Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional

Convergence

P. Sam Johnson

January 29, 2019

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 1 / 42
Overview

In two lectures, we discuss convergence of series whose terms are

alternately positive and negative.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 2 / 42
Definition 1.
A series which the terms are alternately positive and negative is an
alternating series.

Example 2.
1 1 1 1(−1)n+1
1. 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − ··· +
n + ···
(−1)n4
2. −2 + 1 − 21 + 14 − 18 + · · · + 2n + · · ·
3. 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + · · · + (−1)n+1 n + ···

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 3 / 42
The Alternating Series Test
Theorem 3 (The Alternating Series Test (Leibniz’s Theorem)).
The Series
∞
X
(−1)n+1 un = u1 − u2 + u3 − u4 + · · ·
n=1

converges if all three of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The un ’s are all positive.
2. un ≥ un+1 for all n ≤ N, for some integer N.
3. un → 0.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 4 / 42
Proof of Leibniz’s Theorem

If n is an even integer, say n = 2m, then the sum of the first n terms is

s2m = (u1 − u2 ) + (u3 − u4 ) + · · · + (u2m−1 − u2m )

= u1 − (u2 − u3 ) − (u4 − u5 ) − · · · − (u2m−2 − u2m−1 ) − u2m

The first equality shows that s2m is the sum of m nonnegative terms, since
each term in parentheses is positive or zero.

Hence s2m+2 ≥ s2m , and the sequence {s2m } is non-decreasing and

bounded from above, it has a limit, say

lim s2m = L.
m→∞

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 5 / 42
Proof of Leibniz’s Theorem (contd...)

If n is an odd integer, say n = 2m + 1, then the sum of the first n terms is

s2m+1 = s2m + u2m+1 . Since un → 0,

lim u2m+1 = 0
m→∞

and, as m → ∞,

s2m+1 = s2m + u2m+1 → L + 0 = L.

We have the following result for sequences :

For a sequence {an } the terms of even index are denoted by a2k and the
terms of odd index by a2k+1 . If a2k → L and a2k+1 → L, then an → L.

As s2m+1 → L and s2m → L, limn→∞ sn = L.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 6 / 42
Eample
Example 4 (The alternating harmonic series).
∞
X 1 1 1 1
(−1)n+1 = 1 − + − + ···
n 2 3 4
n=1

satisfies the three requirements of Leibniz’s Theorem with N=1; it

therefore converges.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 7 / 42
Graphical Interpretation

A graphical interpretation of the partial sums shows how an alternating

series converges to its limit L when the three conditions are satisfied with
N = 1. Starting from the origin of the x-axis, we lay off the positive
distance s1 = u1 .

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 8 / 42
Graphical Interpretation

To find the point corresponding to s2 = u1 − u2 , we back up a distance

equal to u2 . Since u2 ≤ u1 , we do not back up any farther than the origin.

We continue in this seesaw fashion, backing up or going forward as the

signs in the series demand. But for n ≥ N, each forward or backward step
is shorter than (or at most the same size as) the preceding step, because
un+1 ≤ un . And since the nth term approaches zero as n increases, the
size of step we take forward or backward gets smaller and smaller.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 9 / 42
Graphical Interpretation

We oscillate across the limit L, and the amplitude of oscillation approaches

zero. The limit L lies between any two successive sums sn and sn+1 and
hence differs from sn by an amount less than un+1 .

Because |L − sn | < un+1 for n ≥ N,

We can make useful estimates of the sums of convergent alternating series.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 10 / 42
The Alternating Series Estimation Theorem
Theorem 5 (The Alternating Series Estimation Theorem).
If the alternating series
∞
X
(−1)n+1 un
n=1

satisfies the three conditions of Leibniz’s Theorem, then for n ≥ N,

sn = u1 − u2 + · · · + (−1)n+1 un .

approximates the sum L of the series with an error whose absolute value is
less than un+1 , the numerical value of the first unused term. Furthermore,
the remainder, L − sn , has the same sign as the first as the first unused
term.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 11 / 42
Example
Example 6.
∞
X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(−1)n =1− + − + − + − + − ···
2n 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256
n=0
The Alternating Series Estimation Theorem says that if we truncate the
series after the eighth term, we throw away a total that is positive and less
than 1/256.
The sum of the first eight terms is 0.6640625. The sum of the series is
1 1 2
= = .
1 − (−1/2) 3/2 3

The difference, (2/3) − 0.6640625 = 0.0026041666 · · · is positive and less

than (1/256) = 0.00390625.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 12 / 42
Absolutely Convergent
Definition 7 (Absolutely Convergent).
P
A series an converges absolutely (isP absolutely convergent) if the
corresponding series of absolute values, |an |, converges.

