009C Sample Midterm 3, Problem 3 Detailed Solution

Test if each the following series converges or diverges.

Give reasons and clearly state if you are using any standard test.

(a)  ${\displaystyle \sum _{n=1}^{\infty }}\,{\frac {n!}{(3n+1)!}}$

(b)  ${\displaystyle \sum _{n=2}^{\infty }}\,{\frac {\sqrt {n}}{n^{2}-3}}$

---

Background Information:
1. Ratio Test
Let  $\sum a_{n}$  be a series and  $L=\lim _{n\rightarrow \infty }{\bigg |}{\frac {a_{n+1}}{a_{n}}}{\bigg |}.$
Then,
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 L<1,}   the series is absolutely convergent.
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 L>1,}   the series is divergent.
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 L=1,}   the test is inconclusive.
2. If a series absolutely converges, then it also converges.
3. Limit Comparison Test
Let  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\}}   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 \{b_n\}}   be positive sequences.
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 \lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{a_n}{b_n}=L,}   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 L}  is a positive real number,
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 \sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n}   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 \sum_{n=1}^\infty b_n}   either both converge or both diverge.

Solution:

(a)

Step 1:
We begin by using the Ratio Test.
We have
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} \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty}\bigg|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_n}\bigg|} & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \bigg| \frac{(n+1)!}{(3(n+1)+1)!} \frac{(3n+1)!}{n!}\bigg|}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{(n+1)n!}{(3n+4)!} \frac{(3n+1)!}{n!}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{(n+1)(3n+1)!}{(3n+4)(3n+3)(3n+2)(3n+1)!}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{n+1}{(3n+4)(3n+3)(3n+2)}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{0.} \end{array}}

Step 2:
Since  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 0<1,}   the series is absolutely convergent by the Ratio Test.
Therefore, the series converges.

(b)

Step 1:
First, we note that
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 \frac{\sqrt{n}}{n^2-3}>0}
for all  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\ge 2.}
This means that we can use a comparison test on this series.
Let  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{\sqrt{n}}{n^2-3}.}

Step 2:
Let  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 b_n=\frac{\sqrt{n}}{n^2}=\frac{1}{n^{\frac{3}{2}}}.}
We want to compare the series in this problem 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 \sum_{n=1}^\infty b_n=\sum_{n=2}^\infty \frac{1}{n^{\frac{3}{2}}}.}
This is a  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} -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=\frac{3}{2}.}
Hence,  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 \sum_{n=2}^\infty b_n}   converges.

Step 3:
Now, we have
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} \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{a_n}{b_n}} & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{\big(\frac{\sqrt{n}}{n^2-3}\big)}{\bigg(\frac{1}{n^{\frac{3}{2}}}\bigg)}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{(\sqrt{n})n^{\frac{3}{2}}}{n^2-3}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \frac{n^2}{n^2-3}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{1.} \end{array}}
Therefore, the series
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 \sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{\sqrt{n}}{n^2-3}}
converges by the Limit Comparison Test.

Final Answer:
(a)     converges (by the Ratio Test)
(b)     converges (by the Limit Comparison Test)

Return to Sample Exam