8.

6 Engineering Mathematics for Semesters I and II

5. 2–2+2–2+2–…• 6. 6 – 5 – 1 + 6 – 5 –1 + 6 – 5 – 1 … •
7.
1
+
1
+
1
+ • 8. Â( n +1 - n)
1.3 3.5 5.7
•
n n
9. Â (n + 1)(n + 2)(n + 3) 10. Â n +1
n =1
•
n
11. Â n +1
12. Â (-2n )
n =1

1 2 3 3 8 15 2 n -1
13. + + + • 14. 1 + + + + + + •
1 + 2 -1 1 + 2 -2 1 + 2 -3 5 10 17 2 n +1
15. Â (6 - n2 )
Answers
1. Divergent 2. Divergent
3. Divergent 4. Convergent
5. Oscillatory 6. Oscillatory
7. Convergent 8. Divergent
9. Convergent 10. Divergent
11. Divergent 12. Divergent
13. Divergent 14. Divergent
15. Divergent

8.7 GEOMETRIC SERIES

The series 1 + x + x2 + x3 + x4 + … • is
(i) Convergent if |x| < 1 (ii) Divergent if x ≥ 1 (iii) Oscillatory if x £ –1
Proof
1 - xn
Sn = 1 + x + x 2 + x 3 + + x n -1 =
1- x
(i) When |x| < 1 then lim x n = 0
n Æ•

1 - xn 1 - 0 Ê 1 ˆ
lim Sn = lim = =
n Æ• n Æ• 1 - x 1 - x ÁË 1 - x ˜¯
= a finite quantity
Hence, the series of convergent.
(ii)(a) When x > 1, lim x n = • then
n Æ•

xn - 1
lim Sn = lim =•
n Æ• n Æ• x - 1
Hence, the series is divergent.
 Infinite Series 8.7

(b) When x = 1, the series becomes 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + … •

Sn = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + … n times = n
\ lim Sn = lim n = •
n Æ• n Æ•
Hence, the series is divergent.
(iii)(a) When x < –1, let x = –r; r > 1
xn = (–r)n = (–1)n rn

lim Sn = lim 1 - x = lim 1 - (-1) r

n n n
\ n Æ• n Æ• 1 - x n Æ• 1 - ( -r )

= +• if n is odd
= –• if n is even
Hence, the series is oscillatory.
(b) When x = –1, the series becomes 1 – 1 + 1 – 1 + 1 – … •
\ Sn = 1 – 1 + 1 – 1 + … n terms
lim Sn = 0 if n is even
n Æ•
= 1 if n is odd
Hence, the series is oscillatory finitely.

EXERCISE 8.2
Test the convergence of the following series:
3 9 27 1 1 1
1. 1+ + + + • 2. 1 - + - + •
4 16 64 3 9 27
9 27
3. 2+3+ + + • 4. 1 – 2 + 4 – 8 + … •
2 4
5. 1–1+1–1+…•

Answers
1. Convergent 2. Convergent
3. Divergent 4. Oscillatory
5. Oscillatory

8.8 ALTERNATING SERIES

A series whose terms are alternatively positive and negative is called an alternating series.
1 1 1
Example: 1 - + - + •
2 3 4

8.9 LEIBNITZ TEST

If the alternating series u1 – u2 + u3 – u4 +… (un > 0 " n) is such that
(i) un + 1 £ un " n and
8.8 Engineering Mathematics for Semesters I and II

(ii) lim un = 0
n Æ•

then the series converges.

2 3 4 5
Example 5 Test the series 3
- 3
+ 3
- +
1 2 3 43
Solution In the given series, we have
(i) the terms are alternately, +ve and –ve
(ii) the terms are continually decreasing
n +1
(iii) lim un = lim
n Æ• n Æ• n3
1 + 1/n
1+ 0
= lim =
= 0 (finite)
n Æ• n 2 •
Hence, the given alternating series is convergent.

1 1 1 1
Example 6 Test the series 1 - + - + -
2 4 8 16
Solution The given series can be written as
1 1 1 1
1- + 2 - 3 + 4 -
2 2 2 2
In this series, we find that
(i) the terms are alternatively +ve and –ve
(ii) the terms are continually decreasing
1
(iii) lim un = lim =0
n Æ• n Æ• 2 -1
n

Hence, the given series is convergent.

1 1 1
Example 7 Test the convergency of the series 1 - + - +
2 3 4
Solution
1 1
un = , un -1 =
n (n - 1)
In the given series, we have
(i) the terms are alternatively +ve and –ve
(ii) un < un – 1
1
(iii) lim un = lim =0
n Æ• n Æ• n

Hence, the alternating series is convergent.

