MATH1014 Calculus II Problem Set 7

L01 (Spring 2024)

Problem Set 7

Note: The problem sets serve as additional exercise problems for your own practice. Problem
Set 7 covers materials from §8.2 – §8.4.

1. (a) Show that the sequence (cos 𝑛) diverges.

Hint: Assume that (cos 𝑛) converges. Deduce that (sin 𝑛) also converges using
cos(𝑛 + 1) = cos 𝑛 cos 1 − sin 𝑛 sin 1. Find a contradiction by considering
the sum of squares of the limits of (cos 𝑛) and of (sin 𝑛).
(b) Hence deduce that the series ∑+∞
𝑘=0 cos 𝑛 diverges.
2. For each of the following series, determine whether it converges or diverges.
+∞ +∞
1 ln 𝑘
(a) ∑ 𝑒 𝑘2 (f) ∑
𝑘(𝑘 − 1)
𝑘=1 𝑘=2

+∞ +∞
1 1
(b) ∑ (g) ∑ 1
(ln 𝑘)𝑘 1+
𝑘=2 𝑘=1 𝑘 𝑘

+∞ +∞
1 1 1 𝑘
(c) ∑ cos (sin ) (h) ∑( + )
𝑘 2 𝑘
𝑘=1 𝑘=1

+∞ +∞
1 (2𝑘)!
(d) ∑ (1 − cos ) (i) ∑
𝑘 (𝑘 + 1)! (𝑘 − 1)!
𝑘=1 𝑘=1

+∞ +∞
−𝑘 2
3𝑘 + 4𝑘
(e) ∑ 𝑘𝑒 (j) ∑ 𝑘
2 + 5𝑘
𝑘=1 𝑘=0

3. Let (𝑎𝑛 ) be a sequence of positive real numbers.

1
(a) Show that if ∑+∞ +∞
𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges, then ∑𝑘=1 𝑎 diverges.
𝑘

(b) Show that if lim 𝑛𝑎𝑛 = 𝐿 > 0, then ∑+∞

𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 diverges.
𝑛→+∞

(c) Show that if ∑+∞ +∞ 2

𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges, then ∑𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges. Is the converse true?
𝑎𝑘
(d) Show that if ∑+∞ 2 +∞
𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges, then ∑𝑘=1 converges.
𝑘

Hint: AM-GM inequality.

(e) Show that if ∑+∞ 2 2 +∞
𝑘=1 𝑘 𝑎𝑘 converges, then ∑𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges.
Hint: Cauchy-Schwarz inequality (Theorem 7.33).

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MATH1014 Calculus II Problem Set 7
L01 (Spring 2024)

4. For each 𝑛 ∈ ℕ, let 𝑝𝑛 be the 𝑛th prime number, i.e. 𝑝1 = 2, 𝑝2 = 3, 𝑝3 = 5, 𝑝4 = 7, ….

(a) Let 𝑁 ∈ ℕ be fixed and let 𝑀 ≔ 𝑝1 𝑝2 ⋯ 𝑝𝑁 . Deduce that
+∞ +∞ 𝑗 𝑛
1 1
∑( ∑ ) ≥ ∑ for all 𝑛 ∈ ℕ
𝑝𝑘 1 + 𝑚𝑀
𝑗=1 𝑘=𝑁+1 𝑚=1

by considering the prime factorization of each number 1 + 𝑚𝑀.

(b) Using the result from (a), show that the series
+∞
1
∑
𝑝𝑘
𝑘=1

diverges.
Hint: Suppose that the series converges. Then by definition, there exists 𝑁 ∈ ℕ
1 1
such that ∑+∞
𝑘=𝑁+1 𝑝 < 2.
𝑘

(−1)𝑘+1 1 1 1
5. Consider the series ∑+∞
𝑘=1 . For each 𝑛 ∈ ℕ, we let ℎ𝑛 ≔ 1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ + 𝑛 denote
𝑘

the 𝑛th partial sum of the harmonic series. Recall from Example 8.30 that

lim (ℎ𝑛 − ln 𝑛) = 𝛾
𝑛→+∞

where 𝛾 is the Euler-Mascheroni constant.

(−1)𝑘+1
(a) Show that ∑2𝑛
𝑘=1 = ℎ2𝑛 − ℎ𝑛 for every 𝑛 ∈ ℕ.
𝑘

(b) Using the result from (a), show that

+∞
(−1)𝑘+1 1 1 1
∑ = 1 − + − + ⋯ = ln 2.
𝑘 2 3 4
𝑘=1

6. Show that the series

+∞
1 1
∑ ( − ln (1 + ))
𝑘 𝑘
𝑘=1

converges and compute its limit.

