009C Sample Midterm 3, Problem 5

Find the radius of convergence and the interval of convergence of the series.

(a) (6 points)      ${\displaystyle \sum _{n=0}^{\infty }}{\frac {(-1)^{n}x^{n}}{n+1}}.$

(b) (6 points)      Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle {\displaystyle \sum_{n=0}^{\infty}}\frac{(x+1)^{n}}{n^{2}}.}

When we do, the interval will be Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle (c-r,c+r)} . However, the boundary values for Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x} , Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle c-r} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle c+r} must be tested individually for convergence. Many times, one boundary value will produce an alternating, convergent series while the other will produce a divergent, non-alternating series. As a result, intervals of convergence may open, half-open or closed.

Foundations:
When we are asked to find the radius of convergence, we are given a series where
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle a_n=f(x-c)\cdot g(n)}
where Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle f} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle g} are functions of Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle n} respectively, and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle c} is a constant (frequently zero). We need to find a bound (radius) on Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle |x-c|} such that whenever Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle |x-c|<r} , the ratio test
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \left|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_n}\right|<1.}

 Solution:

(a):
We need to choose a radius Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle r} such that whenever Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle |x|<r} ,
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_{n}}\right| & = & \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|\frac{\frac{(-1)^{n+1}x^{n+1}}{n+2}}{\frac{(-1)^{n}x^{n}}{n+1}}\right|\\ \\ & = & \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|x\cdot\frac{n+1}{n+2}\right|\\ \\ & = & |x|\cdot\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|\frac{n+1}{n+2}\right|\\ \\ & = & |x|<1. \end{array}}
In this case, the radius is 1, and the interval will be centered at 0. We then need to take a look at the boundary points. If Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=1,} then
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle a_{n}\,=\,\frac{(-1)^{n}x^{n}}{n+1}\,=\,\frac{(-1)^{n}}{n+1},}
so the series is an alternating harmonic series which converges. On the other hand, if Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=-1,} then
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle a_{n}\,=\,\frac{(-1)^{n}x^{n}}{n+1}\,=\,\frac{(-1)^{n}(-1)^{n}}{n+1}\,=\,\frac{1}{n+1},}
a standard harmonic series which does not converge. Thus, the interval of convergence is Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle (-1,1]} .

(b):
We need to choose a radius Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle r} such that whenever Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle |x|<r} ,
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_{n}}\right| & = & \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|\frac{\frac{(x+1)^{n+1}}{(n+1)^{2}}}{\frac{(x+1)^{n}}{n^{2}}}\right|\\ \\ & = & \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left|(x+1)\cdot\left(\frac{n}{n+1}\right)^{2}\right|\\ \\ & = & |x+1|\cdot\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\left(\frac{n}{n+1}\right)^{2}\\ \\ & = & |x+1|<1. \end{array}}
In this case, the radius is 1, and the interval will be centered at Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=-1} , or when Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x+1=0} . We then need to take a look at the boundary points. If Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=-2} or Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=0} , then
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \left|a_{n}\right|\,=\,\left|\frac{(x+1)^{n}}{n^{2}}\right|\,=\,\frac{1}{n^{2}},}
which defines a p-series with Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p=2} . Thus, the series defined by each boundary point is absolutely convergent (and therefore convergent), and the interval of convergence is $[-2,0]$.

Final Answer:
For (a), the radius is 1 and the interval of convergence is Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle (-1,1]} .
For (b), the radius is also 1, but the interval of convergence is Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle [-2,0]} .

Return to Sample Exam