim an

c) n n

lim anbn lim an lim bn

d) n n n

a lim an
lim n n if lim bn 0
n b n
n lim bn
e) n

p
lim an p lim an if p 0 and an 0
f) n n

lim an 0 lim an 0
g) If n , then n

h) If lim an L and the function f is continuous at L, then

n

n n

lim f an lim f lim an f L
n

We can use LHopital rules in finding the limit of a sequence.

Example 1.2.1:

Find the limit of the following.

n 2 5n 6 n4 5n3 3n 4n 5 2n 2 4n
a) lim b) lim c) lim d) lim
n2 n 2 2n n 4 n 2 16 n 10n3 2n2 1 n 2n 2 7

nen 2 ln 4n 11 4 1 cos n
h) lim
3
e) lim f) lim n
g) lim
n 9
n n2
n 0 n 3 2 n 0
sin n n
sin 1

1
n

lim j) lim sin
i) n n
n
n

a,b): cancel all common factor

c,d): divide each term in numerator & denominator with highest power of x that occur
in denominator and e,f,g,h): use LHopital rules

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Example 1.2.2:

Determine whether the following sequence converge or diverge.

n n3 ln n
a) b) 2 c)
2n 3 n 1 n 1 n 1 n 1 n 1

Theorem 1.2:

a) lim r 0 if r 1 1 r 1 converge
n
n

b) lim r 1 if r 1 converge
n
n

c) lim r if r 1 r 1 or r 1 diverge
n
n

Example 1.3:

Determine whether the following sequence converge or diverge.

n
2 n b) 1.07 1 n 7 n
a) n 1 c) d)
5 n 1 4 n 1 3 n 1

Theorem 1.3:

A sequence n is :
a
a) Increasing if an an1 for all n 1 a1 a2 a3
b) Decreasing if an an1 for all n 1 a1 a2 a3
c) Monotonic if it is either increasing or decreasing an an1

Example 1.4:

Determine whether the following sequence is increasing, decreasing or monotonic.

3 n n2 3
a) b) 2 c)
n 5 n 1 n 1 n 1 n n 1

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MAT 455 Further Calculus for Engineers

B) SERIES

Definition

An infinite series is a summation of terms in an infinite sequence, i.e

a
k 1
k a1 a2 a3 ak

where a1 , a2 , a3 , are the terms of the series.

S n is a summation of n terms (partial sum of series) and Sn is the sequence of partial

sum, then:
S1 a1
S2 a1 a2
S3 a1 a2 a3
n
Sn ak a1 a2 a3 an
k 1

a) If the sequence of partial sum S n converge to limit L lim Sn L ,

n

The series a
k 1
k is converge the sum of series is L or a
k 1
k L

b) If lim Sn Series
n
a
k 1
k is diverge

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Type of Series

A) Geometric Series

A geometric series ar
n 1
n 1
a ar ar 2 ar 3 ar k 1 ... where a 0

a
a) Converges if r 1 , that is lim S n lim
n n
ar n 1
lim
n 1 - r
n 1

b) Diverges if r 1

Note: Have common ratio, r

Example 1.5:

Determine whether the following series converges or diverges.

k 1
2 2n
3
k
4
a)
n 1 10
n b) c) d)
n 1 6 k 1 5 k 1 3

B) Harmonic Series

1 1 1 1
A harmonic series : k 1 2 3 4
k 1
is a diverge series.

C) P-Series

P-Series is also known as Hyperharmonic series which is an infinite series of the form:

P-Series:

1 1 1 1 1
k
k 1
p
1
2 p
p p
3 4

kp
where p>0.

a) Converges if p 1
b) Diverges if 0 p 1

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Example 1.6:

Determine whether the following series converges or diverges.

1 1 1 1
a)
k 1 k
b)
k 1 k
2
c) 3
d) 5
k 1 k k 1 k6

Theorem 1.4:

If an and
n 1
bn are convergent series, then so are the series
n 1
ca
n 1
n (where c is a

constant), an bn
n 1
and a
n 1
n bn , and

a) ca
n 1
n c an
n 1
b) a
n 1
n bn an bn
n 1 n 1

Note:
a) Converges Converges Converges b) Converges Diverges Diverges

c) Diverges Converges Diverges d) Diverges Diverges No conclusion

Example 1.7:

Determine whether the following series converges or diverges.

2 1
2 3 3 k 2
k

a) b)
n3
c) 3k 6
k 1

k 1
d)
k 1 n 1
2
k 1 k
1

1
n

e) n 1 2
n 1
5 3

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Convergence Test

A) The Divergence Test

Theorem 1.5:

i) If lim an does not exist or if lim an 0 Series
n n
a
n 1
n divergences.

ii) If lim an 0 Series
n
a
n 1
n might converges or diverge.No conclusion and try

another test

Note: If the series a
n 1
n convergent, then lim an 0 .
n

Example 1.8:

Use the divergence test to show that the following series diverge.

n 1
ek
k
n2 1
a)
n 1 n 2
b) c)
k 1 ln k 1
d) 2
k 1 k n 1 n 3

B) The Integral Test

Suppose f is a continuous, positive, decreasing function on 1, and let a n f (n) .

a) If a
f x dx is convergent a n 1
n is convergent

b) If a
f x dx is divergent a
n 1
n is divergent

f x dx lim f x dx , converge if limit exist
t
where
a t a

1 1
Note: It is not necessary to start n 1 . For example: we use x 3 dx
n 3
2 4 2
n4

