9.

4 Radius of Convergence
Greg Kelly, Hanford High School, Richland, Washington Photo by Vickie Kelly, 2008
Abraham Lincolns Home
Springfield, Illinois
Convergence
The series that are of the most interest to us are those
that converge.
Today we will consider the question:
Does this series converge, and if so, for what values of
x does it converge?

The first requirement of convergence is that the terms

must approach zero.
n
th
term test for divergence
1
n
n
a

diverges if fails to exist or is not zero. lim

n
n
a

Note that this can prove that a series diverges, but can
not prove that a series converges.
Ex. 2:
0
!
n
n
n x

If then grows without

bound.
1
x
> !
n
n x
If then
0 1
x
< <
1
!
lim ! lim
n
n
n n
x
n
n x

| |
|
\ .
= =
As , eventually is larger than , therefore
the numerator grows faster than the denominator.
n n
1
x

The series diverges. (except when x=0)

(As in the previous example.)

There are three possibilities for power series convergence.
1 The series converges over some finite interval:
(the interval of convergence).
The series may or may not converge at the endpoints
of the interval.
There is a positive number R such that the series
diverges for but converges for .
x a R > x a R <
2 The series converges for every x. ( ) R=
3 The series converges at and diverges
everywhere else. ( ) 0 R =
x a =
The number R is the radius of convergence.

This series converges.

So this series must
also converge.
Direct Comparison Test
For non-negative series:
If every term of a series is
less than the corresponding
term of a convergent series,
then both series converge.
If every term of a series is
greater than the
corresponding term of a
divergent series, then both
series diverge.
So this series must also diverge.
This series diverges.

Ex. 3:
Prove that converges for all real x.
( )
2
2
0 !
n
n
x
n

There are no negative terms:

( )
( )
2
2
2

!
!
n
n
x
x
n
n
s
( )
2
0
!
n
n
x
n

is the Taylor series for , which converges.

2
x
e
larger denominator

The original series converges.

The direct comparison test only works when the terms are
non-negative.

Absolute Convergence
If converges, then we say converges absolutely.
n
a

n
a

The term converges absolutely means that the series

formed by taking the absolute value of each term
converges. Sometimes in the English language we use
the word absolutely to mean really or actually. This is
not the case here!
If converges, then converges.
n
a

n
a

If the series formed by taking the absolute value of each

term converges, then the original series must also
converge.
If a series converges absolutely, then it converges.

Ex. 4:
( )
0
sin
!
n
n
x
n

We test for absolute convergence:

sin
1
! !
n
x
n n
s
Since ,
2 3
1
2! 3! !
n
x
x x x
e x
n
= + + + + +
0
1
!
n
n

converges to
1
e e =
0
sin
!
n
n
x
n

converges by the direct comparison test.

Since converges absolutely, it converges.
( )
0
sin
!
n
n
x
n

Ratio Technique
We have learned that the partial sum of a geometric series
is given by:
1
1
1
n
n
r
S t
r

where r = common ratio between terms

When , the series converges.
1 r <

Geometric series have a constant ratio between terms.

Other series have ratios that are not constant. If the
absolute value of the limit of the ratio between
consecutive terms is less than one, then the series will
converge.
For , if then:
1
n
n
t

1
lim
n
n
n
t
L
t
+

=
if the series converges.
1 L<
if the series diverges.
1 L>
if the series may or may not converge.
1 L=

( )
2 3 4
ln 1
2 3 4
x x x
x x + = + +
Ex:
If we replace x with x-1, we get:
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 3 4 1 1 1
ln 1 1 1 1
2 3 4
x x x x x = + +
( ) ( )
1
1
1
1 1
n n
n
x
n

+
=
=

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
2 1
1
1 1
lim
1
1 1
n n
n n
n
x
n
L
n
x
+ +
+

=
+

( ) ( )
( )
1 1
lim
1
1
n
n
n
x x
n
n
x

=
+

( )
1
lim
1
n
x n
n

=
+
1 x =
If the limit of the ratio
between consecutive terms
is less than one, then the
series will converge.
1
1
1
n
n
n n
a
a
a a
+
+
=

1 1 x <
1 1 1 x < <
0 2 x < <
The interval of convergence is (0,2).
The radius of convergence is 1.
If the limit of the ratio between consecutive terms
is less than one, then the series will converge.

Ex:
( )
1
5
3
n
n
n
n
x

( ) ( ) ( )
2 3 1 2 3
5 5 5
3 9 27
x x x + + +
( )( )
( )
1
1
1 5
3
lim
3
5
n
n
n n
n
n x
L
n x
+
+

+
=

( )( ) ( )
( )
1 5 5 3
lim
3 3 5
n
n
n
n
n
n x x
L
n x

+
=

( )( )
1 5
lim
3
n
n x
L
n

+
=

Ex:
( )
1
5
3
n
n
n
n
x

( )( )
1 5
lim
3
n
n x
L
n

+
=
1
5 lim
3
n
n
L x
n

+
=
1
5
3
L x =
1
5 1
3
x <
5 3 x <
3 5 3 x < <
2 8 x < <
The interval of convergence is (2,8).
The radius of convergence is .
8 2
3
2

Ex:
( )
4
1
!
3
n
n
n
x
n

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 3 4 1 2 3
3 3 3 3
8 27 32
x x x x + + + +
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
1
4
4
1 ! 3
lim
1 ! 3
n
n
n
n x
n
L
n n x
+

+
=
+
( )( ) ( )
( ) ( )
4
4
! 1 3 3
lim
1 ! 3
n
n
n
n n x x
n
L
n n x

+
=
+
( )
4
3 lim 1
1
n
n
L x n
n

| |
= +
|
+
\ .
1

Ex:
( )
4
1
!
3
n
n
n
x
n

( )
4
3 lim 1
1
n
n
L x n
n

| |
= +
|
+
\ .
1
L =
for all .
3 x =
Radius of convergence = 0.
At , the series is , which converges to zero. 3 x =
0 0 0 + + +
Note: If R is infinite, then the series converges for all values of x.

Another series for which it is easy to find the

sum is the telescoping series.
Ex. 6:
( )
1
1
1 n
n
n

= +

Using partial fractions:

1 A =
0 A B = +
0 1 B = +
1 B =
1
1 1
1
n
n n

=

+

1 1 1 1 1

1
2 3 3 4 2
| | | | | |
+ + +
| | |
\ . \ . \ .
3
1
1
4
S =
1
1
1
n
S
n
=
+
lim 1
n
n
S

=
( )
1
1
1
A B
n n n
n
= +
+
+
( )
1 1 A n Bn = + +
1 An A Bn = + +
Telescoping Series
( )
1
1
n n
n
b b

+
=

converges to
1 1
lim
n
n
b b
+