MATH 104, SUMMER 2006, HOMEWORK 5 SOLUTION

BENJAMIN JOHNSON
Due July 19

Assignment:
Section 14: 14.4, 14.7, 14.10, 14.13(d)
Section 15: 15.4, 15.6, 15.7
Section 14
14.4 Determine
which of the following series converge. Justify your answer.
P
1
(a)
n=2 [n+(1)n ]2
The series converges.


P
1
1

Ill use the comparison test. We have  [n+(1)n ]2  (n1)
2 for every n 2. Since
n=2
P 1
P
1
converges,
so
does
by
the
comparison
test.
n=1 n2
n=2 [n+(1)n ]2

P
(b) [ n + 1 n]

(c)

1
(n1)2

The series diverges.

P
P
By the telescoping sum formula, Nj=0 [ n + 1 n] = N + 1 0. So j=0 [ n + 1 n] =

P
limn Nj=0 [ n + 1 n] = limn N + 1 = .
P n!
nn

The series converges.

Ill use the ratio test. We have
 (n+1)! 
 (n+1)n+1   n n
 n!  =
n+1
 nn 
 n n+1 n + 1
=

n+1
n
!n+1
1
n+1
= 1

n+1
n
Taking the limit as n and applying the limit product law yields 1e 1 = 1e < 1. So the
series converges by the ratio test.
P
P
14.7 Prove that if an is a convergent sequence of non-negative numbers and p > 1, then anp converges.
P
Proof. since an , we must have lim an = 0. So there is an integer P
N such that for each n N
p

we
have
0

a
<
1.
So
for
each
n

N
we
have
|a
|

a
.
Since
n
n
n
n=N an converges, so must
P p
n=N an by the comparison test. (Notice that the lower bound of N in the sum is inconsequential
since convergence or divergence does not depend on the starting index).

Date: July 19, 2006.
1

BENJAMIN JOHNSON

14.10 Find a series

an which diverges by the root test but for which the Ratio Test gives no information.
 1

1
n+(1)n
n = lim 2n+1  n 2. (Actually, it equals 2).
.
Then
lim
sup
Consider the sequence
a
=
2
|a
|
n
n
P
So the root test shows
n diverges.

 (n+1)+(1)n+1 
 (n+1)+(1)an+1
n
n+2
2
But for n even,  2n+(1)n  = 22n+1 = 21 , and for n odd  2 2n+(1)n  = 22n1 = 8.
 
 
an+1 
1

, and thus the ratio test gives no information.
So lim inf  an  2 1 8 lim sup  aan+1
n
P
P n1 1
n
14.13 (d) Use (c) to calculate
n=1 2n . [(c) says
n=1 2n+1 = 2 ].
We have
#
"

X
n1 1
n X
=
2 n+1 + n (algebra)
n
2
2
2
n=1
n=1
=2

X
n1
n=1

=2
=2

2n+1

X
1
+
(by sum and product limit laws)
2n
n=1

1
+ 1 (by (c) and geometric series formula)
2

Section 15
15.4 Determine
which of the following series converge. Justify your answers.
P
1
(a)
n=2 n log n
P
This series diverges by the comparison test since n 1log n > n1 for every n > 2, and 1n diverges.
P log n
(b)
n=2 n
P
This series also diverges by the comparison test since logn n > n1 for every n > 3, and 1n
diverges.
P
1
(c)
n=4 n(log n)(log log n)
RN
1
dx = [log log log x]4N =
The series diverges. Here we use the integral test. 4 x(log x)(log
log x)
RN
1
log log log N log log log 4. So limN 4 x(log x)(log
dx = limN log log log N = . So
log x)
P
1
by the integral test, n=4 n(log n)(log log n) diverges.
P log n
(d)
n=2 n2

P 1
n
n
This series converges by the comparison test since for n 2, log

= 13 . The series
2
3
n
n2
n2
n2
converges by Theorem 15.1.
P
P
15.6 (a) Give an example of a divergent series an for which a2n converges.
an =

1
n

(b) Observe that if

an is a convergent series of non-negative terms, then

a2n also converges.

This is a special case of exercise 14.7 with p = 2.

P
P
(c) Give an example of a convergent series an for which a2n diverges.
an =

(1)n

15.7 (a) Prove that if han i is a non-increasing sequence of real numbers and if
lim nan = 0.

an converges, then

MATH 104, SUMMER 2006, HOMEWORK 5 SOLUTION

P
P
Proof. If an converges
then
an is Cauchy. Let  > 0. Then there is an N such that for
Pn
every n > N we have j=N+1 a j < . Notice that since han i is non-increasing, an a j for j < n
and so for every n > N, we must have
n
n
X
X
aj < 
an
(n N)an =
j=N+1

j=N+1

Keeping N and  fixed for the moment, let L = lim supn (n N)an . Then since each term in
the sequence is less than , we must have L 
For fixed N, we have limn Nan = 0 because lim an = 0. So lim supn nan = lim supn (n
N)an + limn Nan = L + 0 .
Now the dependence on N is removed. Since  was arbitrarily small, we have lim supn nan =
0. Since nan is non-negative, 0 lim inf nan . Hence lim inf nan = lim sup nan = lim nan = 0

P1
(b) Use (a) to give another proof that n diverges.
P
Proof. lim n 1n = lim 1 = 1 , 0. So by the contrapositive of part (a), the series n1 cannot
converge.