The geometric series

1 1 1
1−
+ − + ···
2 4 8
converges absolutely because the corresponding series of absolute values
1 1 1
1+ + + + ···
2 4 8
converges.

The alternating harmonic series does not converge absolutely. The

corresponding series of absolute value is the (divergent) harmonic series.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 13 / 42
Conditionally Convergent
Definition 8 (Conditionally Convergent).
A series that converges but does not converge absolutely converges
conditionally.

The alternating harmonic series converges conditionally.

Absolutely convergence is important for two reasons. First, we have good

tests for convergence of series of positive terms. Second, if a series
converges absolutely, then it converges. That is the thrust of the next
theorem.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 14 / 42
The Absolute Convergence Test
Theorem 9 (The Absolute Convergence Test).
∞
X ∞
X
If |an | converges, then an converges.
n=1 n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 15 / 42
Proof of The Absolute Convergence Test
∞
X
For each n, −|an | ≤ an ≤ |an |, so 0 ≤ an + |an | ≤ 2|an |. If |an |
n=1
∞
X
converges, then 2|an | converges and, by the Direct Comparison Test,
n=1
∞
X
the nonnegative series (an + |an |)converges. The equality
n=1
∞
X
an = (an + |an |) − |an | now lets us express an as the difference of two
n=1
convergent series :
∞
X ∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
an = (an + |an | − |an |) = (an + |an |) − |an |.
n=1 n=1 n=1 n=1
∞
X
Therefore, an converges.
n=1
P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 16 / 42
CAUTION

We can rephrase the above theorem to say that every absolutely

convergent series converges.

However, the converse statement is false: Many convergent series do not

converge absolutely, for example, the alternating harmonic series
∞
X 1
(−1)n+1 .
n
n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 17 / 42
Applying the Absolute Convergence Test
Example 10.
For
∞
X 1 1 1 1
(−1)n+1 2 = 1 − + − + ···
n 4 9 16
n=1

the corresponding series of absolute values is convergent series

∞
X 1 1 1 1
2
=1+ + + + ··· .
n 4 9 16
n=1

The original series converges because it converges absolutely.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 18 / 42
Applying the Absolute Convergence Test
Example 11.
For
∞
X sin n sin 1 sin 2 sin 3
= + + + ···
n2 1 4 9
n=1

the corresponding series of absolute values is

∞ 
 sin n   sin 1   sin 2 
X     
 2 = +  + ···
n 1 4
n=1

∞
X
which converges by comparison with (1/n2 ) because | sin n| ≤ 1 for
n=1
every n. The original series converges absolutely; therefore it converges.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 19 / 42
Alternating p-Series
Example 12.
If p is a positive constant, the sequence {1/np } is a decreasing sequence
with limit zero. Therefore the alternating p-series
∞
X (−1)n−1 1 1 1
=1− + p − p + ··· , p>0
np 2p 3 4
n=1

converges.

If p > 1, the series converges absolutely. If 0 < p ≤ 1, the series converges

conditionally.

Conditional convergence: 1 − √1 + √1 − √1 + ···.

2 3 4
1 1 1
Absolute convergence: 1 − 23/2
+ 33/2
− 43/2
+ ....

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 20 / 42
Rearranging Series
Theorem 13 (The Rearrangement Theorem for Absolutely
Convergent Series).
If ∞
P
n=1 an converges absolutely, and b1 , b2 , · · · , bn , · · · is any
arrangement of the sequence {an }, then converges absolutely and
∞
X ∞
X
bn = an .
n=1 n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 21 / 42
Outline of the proof of the The Rearrangement Theorem
for Absolutely Convergent Series

Part (a)

Let  be a positive real number, let L = ∞

P Pk
n=1 an , and let sk = n=1 an .
Show that for some index N1 and for some index N2 ≥ N1 ,
P∞  
n=N1 |an | < 2 and |sn2 − L| 2 .

Pin the sequence {bn },

Since all the terms a1 , a2 , . . . aN2 appear somewhere
there is index N3 ≥ N2 such that if n ≥ N3 , then ( nk=1 bk ) − sN2 is at
most a sum of terms am with m ≥ N1 . Therefore if n ≥ N3 ,

| nk=1 bk − L| ≤ | nn=1 bk − sN2 | + |sN2 − L|

P P

≤ ∞
P
k=N1 |ak | + |sn2 − L| < 

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 22 / 42
Outline of the proof of the The Rearrangement Theorem
for Absolutely Convergent Series (contd...)

