710 |||| CHAPTER 11 INFINITE SEQUENCES AND SERIES

11.5 ALTERNATING SERIES

The convergence tests that we have looked at so far apply only to series with positive
terms. In this section and the next we learn how to deal with series whose terms are not
necessarily positive. Of particular importance are alternating series, whose terms alternate
in sign.
An alternating series is a series whose terms are alternately positive and negative. Here
are two examples:
⬁
1 1 1 1 1 共⫺1兲n⫺1
1⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⭈⭈⭈ 苷 兺
2 3 4 5 6 n苷1 n
⬁
1 2 3 4 5 6 n
⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⭈ ⭈ ⭈ 苷 兺 共⫺1兲n
2 3 4 5 6 7 n苷1 n⫹1
We see from these examples that the n th term of an alternating series is of the form

a n 苷 共⫺1兲n⫺1bn or a n 苷 共⫺1兲nbn

where bn is a positive number. (In fact, bn 苷 a n .) ⱍ ⱍ

The following test says that if the terms of an alternating series decrease toward 0 in
absolute value, then the series converges.

THE ALTERNATING SERIES TEST If the alternating series

⬁

兺 共⫺1兲
n苷1
n⫺1
bn 苷 b1 ⫺ b2 ⫹ b3 ⫺ b4 ⫹ b5 ⫺ b6 ⫹ ⭈ ⭈ ⭈ bn ⬎ 0

satisfies
(i) bn⫹1 艋 bn for all n
(ii) lim bn 苷 0
nl⬁

then the series is convergent.

Before giving the proof let’s look at Figure 1, which gives a picture of the idea behind
the proof. We first plot s1 苷 b1 on a number line. To find s2 we subtract b2 , so s2 is to the
left of s1 . Then to find s3 we add b3 , so s3 is to the right of s2 . But, since b3 ⬍ b2 , s3 is to
the left of s1 . Continuing in this manner, we see that the partial sums oscillate back and
forth. Since bn l 0, the successive steps are becoming smaller and smaller. The even par-
tial sums s2 , s4 , s6 , . . . are increasing and the odd partial sums s1 , s3 , s5 , . . . are decreasing.
Thus it seems plausible that both are converging to some number s, which is the sum of
the series. Therefore we consider the even and odd partial sums separately in the follow-
ing proof.
b¡
-b™
+b£
-b¢
+b∞
-bß

FIGURE 1 0 s™ s¢ sß s s∞ s£ s¡
 SECTION 11.5 ALTERNATING SERIES |||| 711

PROOF OF THE ALTERNATING SERIES TEST We first consider the even partial sums:

s2 苷 b1 ⫺ b2 艌 0 since b2 艋 b1

s4 苷 s2 ⫹ 共b3 ⫺ b4 兲 艌 s2 since b4 艋 b3

In general s2n 苷 s2n⫺2 ⫹ 共b2n⫺1 ⫺ b2n 兲 艌 s2n⫺2 since b2n 艋 b2n⫺1

Thus 0 艋 s2 艋 s4 艋 s6 艋 ⭈ ⭈ ⭈ 艋 s2n 艋 ⭈ ⭈ ⭈

But we can also write

s2n 苷 b1 ⫺ 共b2 ⫺ b3 兲 ⫺ 共b4 ⫺ b5 兲 ⫺ ⭈ ⭈ ⭈ ⫺ 共b2n⫺2 ⫺ b2n⫺1 兲 ⫺ b2n

Every term in brackets is positive, so s2n 艋 b1 for all n. Therefore the sequence 兵s2n 其
of even partial sums is increasing and bounded above. It is therefore convergent by the
Monotonic Sequence Theorem. Let’s call its limit s, that is,

lim s2n 苷 s
nl⬁

Now we compute the limit of the odd partial sums:

lim s2n⫹1 苷 lim 共s2n ⫹ b2n⫹1 兲

nl⬁ nl⬁

苷 lim s2n ⫹ lim b2n⫹1

nl⬁ nl⬁

苷s⫹0 [by condition (ii)]

