MATH1020U: Chapter 5 cont…; 6 1

SEQUENCES AND SERIES cont …

Ratio and Root Tests (Section 5.6; Book 2)


Theorem: If a series a
n =1
n is absolutely convergent, then it is convergent.

 
[NOTE: If  an is convergent, but
n =1
a
n =1
n isn’t, then this is called conditionally

convergent. We are NOT going to consider this case in this course.]

We are now ready to introduce 2 more tests to determine where a given series is
absolutely convergent.

The Ratio Test:


an+1
1. If lim
n→  an
= L  1 , then the series a
n =1
n is absolutely convergent.

an+1 
2. If lim
n→  an
= L  1 or lim an+1 =  , then the series
n→  a
a
n =1
n is divergent.
n

an +1
3. If nlim = 1 , the Ratio Test is inconclusive: that is, no conclusion can be
→ an

drawn about the convergence or divergence of a
n =1
n .

What does the ratio test say about the convergence/divergence of the following series?

(−1) n
Example: 
n = 1 ( n + 3)
4
MATH1020U: Chapter 5 cont…; 6 2


7n
Example: 
n =1 n !


(−1) n (2n)!
Example:  n+1 )
n = 1 6(5

The 2nd test that we introduce works best when each term has an nth power.

The Root Test



1. If lim n an = L  1 , then the series

n→ 
a
n =1
n is absolutely convergent.


2. If nlim
→
n a = L 1
n or lim n an =  , then the series
n→ 
a
n =1
n is divergent.

3. If lim n an = 1 , the Root Test is inconclusive.

n→ 
MATH1020U: Chapter 5 cont…; 6 3

What does the root test say about the convergence/divergence of the following series?


Example:  (6e
n =1
−n
+ 1) 4 n

 2n + 1 
 n

Example:  9 
n = 1  3n + 4 

Summary: Based on all of the tests that we’ve learned so far, what’s the strategy for
determining if a given series converges or diverges?

• Is it a series you recognize?

• Does the Divergence test provide any info?
• Do all terms (except perhaps numbers) have an nth power?
• Are there factorials?

POWER SERIES
Power Series and Functions (Section 6.1; Book 2)
Question: So far, we’ve studied the convergence/divergence of series which are sums of
numbers. What about sums of power functions?

Definition: A power series is a series of the form



c x
n=0
n
n
= c0 + c1 x + c2 x 2 + c3 x 3 + 

where x is a variable and the cn’s are constants called the coefficients of the series.
More generally, we have the following definition:
MATH1020U: Chapter 5 cont…; 6 4

Definition: A series of the form



 c ( x − a)
n=0
n
n
= c0 + c1 ( x − a) + c2 ( x − a) 2 + 

is called a power series in (x-a) or a power series centered at/about a.

 
Examples: c
n=0
n ( x − 6) is centered at a = ___.
n
c
n=0
n ( x + 9) n is centered at a = ___.

Find the values of x for which the following series converge.

Example:  n! x
n=0
n


xn
Example: 
n = 0 n!

Example: n x
n=0
n


Theorem: For a given power series  c ( x − a)
n=0
n
n
, there are only three possibilities:

i) The series converges only when x = a .

ii) The series converges for all x.
iii) There is a positive number R such that the series converges if | x − a | R and
diverges if | x − a | R [This number R is called the radius of convergence].
MATH1020U: Chapter 5 cont…; 6 5

Note: The text will also mention “interval of convergence” which is just the interval
a − R to a + R but it’s not clear what happens at the endpoints of the interval since the
ratio/root test are inconclusive there. (other tests we haven’t learned would need to be
used at the endpoints). So we’ll only focus on radius of convergence.

Find the radius of convergence for each of the given series.


( x − 2) n
Example:  n 7 
n =1
cos  
n


(8 x − 3) n
Example:  n
n = 0 7 ( n + 9)
2