Convergence tests There are a number of methods of determining whether a series converges or diverges.

If the blue series, bn, can be proven to converge, then the smaller series, an must converge. By contraposition, if the red series, anis proven to diverge, then bn must also diverge. Comparison test. The terms of the sequence another sequence . If, are compared to those of

for all n, However, if,

, and

converges, then so does

for all n,

, and

diverges, then so does

Integral test. The series can be compared to an integral to establish convergence or divergence. Let f(n) = an be a positive and monotone decreasing function. If

then the series converges. But if the integral diverges, then the series does so as well.

Limit comparison test. If

, and the limit

exists

and is not zero, then

converges if and only if

converges.