9.

6
Alternating Series
 DEFINITION
Series whose terms alternate between positive and negative.

+
TYPE 1 :  ( −1)
k +1
ak = a1 − a2 + a3 − .....
k =1
+
1 1 1
Example :  ( −1)
k +1
= 1 − + − .....
k =1 k 2 3

+
TYPE 2 :  ( −1) ak = − a1 + a2 − a3 + .....
k

k =1
+
1 1 1
Example :  ( −1) = −1 + − + .....
k

k =1 k 2 3
 TERMINOLOGY
+
"converges absolutely" → If u
k =1
k converges.

+
"converges conditionally" → If the series converges by AST but u
k =1
k diverges.

+
"diverges absolutely" → If u
k =1
k diverges.
 CONVERGENCE TESTS

• TEST 7 : THE ALTERNATING SERIES TEST

• TEST 8 : THE RATIO TEST FOR ABSOLUTE CONVERGE

TEST 7
ALTERNATING SERIES TEST (AST)

if ak  is decreasing




CHECK : AND


if lim ak = 0
 k →+
Then : the series converges.
 EXERCISES
Use the Alternating Series Test to test the following series.
+
1
a)  ( −1)
k +1

k =1 k

+
k +1
b)  ( −1)
k +1

k =1 3k + 1

+
k +1
c)  ( −1)
k

k =1 k +1
 SOLUTION
+
1
 ( −1)
k +1
a)
k =1 k
1
→ Let ak = .
k
a k
• k +1 = <1 → ak  is decreasing.
ak k +1
1
• lim ak = lim = 0.
k →+ k →+ k

The series converges by AST.

 SOLUTION
+
1 + 1
 ( −1) = .
k +1
Check :
k =1 k k =1 k
+
1

k =1 k
is a harmonic series. This series diverges.

+
1
 ( −1)
k +1
Conclusion : converges conditionally.
k =1 k
 SOLUTION
+
k +1
 ( −1)
k +1
b)
k =1 3k + 1
k +1
→ Let ak = .
3k + 1
ak +1 3k 2 + 7 k + 2
• = <1 → ak  is decreasing.
ak 3k 2 + 7 k + 4
k +1 1
• lim ak = lim =  0.
k →+ k →+ 3k + 1 3

+
k +1
 ( −1)
k +1
Conclusion : diverges.
k =1 3k + 1
 SOLUTION
+
k +1
c)  ( −1)
k

k =1 k +1
k +1
→ Let ak = .
k +1
k +1 k + 1/ k
• lim ak = lim = lim = +  0.
k →+ k →+ k +1 k →+ 1 + 1/ k

+
k +1
 ( −1)
k
Conclusion : diverges.
k =1 k +1
TEST 8
 RATIO TEST FOR ABSOLUTE
CONVERGENCE (RTAC)

   1 → the series converges absolutely


uk +1 

CHECK :  = lim =    1 or + → the series diverges
k →+ uk 

  = 1 → no conlusion, use AST

 EXERCISES
Use the Ratio Test for Absolute Convergence to test the following series.
+
1
a)  ( −1)
k +1

k =1 k

+
2k
b)  ( −1)
k

k =1 k!

+
c)  ( −1)
k +1 ( 2k − 1)!
k =1 3k
 SOLUTION
+
1
 ( −1)
k +1
a)
k =1 k
1
→ Let uk = ( −1)
k +1
.
k
1 1 1
Then, uk = ( −1)
k +1
= and uk +1 = .
k k k +1
uk +1 k
•  = lim = lim =1.
k →+ uk k →+ k + 1

No conclusion. Use the Alternating Series Test.

 SOLUTION
+
2k
 ( −1)
k
b)
k =1 k!
2k k 2
k
2k 2k +1
→ Let uk = ( −1) . Then, uk = ( −1) = and uk +1 =
k
.
k! k! k! ( k + 1)!
uk +1 2k +1 k!
•  = lim = lim • k
k →+ uk k →+ ( k + 1) ! 2

2k • 2 k!
= lim • k
k →+ ( k + 1) • k ! 2

2
= lim
= 0  1.
k →+ k + 1

+ k
k 2
Conclusion :  ( −1) converges absolutely.
k =1 k !
 SOLUTION
+
( 2k − 1)!
 ( −1)
k +1
c)
k =1 3k

→ Let uk = ( −1)
k +1 ( 2k − 1)! .
3k

Then, uk = ( −1)
k +1 ( 2k − 1)! = ( 2k − 1)! and uk +1 =
( 2k + 1)! .
3k 3k 3k +1

•  = lim
uk +1
= lim
( 2k + 1)! • 3k
= lim
( 2k + 1)( 2k )( 2k − 1)!
•
3k
k →+ uk k →+ 3k +1 ( 2k − 1)! k →+ 3k • 3 ( 2k − 1)!
4k 2 + 2k
= lim = +.
k →+ 3
+
( 2k − 1)!
 ( −1)
k +1
Conclusion : diverges.
k =1 3k
 EXERCISES
Use any method to test the following series.
( −1)
k
+ +
k!
k+ d)  ( −1)
k
a)
k =1 k k =1 ( 2k + 3 ) !
( −1) ln k
k
+
2 3 4
b)  e) 1 − + − + .....
k =2 k 3 9 27
( −1) 2
k
+
1 1 1
c)  k
f) 1 − + − + .....
k =1 e 2 3 4
 ANSWERS
a) AST + LCT → converges conditionally

b) AST + IT → converges conditionally

c) AST + Geometric Series → converges absolutely

d) RTAC → converges absolutely

e) RTAC → converges absolutely

f) AST + p - series → converges conditionally

HOMEWORK