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Example 1.9:

Use the integral test to determine the convergence of

1 1 2
a) n2
n 1
b) n
n 1
2
1
c)
k 1 k 1

1 ln n
d) n 1 ln n 1
n 1
e)
n 1 n

C) The Comparison Test

Theorem 1.6:

Let an and
n 1
b
n 1
n be series with non-negatives terms.

i) If bn converges and an bn for all n
n 1
a
n 1
n also converges

ii) If b
n 1
n diverges and an bn for all n a
n 1
n also diverges

Tips for applying the comparison test

1. Delete the constant term in the denominator of ak (as this will not affect the
convergence and divergence of the series)

1 1
a) 3k 1
k
2
b)
k 1 k 1

2. If the numerator or the denominator of ak appears in a polynomial form, eliminate all

but the term with the highest power.

1
2k 3 4
a) b)
k 5 2k k 1 5k 2k 1
6 3
k 1

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3. Makes a guess as whether the series converges or diverges.

i) If the guest is convergence choose a bigger series for comparison.

ii) If the guest is divergence choose a smaller series for comparison.

1 1
a) 2
k 1
k
1
b)
k 1 k 6

Example 1.10:

Use the comparison test to determine whether the following series converges or not.

1 ln n
a) 2n 3
4
b)
k 1
7
k 3
c)
n 1 n
n1

D) The Limit Comparison Test

Theorem 1.7:

Let a
k 1
k and b
k 1
k be series with positive terms such that:

ak
lim
k bk

where a
k 1
k is the series to be studied and b
k 1
k is the series chosen for comparison.

If 0 , then both series converges or both diverges.

Example 1.11:

Use the limit comparison test to determine whether the following series converges or
not.

1 1
3n3 2n 2 4
a) k 1
b) 2k k
c)
n 1 n n 2
2 7 3
k 1 k 1

2n 2 3n

k
d) 2 e)
k 1 k 1 n 1 5 n5

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E) The Ratio Test

Theorem 1.8:

Let a
k 1
k be a series with positive terms such that

ak 1
lim
k ak
i) If 1 , the series converges
ii) If 1 or then the series diverges
iii) If 1 , no conclusion can be made. (Try another test)

Note: The test is used when ak involves factorials or kth power.

Example 1.12:

Use the ratio test to determine whether the following series converges or diverges.

1
4 k 1 !
2k
6k (k 1)
a) b) c) k d)
k 1 2k ! k 1 k3 7 k 1 k 3 2k

2 ln k
2k !
1
e) k 1 e
k f) 3k
g) k3
k 1
k
k 1

F) Alternating Series Test (A.S.T)

Alternating series are series that contain alternately positive and negative terms.

Examples of such series are given below:

2 1
a) 1 2 1
k n 1
b)
k 1 k n 1 n!

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Theorem 1.9:

The series of the form

1 1
k k 1
a) ak b) ak
k 1 k 1

Converges if:
i) a1 a2 a3 i.e. ak ak 1 ii) lim ak 0 ,otherwise the series is diverges.
k

Example 1.13:

Determine whether the following series converges or diverges.

1 k 3
n 1
1
1 1
n 1 k
a)
n 1 n! b) 1 n
n 1
2
c)
k 1 k2

3 1
n n
3n
d)
n 1 2n
e)
n 1 4n 1

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G) Absolute Convergence or Conditional Convergence

STEPS TO DETERMINE ABSOLUTE OR CONDITIONAL CONVERGENCE

1
k
ak
k 1

converge
1 1
k k
ak ak
k 1
k 1
Converge Absolutely

diverge
converge

1
k
Alternating Series Test ak
k 1
Converge Conditionally

diverge

1
k
ak
k 1
Diverge

Example 1.14:

Determine whether the following series converge absolutely, converge conditionally or

diverges.

1 1
n 1 n 1
2
a) b) 1
k
c)
n 1 n 2
n 1 n k 1 k 1
2

d)

1
k 1 k
2 e)

1k
k 2
3
k 1 2k 1 k 1 2k 2

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MAT 455 Further Calculus for Engineers

Reference: Calculus 6th Edition, James Stewart, 2009 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning

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MAT 455 Further Calculus for Engineers

Convergence or Divergence of Power Series

A power series is of the form a x
n 1
n
n
.

The interval of convergence (convergence interval) of a power series is the value of x which
the power series converges.

Example 1.15:

1
nx
n 1
n

x 1

x2

x 3

The convergence interval can be obtained by first using the ratio test for absolute
convergence and supplemented by other test for the end point of the convergence interval.

Theorem 1.10:

(Ratio test for absolute convergence)

a k
Let k 1 be a series with non-negative terms and suppose that

ak 1
lim
k ak

a k
i) If 1 k 1 converge absolutely, therefore convergence

a k
ii) If 1 or k 1 diverges

iii) If 1 No conclusion

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Radius of convergence:
There is a positive number R such that the series converges if x a R and diverges if
xa R.
The number R is called the radius of convergence.

Example 1.16:

Find the radius of convergence and the interval of convergence of the power series.

x 3 x 4
n k
xn
a)
c) 1
k
b)
n 1 n
k 1
2
n 1 n k 0

3
n n
3n x n xn n x2
d) n
e) n 1
f)
n 1 n 4 n 0
n 0 3n 1

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