Topic: Limit vs.

sum of the series

Question: How is the limit of a series different from its sum?

Answer choices:

A They aren’t different. They both indicate the size of the series from
its start to ∞.

B They aren’t different. They both indicate how the series behaves as
it approaches ∞.

C The limit indicates how the series is behaving as it approaches ∞

and the sum indicates the size of the series from its start to ∞.

D The sum indicates how the series is behaving as it approaches ∞

and the limit indicates the size of the series from its start to ∞.

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Solution: C

The limit of a series (at ∞) indicates how a series is behaving as it

approaches ∞.

The sum of a series indicates the size of the series from its start to ∞.

Since these two values are different, it’s useful to be able to find both for
the same series.

1486
Topic: Limit vs. sum of the series

Question: Find the limit of the series, and if it converges, find its sum.
∞
e −n
∑
n=1

Answer choices:
e
∑
A lim an = − 1 and an =
e+1

1
∑
B lim an = 0 and an =
e−1

∑
C lim an = 1 and an = e − 1

1
∑
D lim an = DNE and an =
e−1

1487
Solution: B

The limit of the series is given by

−n 1
lim e = lim n
n→∞ n→∞ e

Notice that as n → ∞, the denominator gets bigger and bigger. With a

constant numerator, the value of the fraction approaches 0. Therefore,

lim e −n = 0
n→∞

Because the limit is equal to 0, it means that the series is convergent and its
graph will approach 0 as the value of n is increased. To evaluate the sum of
the series, rewrite it as
∞
e −n
∑
n=1

∞
1
∑ en
n=1

∑(e)
∞ n
1
n=1

(e)
n
1
If we let an = and we write out the first three terms of the series as

(e)
1
1 1
a1 = =
e

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 (e)
2
1 1
a2 = = 2
e

(e)
3
1 1
a3 = = 3
e

then its sum is equal to

1 1 1 1
s= + 2 + 3 +…+ n
e e e e

e( e )
1 1 1 1
s= 1+ + 2 +…+ n
e e

This is a geometric series with a = 1/e and r = 1/e. The sum of a geometric
series is given by
a
s=
1−r

so the sum of the series is

1
e
s= 1
1− e

1
e
s= e 1
e
− e

1
e
s= e−1
e

1489
 1 e
s= ⋅
e e−1

1
s=
e−1

1490
Topic: Limit vs. sum of the series

Question: Find the limit of the series, and if it converges, find its sum.
∞
32n
∑ 81 n2
n=1

Answer choices:

1
∑ n 3
A lim an = 0 and a =

1
∑
B lim an = and an = 1
3

∑
C lim an = ∞ and an = 0

∑
D lim an = 1 and an = ∞

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Solution: D

The limit of the series is given by

32n
lim n
n→∞ 81 2

(3 )
2 n

lim
(81 )
n
n→∞ 1
2

9n
lim
( 81 )
n
n→∞

9n
lim
n→∞ 9n

lim 1
n→∞

The limit of the series as n → ∞ is 1. Therefore,

32n
lim n =1
n→∞ 81 2

Because the limit is equal to 1, it means that the series is convergent and
its graph will approach 1 as the value of n is increased. To evaluate the
sum of the series, we’ll expand it through its first few terms.
∞
32n
∑ 81 n2
n=1

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 32(1) 32(2) 32(3)
1
+ 2
+ 3
+…
81 2 81 2 81 2

32 34 36
+ + +…
(81 )
81 81 1
3
2

9 81 36
+ + 3 +…
9 81 9

9 81 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3
+ + +…
9 81 9⋅9⋅9

9 81 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3
+ + +…
9 81 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3

9 81 36
+ + 6 +…
9 81 3

1+1+1+…

The sum of the series is therefore

∞
32n
∑ 81 n2
=∞
n=1

1493