9.

3
Infinite Series
 DEFINITION
+

u
k =1
k = u1 + u2 + u3 + ..... + un + .....

NOTES
→ uk : general term of the series
n
→  uk = S n : the nth partial sum
k =1
+
→  uk = S : the sum of the infinite series (for the convergent series)
k =1
 SUM OF THE SERIES

EXAMPLE
3 3 3
What is the sum of : + + + .....?
10 100 1000
 SOLUTION
+
3 3 3
Write : + + + ..... = S =  uk .
10 100 1000 k =1

3
S1 = .
10
3 3
S2 = + .
10 (10 )2
3 3 3
S3 = + + .
10 (10 )2 (10 )3
3 3 3 3 3
Sn = + + + ........ + + .
10 (10 )2 (10 )3 (10 )
n −1
(10 )
n
 SOLUTION
S = lim S n
n →+

3 3 3 3 3 
= lim  + + + ........ + + 
n →+  10
(10 ) (10 ) (10 ) (10 ) 
2 3 n −1 n

= ???
 SOLUTION
We need to rewrite Sn in closed form : Then we can get :
1 3 3
Sn − Sn = −
3 3 3 3 10 10 (10 )n +1
Sn = + + + ........ + .
10 (10 ) (10 )
2 3
(10 )
n
9 3 1 
Sn = 1 − 
1 3 3 3 3 10 10  (10 )n 

Sn = + + + ........ + .
(10 ) (10 ) (10 ) (10 )
2 3 4 n +1
10 1 1 
Sn = 1 − .
3  (10 )n 

 SOLUTION
Finally,
+  3 
S =   = lim S n

k =1 (10 )
k
 n→+
 
1 1 
= lim 1 − 
n →+ 3  
 (10 )
n

1 1
= (1 − 0 ) = .
3 3
4 POPULAR SERIES

• SERIES 1 : GEOMETRIC SERIES

• SERIES 2 : HARMONIC SERIES

• SERIES 3 : p − SERIES

• SERIES 4 : TELESCOPING SERIES

 GEOMETRIC SERIES
+

 ar
k =0
k
= a + ar + ar 2
+ .....

a = first term & r = common ratio

a
 converges if : r  1 → S = S =
1− r
 diverges if : r  1
 HARMONIC SERIES

+
1 1 1 1

k =1 k
= 1 + + + + .....
2 3 4

 harmonic series diverges

 P-SERIES
+
1 1 1 1

k =1 k
p
= 1 + p + p + p + .....
2 3 4

 converges if : p  1
+
1 1 1

Eg. :
k =1 k
2
= 1 +
2 2
+
32
+ ..... → p = 2  1

 diverges if : 0  p  1
+
1 1 1 1
Eg. : 
k =1 k
= 1+
2
+
3
+ ..... → p =  1
2
 TELESCOPING SERIES
EXAMPLE
+
1 1 1 1 1

k =1 k ( k + 1)
= + + +
1• 2 2 • 3 3 • 4 4 • 5
+ .....

 telescoping series converges

 SUM OF THE
TELESCOPING SERIES

EXAMPLE
1 1 1
What is the sum of : + + + .....?
1• 2 2 • 3 3 • 4
 SOLUTION
+
1 1 1 1 1
+ + + + ..... =  .
1• 2 2 • 3 3 • 4 4 • 5 k =1 k ( k + 1)

n
1
Sn = 
k =1 k ( k + 1)
n
1 1 
=  − .
k =1  k k +1 
 SOLUTION
1 A B
Let : = +
k ( k + 1) k ( k + 1)

=
( A + B) k + A
k ( k + 1)

 A  1 
→   =  .
 B   −1
 SOLUTION
n
1 n
1 1 
Sn =  =  − 
k =1 k ( k + 1) k =1  k k + 1 
 1 1 1 1 1  1 1 1 1 
= 1 −  +  −  +  −  + ..... +  − + − 
 2   2 3   3 4   n − 1 n   n n + 1 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
= 1 − + − + − + ..... + − + −
2 2 3 3 4 n −1 n n n +1
1
= 1− .
n +1
 SOLUTION
Then,
S = lim S n
n →+

 1 
= lim 1 − 
n →+
 n + 1 
= 1 − 0 = 1.

The series converges. The sum of the series is 1.

 EXERCISES
Find the sum of the following series.
1 1
a) 4 − 1 + − +.....
4 16
+
1
b)  2
k =1 k + 5k + 6
+
 2 3
c)   k − k 
k =1  5 6 
1 1 1 1
d) + + + + .....
1 • 5 5 • 9 9 • 13 13 • 17
 SOLUTION
1 1
a) 4 − 1 +− +.....
4 16
1/ 4 −1
→ Here, = = r.
−1 4
1
This is a geometric series with r = − and a = 4.
4
1
The series converges because r =  1.
4
a 4 16
The sum of the series is : S = = = .
1− r  1 5
1−  − 
 4
 SOLUTION
+ +
1 1
b)  2 = .
k =1 k + 5k + 6 k =1 ( k + 2 )( k + 3 )
n
 1 1  1 1
→ Here, S n =   −  = − .
k =1  k + 2 k +3 3 n+3
+
1
Then,  2 = lim S n
k =1 k + 5k + 6
n →+

1 1 
= lim  − 

n →+ 3 n + 3 
1 1
= −0 = .
3 3
 SOLUTION
+
 2 3 1 3 1
c)   k − k  → Answer : − = − .
k =1  5 6  2 5 10

+
1 1 1 1 1
d) + + + + ..... =  .
1 • 5 5 • 9 9 • 13 13 • 17 k =1 ( 4k − 3 )( 4k + 1)

1 1 
→ Here, Sn = 1 − .
4  4n + 1 
+
1 1
Then,  = lim Sn = .
k =1 ( 4k − 3 )( 4k + 1)
n →+ 4
HOMEWORK