Math 2212 – Calculus of One Variable II Worksheet 5.

5.6 Ratio and Root Tests

Learning Objectives
1. Use the ratio test to determine absolute convergence of a series.
2. Use the root test to determine absolute convergence of a series.
3. Describe a strategy for testing the convergence of a given series.

The Ratio Test:

Let ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 be a series with nonzero terms. Let

𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛+1
𝜌𝜌 = lim | |.
𝑛𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛
i. If 0 ≤ 𝜌𝜌 < 1, then ∑∞ 𝑛𝑛=1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 converges absolutely.
ii. If 𝜌𝜌 > 1 or 𝜌𝜌 = ∞, then ∑∞ 𝑛𝑛=1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 diverges.
iii. If 𝜌𝜌 = 1, the test does not provide any information.

The Root Test:

Let ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 be a series with nonzero terms. Let

𝜌𝜌 = lim 𝑛𝑛�|𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 |.
𝑛𝑛→∞

i. If 0 ≤ 𝜌𝜌 < 1, then ∑∞ 𝑛𝑛=1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 converges absolutely.

ii. If 𝜌𝜌 > 1 or 𝜌𝜌 = ∞, then ∑∞ 𝑛𝑛=1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 diverges.
iii. If 𝜌𝜌 = 1, the test does not provide any information.

Examples:
𝑛𝑛
1. Test the convergence of ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 .
3𝑛𝑛
𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛 + 1
𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 = 𝑛𝑛
, 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛+1 = 𝑛𝑛+1
3 3
𝑛𝑛+1
𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛+1 3𝑛𝑛+1 𝑛𝑛+1 3𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛+1 3𝑛𝑛 1 1
Since, lim � � = lim 𝑛𝑛 = lim × = lim × lim = 1 × = < 1.
𝑛𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛→∞ 3𝑛𝑛
𝑛𝑛→∞ 𝑛𝑛+1
3 𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛→∞ 𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛→∞ 𝑛𝑛+1
3 3 3
Therefore, the given series converges absolutely and thus, converges.
𝑛𝑛+2 𝑛𝑛
2. Test the convergence of ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 �2𝑛𝑛+3� .
𝑛𝑛+2 𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛+2 1
Let 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 = � � . Since, lim �|𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 | = lim → < 1. Therefore, the given series
2𝑛𝑛+3 𝑛𝑛→∞ 𝑛𝑛→∞ 2𝑛𝑛+3 2
converges absolutely and thus, converges.

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Math 2212 – Calculus of One Variable II Worksheet 5.6

Practice Problems
1. Use the ratio test to determine whether the given series converges or diverges. State if the ratio
test is inconclusive.
1 𝑛𝑛10 ×10𝑛𝑛
a. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 e. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1
𝑛𝑛! 𝑛𝑛!
𝑛𝑛! 𝑛𝑛!
b. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 10𝑛𝑛 f. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛1 𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛
� �
10𝑛𝑛 𝑒𝑒
c. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 𝑛𝑛! (−3)𝑛𝑛
g. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 (2𝑛𝑛+1)!
𝑛𝑛4
d. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 2𝑛𝑛
2. Use the Root Test to determine whether the given series converges or diverges. State if the Root
Test is inconclusive.
2𝑛𝑛+1 𝑛𝑛 2𝑛𝑛2 +1
𝑛𝑛 1−2𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛
a. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 � � c. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 � � e. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 � �
3𝑛𝑛−2 2
3𝑛𝑛 −2 4+5𝑛𝑛
3𝑛𝑛−2 𝑛𝑛 ln 𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛 (ln 𝑛𝑛) 2𝑛𝑛
b. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 �2𝑛𝑛+1� d. ∞
∑𝑛𝑛=1 � � f. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛
𝑛𝑛
3. Use any test to determine whether the series is absolutely convergent, conditionally
convergent, or divergent.
2𝑛𝑛 𝑛𝑛4
a. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 d. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1
𝑛𝑛×3𝑛𝑛 3𝑛𝑛
1 𝑛𝑛
2 (−1)𝑛𝑛
b. ∑∞ e. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 �1 − � 𝑛𝑛
𝑛𝑛=1 𝑛𝑛
𝑛𝑛×52𝑛𝑛 −𝑛𝑛 3𝑛𝑛
c. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1
f. ∑∞
𝑛𝑛=1 �2𝑛𝑛+1�
10𝑛𝑛+1

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Math 2212 – Calculus of One Variable II Worksheet 5.6

Answers

1. (a) Converges (b) Diverges (c) Converges (d) converges (e) Converges (f) The Ratio Test is
inconclusive (g) Converges
2. (a) Converges (b) Diverges (c) Converges (d) converges (e) Converges (f) Converges
3. (a) Absolutely converges (b) Absolutely converges (c) Diverges (d) Absolutely convergent (e)
Conditionally convergent (f) Absolutely convergent