7. For each of the following series, find all the values of 𝑝 ∈ ℝ such that the series converges.
+∞ +∞
2
1 𝑝
1
(a) ∑ 𝑘 sin (c) ∑
𝑘 (ln ln 𝑘)𝑝 ln 𝑘
𝑘=1 𝑘=3

+∞ +∞
1 𝑘𝑝
(b) ∑ (d) ∑
𝑘(ln 𝑘)(ln ln 𝑘)𝑝 (ln 𝑘)𝑘
𝑘=3 𝑘=2

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MATH1014 Calculus II Problem Set 7
L01 (Spring 2024)

8. Let (𝑎𝑛 ) be a sequence of real numbers, and define

𝑎𝑛+ ≔ max{𝑎𝑛 , 0} and 𝑎𝑛− ≔ max{−𝑎𝑛 , 0}
for every 𝑛. Show that
(a) If ∑+∞ +∞ + +∞ −
𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges absolutely, then both ∑𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 and ∑𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converge.
(b) If ∑+∞ +∞ + +∞ −
𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 converges conditionally, then both ∑𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 and ∑𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 diverge.
9. For each of the following series, determine whether it diverges, converges absolutely or
converges conditionally.
+∞ +∞
cos 𝑘 1
(a) ∑ 3 (c) ∑ cos 𝑘𝜋 sin
𝑘 𝑘𝜋
𝑘=1 𝑘=1

+∞ +∞
𝑘+1
(−1)𝑘
(b) ∑(−1) (√𝑘 + 1 − √𝑘) (d) ∑
𝑘=0 𝑘=2
√𝑘 + (−1)𝑘

10. (a) Let (𝑎𝑛 ) and (𝑏𝑛 ) be sequences of real numbers, and let
𝐵𝑛 ≔ ∑𝑛𝑘=1 𝑏𝑘 = 𝑏1 + 𝑏2 + ⋯ + 𝑏𝑛 .
(i) Using mathematical induction, prove the summation by parts formula
𝑛 𝑛

∑ 𝑎𝑘 𝑏𝑘 = 𝑎𝑛+1 𝐵𝑛 − ∑ 𝐵𝑘 (𝑎𝑘+1 − 𝑎𝑘 )
𝑘=1 𝑘=1

for every positive integer 𝑛.

(ii) Suppose that the sequence (𝑎𝑛 ) is decreasing with lim 𝑎𝑛 = 0, and that (𝐵𝑛 ) is
𝑛→+∞

a bounded sequence. Using (a)(i), show that the series ∑+∞𝑘=1 𝑎𝑘 𝑏𝑘 converges.
(b) Let 𝑡 be a fixed real number. Using (a)(ii) and the result from Q10(a) of Problem Set 1,
sin 𝑘𝑡
deduce that the series ∑+∞
𝑘=1 converges.
𝑘

11. Find the radius and interval of convergence for each of the following power series.
+∞ +∞
(1 − 2𝑥)𝑘
(a) ∑ 𝑘 √𝑘 𝑥 𝑘 (c) ∑
𝑘
𝑘=1 𝑘=0

+∞ +∞
𝑥𝑘 (−1)𝑘+1
(b) ∑ 𝑘 2 (d) ∑ 𝑥𝑘
2 𝑘 √𝑘!
𝑘=1 𝑘=0

12. Let 𝑎 > 𝑏 > 0. What is the radius of convergence of the power series
+∞

∑(𝑎𝑘 + 𝑏 𝑘 )𝑥 𝑘 ?
𝑘=0

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MATH1014 Calculus II Problem Set 7
L01 (Spring 2024)

13. (a) Let (𝑎𝑛 ) be a sequence of real numbers and let 𝑚 be a positive integer. If the power
series ∑+∞ 𝑘 +∞
𝑘=0 𝑎𝑘 𝑥 has radius of convergence 𝑅, show that the power series ∑𝑘=0 𝑎𝑘 𝑥
𝑚𝑘

has radius of convergence 𝑅1/𝑚 .

(b) Using the result from (a), find the radius of convergence and the interval of convergence
of each of the following power series.
(i) The Bessel function
+∞
(−1)𝑘 2𝑘
𝐽0 (𝑥) = ∑ 𝑥 .
22𝑘 (𝑘!)2
𝑘=0

(ii) The Airy function

1 3 1 1
𝐴(𝑥) = 1 + 𝑥 + 𝑥6 + 𝑥 9 + ⋯.
2⋅3 2⋅3⋅5⋅6 2⋅3⋅5⋅6⋅8⋅9
(c) (i) Show that the Bessel function in (b)(i) satisfies 𝑥𝐽0 ′′ (𝑥) + 𝐽0 ′ (𝑥) + 𝑥𝐽0 (𝑥) = 0 for
every 𝑥 in its interval of convergence.
(ii) Show that the Airy function in (b)(ii) satisfies 𝐴′′ (𝑥) − 𝑥𝐴(𝑥) = 0 for every 𝑥 in its
interval of convergence.
14. For each of the following power series, evaluate its sum whenever it converges. What
happens at the end-points of its interval of convergence?
+∞ +∞
2 𝑘
1
(a) ∑𝑘 𝑥 (d) ∑ 𝑥 2𝑘+1
2𝑘 + 1
𝑘=1 𝑘=0

+∞ +∞
1 𝑘
(b) ∑ (𝑥 − 1)𝑘 (e) ∑ 𝑥𝑘
𝑘(𝑘 − 1) 𝑘+1
𝑘=2 𝑘=1

+∞
1
(c) ∑ 𝑥𝑘
𝑘(𝑘 + 1)(𝑘 + 2)
𝑘=1

Hint: In each part, apply termwise differentiation or integration on some power series
whose sum is well-known.
15. Let 𝑓 be the power series
1 3 1 5 1 6 1 8 1 9 1
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 − 𝑥 + 𝑥 − 𝑥 + 𝑥 − 𝑥11 + ⋯.
3 5 6 8 9 11
(a) Evaluate the sum of the power series for every 𝑥 ∈ (−1, 1).
Hint: Apply termwise integration on some power series to get 𝑓(𝑥).
(b) Using (a) and Abel’s limit theorem, evaluate the sum of the series
+∞
1
∑ .
3𝑘 2 + 2𝑘
𝑘=1

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