2- 1 3- 2 4+ 3 5- 4
Example 8 Test the convergency of the series - + - +
1 2 3 4
 Infinite Series 8.9

È n +1 - n˘
Solution Here, un = Í ˙
Î n ˚
In the given series, we have
(i) the terms of the series are alternatively +ve and –ve
(ii) the terms are continually decreasing as un > un + 1 for all n
È n +1 - n ˘ 1È 1 ˘
(iii) lim Í ˙ = lim Í n 1 + - n ˙
n Æ• Í n ˙˚ nÆ• n ÍÎ
Î n ˙˚

1 ÈÊ ˘
1/2
1ˆ
= lim ÍÁ 1 + ˜ - 1˙
n Æ• n ÍÎË n¯ ˙˚
ÈÊ 1 Ê 1ˆ ˆ ˘
Í - ˙
1 ÍÁ 1 1 2 ÁË 2 ˜¯ 1 ˜
= lim Á1 + ◊ + ◊ 2 + ˜ - 1˙
n Æ• n Í
ÎË 2 n 2! n ¯ ˙˚

1 È1 1 ˘
= lim Í - + ˙=0
n Æ• n Î 2 n 8n 2 ˚
Hence, the alternating series is convergent.

3 4 5
Example 9 Test the convergence of the series 2 - + - +
2 3 4
n +1
Solution Here, un =
n
In the given series, we have
(i) the terms are alternately +ve and –ve
(ii) the terms are in decreasing order, i.e., un < un – 1 and
n +1 Ê 1ˆ
(iii) lim un = lim = lim Á 1 + ˜ = 1 π 0
n Æ• n Æ• n n Æ• Ë n¯
Hence, the third condition of the alternating series test is not satisfied, so the series is not
convergent.
However, we can write the given series as
Ê 1ˆ Ê 1ˆ Ê 1ˆ
(1 + 1) - Á 1 + ˜ + Á 1 + ˜ - Á 1 + ˜ +
Ë 2¯ Ë 3¯ Ë 4¯
Ê 1 1 1 ˆ
or (1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 + ) + Á1 - + - + ˜¯
Ë 2 3 4
The series in the IInd bracket is convergent, since its value is log (1 + 1), i.e., log 2.
But the series in the Ist bracket is an oscillating series whose value is either 0 or 1 accordingly as
n is even or odd.
\ the sum of n terms of the given series as n Æ • is (0 + log 2) or (1 + log 2) accordingly as
n is even or odd, i.e., log 2 or (1 + log 2) accordingly is n is even or odd.
Hence, by the definition, the given series is oscillating.
8.10 Engineering Mathematics for Semesters I and II

Example 10 Test the convergency of the series 1 – 2x + 3x2 – 4x3 + … when x < 1.
Solution In the given series, we have
(i) the terms are alternately +ve and –ve
(ii) the terms are continually decreasing as x < 1
1 È∵ lim nx n = 0 if x < 1˘
(iii) lim un = lim nx n -1 = lim nx n = 0 ÍÎ nÆ• ˙˚
n ƕ n ƕ x nƕ
Hence, all the three conditions of the alternating series test are satisfied and so the given series is
convergent.

EXERCISE 8.3
Test the convergence of the following series:
•
(-1)n -1 (-1)n
1. Â n 2. Â (2n - 1)
n =1

Ê 2ˆ Ê 3ˆ Ê 4ˆ Ê n ˆ
3. log Á ˜ - log Á ˜ + log Á ˜ -
Ë 1¯ Ë 2¯ Ë 3¯
• 4.  log ÁË n + 1˜¯
1 1 1 log 2 log 3 log 4
5. - + -• 6. - + - •
( 2 - 1) ( 3 - 1) ( 4 - 1) 2 2
32
42
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
7. 1+ + - + • 8. - + - +
2 2 3 3 4 4 1p 2p 3p 4p

Answers
1. Convergent 2. Convergent
3. Convergent 4. Convergent
5. Convergent 6. Convergent
7. Convergent 8. Convergent if p > 0

8.10 POSITIVE-TERM SERIES

Series with positive terms are the simplest and the most important type of series one comes across. The
simplicity arises mainly from the sequence of its partial sums being monotonic increasing. Let Âun be
an infinite series of positive terms and < Sn > be the sequence of its partial terms. Then,
Sn = u1 + u2 + u3 + + un; " n, and
Sn + 1 = u1 + u2 + u3 + + un + un + 1
\ Sn + 1 – Sn = un + 1 > 0, since un > 0
i.e., Sn + 1 > Sn
Hence, the sequence <Sn> is monotonic increasing. Now, two cases arise:

Case I: When the sequence <Sn> is bounded above then the series Âun is convergent.