Part (b)
P∞
The
P∞ argument in part (a)
P∞shows that if
P∞ n=1 an converges absolutely then
n=1 bn converges and n=1 bn = n=1 an .
P∞ P∞
Now
P∞ show that because n=1 |a n | converges, n=1 |bn | converges to
n=1 |a n |.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 23 / 42
Applying the Rearrangement Thoerem
Example 14 (Applying the Rearrangement Thoerem).
The series
1 1 1 1
+ −
1− + · · · + (−1)n−1 2 + · · ·
4 9 16 n
converges absolutely.

A possible rearrangement of the terms of the series might start with a

positive term, then two negative terms, then three positive terms, then
four negative terms, and so on: After k terms of one sign, take k + 1 terms
of the opposite sign. The first ten terms of such a series look like this:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1− − + + + − − − − + ··· .
4 16 9 25 49 36 64 100 144

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 24 / 42
Applying the Rearrangement Thoerem

The Rearrangement Theorem says that both series converge to the same
value.

In this example, if we had the second series to begin with, we would

probably be glad to exchange it for the first, if we knew that we could.

We can do even better: The sum of either series is also equal to

∞ ∞
X 1 X 1
− .
(2n − 1)2 (2n)2
n=1 n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 25 / 42
Applying the Rearrangement Thoerem

If we rearrange infinitely many terms of conditionally convergent series, we

can get result that are far different from the sum of the original series.
Here is an example.

Example 15 (Rearranging the Alternating Harmonic Seires).

The alternating harmonic seires
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
− + − + − + − + − + − ···
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
can be rearranged to diverge to reach any preassigned sum.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 26 / 42
Rearranging the Alternating Harmonic Seires
X∞
(−1)n+1 /n to diverge. The series of terms [a/(2n − 1)]
P
Rearranging
n=1 P
diverges to +∞ and the series of terms (−1/2n) diverges to −∞. No
matter how far out in the sequence of odd-numbered terms we begin, we
can always add enough positive terms to get an arbitrarily large sum.
Similarly, with the negative terms, no matter how far out we start, we can
add enough consecutive even-numbered terms to get a negative sum of
arbitrarily large absolute value. If we wished to do so, we could start
adding odd-numbered terms until we had a sum greater than +3, say, and
then follow that with enough consecutive negative terms to make the total
less than -4. We could then add enough positive terms to make the total
greater than +5 and follow with consecutive unused negative terms to
make a new total less than −6, and so on. In this way, we could make the
swings arbitrarily large in either direction.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 27 / 42
Rearranging the Alternating Harmonic Seires
∞
X
Rearranging (−1)n+1 /n to converge to 1. Another possibility is to
n=1
focus on a particular limit. Suppose we try to get sums that converge to 1.
We start with the first term, 1/1, and then subtract 1/2. Next we add 1/3
and 1/5, which brings the total back to 1 or above. Then we add
consecutive negative terms until the total is less than 1. We continue in
this manner: When the sum is less than 1, add positive terms until the
total is 1 or more: then subtract (add negative) terms until the total is
again less than 1.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 28 / 42
Rearranging the Alternating Harmonic Seires

This process can be continued indefinitely. Because both the

odd-numbered terms and the even-numbered te terms and the
even-numbered terms of the original series approach sero as n → ∞.

The amount by which our partial sums exceed 1 or fall below it approaches
zero. So the new series converges to 1. The rearranged series starts like
this:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
− + + − + + − + + − + + − + + − + + − + − +···
1 2 3 5 4 7 9 6 11 13 8 15 17 10 19 21 12 23 25 14 27 16

The kind of behavior illustrated by the series the above example is typical
of what happen with any conditionally convergent series. Therefore we
must always add the terms of a conditionally convergent series in the order
given.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 29 / 42
Summary

We have now developed several tests for convergence and divergence of

series. In summary:

1. The nth-Term Test: Unless an → 0, the series diverges.

P n
2. Geometric seies: ar converges if |r | < 1; otherwise it diverges.
p
P
3. p-series: 1/n converges if p > 1; otherwise it diverges.
4. Series with nonnegative terms: Try the Integral Test, Ratio Test,
or Root Test. Try comparing to a known series with the Comparison
Test.
P
5. SeriesPwith some negative terms: Does |an | converge? If yes, so
does an , since absolute convergence implies convergence.
P
6. Alternating Series: an converges if the series satisfies the
conditions of the Alternating Series Test.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 30 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 16 (Determining Convergence or Divergence).
Which of the following alternating series converge, and which diverge?
Give reasons for your answers.
∞ ∞
X
n+1 1 X
1. (−1) 6. (−1)n+1 (0.1)n
n=1
n3/2 n=1
∞
X 10n
2. (−1)n+1 10 ∞
(−1)n
n
X
n=1 7. √
∞ 1+ n
X ln n n=1
3. (−1)n+1
ln n2 ∞
n=2 X n!
∞ 
1
 8. (−1)n+1
2n
X
n
4. (−1) ln 1 + n=1
n
n=1
∞ √ ∞
X 3 n+1 X 1
5. (−1)n+1 √ 9. (−1)n
n+1 ln(n3 )
n=1 n=2
P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 31 / 42
Determining Convergence or Divergence
Exercise 17.
∞ ∞
X √ X (−1)n+1 (n!)2
(−1)n+1 ( 10)
n
1. 7.
(2n)!
n=1 n=1
∞
X 1 ∞
2. (−1)n+1 X (2n)!
n ln n 8. (−1)n
n=2
∞ 2n !n
n=1
X n
3. (−1)n ∞
n+1 X p
n=1
∞ 9. (−1)n ( n2 + n − n)
X
4. (−5)−n n=1

n=1 ∞
√ √
q
∞
X
n
X (−1)n−1 10. (−1) ( n + n − n)
5.
n2 + 2n + 1 n=1
n=1
∞ ∞
X cos nπ X
6. 11. (−1)n sechn
n
n=1 n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 32 / 42
Error Estimation
Exercise 18.
Estimate the magnitude of the error involved in using the sum of the first
four terms to approximate the sum of the entire series.
∞
X 1
1. (−1)n+1
n
n=1
∞
X (0.01)n
2. (−1)n+1
n
n=1
∞
X
3. 1
1+t = (−1)n t n , 0 < t < 1
n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 33 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 19.
Approximate the sums in
∞
X 1
(−1)n
(2n)!
n=1

with an error of magnitude less than 5 × 10−6 .

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 34 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 20.
(a) The series 13 − 12 + 19 − 14 + 27
1
− 18 + . . . + 31n − 21n + . . .
Does not meet one of the conditions of Leibniz’s Theorem. Which
one?
(b) Find the sum of the series in part (a).

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 35 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 21 (The sign of an alternating series that satisfies
the conditions of the Leibniz’s Theorem).
Prove the assertion in the Alternating Series Estimation Theorem that
whenever an alternating series satisfying the conditions of Leibniz’s
Theorem is approximated with one of its partial sums, then the remainder
(sum of then unsaved terms) has the same sign as the first unused term.
(Hint: Group the remainders terms in consecutive pairs.)

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 36 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 22.
Show that the sum of the first 2n terms of the series
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1− + − + − + − + − + ...
2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6
Is the same as the sum of the first n terms of the series
1 1 1 1 1
+ + + + + ....
1.2 2.3 3.4 4.5 5.6
Do these series converge? What is the sum of the first 2n + 1 terms of the
first series? If the series converge, what is their sum?

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 37 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 23.
Show that
∞
X
an
n=1

diverges, then
∞
X
|an |
n=1

diverges.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 38 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 24.
Show that if
∞
X
an
n=1

converges absolutely, then

X∞  X ∞
an  ≤ |an |.
 

n=1 n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 39 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 25.
∞
X ∞
X
Show that if an and bn both converge absolutely, then so does
n=1 n=1
∞
X
(a) (an + bn )
n=1
∞
X
(b) (an − bn )
n=1
∞
X
(c) kan (k any number)
n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 40 / 42
Exercise
Exercise 26.
Show by example that
∞
X
an b n
n=1
∞
X ∞
X
may diverge even if an and bn both converge.
n=1 n=1

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 41 / 42
References

1. M.D. Weir, J. Hass and F.R. Giordano, Thomas’ Calculus, 11th

Edition, Pearson Publishers.
2. N. Piskunov, Differential and Integral Calculus, Vol I & II (Translated
by George Yankovsky).
3. S.C. Malik and Savitha Arora, Mathematical Analysis, New Age
Publishers.
4. R. G. Bartle, D. R. Sherbert, Introduction to Real Analysis, Wiley
Publishers.

P. Sam Johnson (NIT Karnataka) Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence January 29, 2019 42 / 42