苷s

Since both the even and odd partial sums converge to s, we have lim n l ⬁ sn 苷 s
[see Exercise 80(a) in Section 11.1] and so the series is convergent. M
N Figure 2 illustrates Example 1 by showing the
graphs of the terms a n 苷 共⫺1兲 n⫺1兾n and the
partial sums sn . Notice how the values of sn V EXAMPLE 1 The alternating harmonic series
zigzag across the limiting value, which appears
⬁
to be about 0.7. In fact, it can be proved that 1 1 1 共⫺1兲n⫺1
the exact sum of the series is ln 2 ⬇ 0.693 1⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⭈⭈⭈ 苷 兺
(see Exercise 36). 2 3 4 n苷1 n

satisfies
1 1 1
(i) bn⫹1 ⬍ bn because ⬍
兵sn 其 n⫹1 n
1
(ii) lim bn 苷 lim 苷0
nl⬁ nl⬁ n
so the series is convergent by the Alternating Series Test. M
兵a n 其
⬁
共⫺1兲n 3n
0 n V EXAMPLE 2 The series 兺
n苷1 4n ⫺ 1
is alternating but

3n 3 3
lim bn 苷 lim 苷 lim 苷
nl⬁ nl⬁ 4n ⫺ 1 nl⬁ 1 4
4⫺
FIGURE 2 n
712 |||| CHAPTER 11 INFINITE SEQUENCES AND SERIES

so condition (ii) is not satisfied. Instead, we look at the limit of the nth term of the series:

共⫺1兲n 3n
lim a n 苷 lim
nl⬁ nl⬁ 4n ⫺ 1

This limit does not exist, so the series diverges by the Test for Divergence. M

⬁
n2
EXAMPLE 3 Test the series 兺
n苷1
共⫺1兲n⫹1
n3 ⫹ 1
for convergence or divergence.

SOLUTION The given series is alternating so we try to verify conditions (i) and (ii) of the
Alternating Series Test.
Unlike the situation in Example 1, it is not obvious that the sequence given by
bn 苷 n 2兾共n 3 ⫹ 1兲 is decreasing. However, if we consider the related function
f 共x兲 苷 x 2兾共x 3 ⫹ 1兲, we find that
x共2 ⫺ x 3 兲
f ⬘共x兲 苷
共x 3 ⫹ 1兲2
Since we are considering only positive x, we see that f ⬘共x兲 ⬍ 0 if 2 ⫺ x 3 ⬍ 0, that is,
x⬎s 3
2 . Thus f is decreasing on the interval (s 3
2 , ⬁). This means that f 共n ⫹ 1兲 ⬍ f 共n兲
N Instead of verifying condition (i) of the Alter- and therefore bn⫹1 ⬍ bn when n 艌 2. (The inequality b2 ⬍ b1 can be verified directly but
nating Series Test by computing a derivative, all that really matters is that the sequence 兵bn 其 is eventually decreasing.)
we could verify that bn⫹1 ⬍ bn directly by using
Condition (ii) is readily verified:
the technique of Solution 1 of Example 12 in
Section 11.1. 1
n2 n
lim bn 苷 lim 3 苷 lim 苷0
nl⬁ nl⬁ n ⫹ 1 nl⬁ 1
1⫹ 3
n

Thus the given series is convergent by the Alternating Series Test. M

ESTIMATING SUMS

A partial sum sn of any convergent series can be used as an approximation to the total sum
s, but this is not of much use unless we can estimate the accuracy of the approximation. The
error involved in using s ⬇ sn is the remainder Rn 苷 s ⫺ sn . The next theorem says that
for series that satisfy the conditions of the Alternating Series Test, the size of the error is
smaller than bn⫹1 , which is the absolute value of the first neglected term.

ALTERNATING SERIES ESTIMATION THEOREM If s 苷 冘 共⫺1兲n⫺1bn is the sum of an

N You can see geometrically why the
Alternating Series Estimation Theorem is true
alternating series that satisfies
by looking at Figure 1 (on page 710). Notice that
ⱍ ⱍ
s ⫺ s4 ⬍ b5 , s ⫺ s5 ⬍ b6 , and so on. Notice (i) 0 艋 bn⫹1 艋 bn and (ii) lim bn 苷 0
nl⬁
also that s lies between any two consecutive
partial sums.
then ⱍR ⱍ 苷 ⱍs ⫺ s ⱍ 艋 b
n n n⫹1

PROOF We know from the proof of the Alternating Series Test that s lies between any two
consecutive partial sums sn and sn⫹1 . It follows that

ⱍs ⫺ s ⱍ 艋 ⱍs
n n⫹1 ⱍ
⫺ sn 苷 bn⫹1 M
 SECTION 11.5 ALTERNATING SERIES |||| 713

⬁
共⫺1兲n
V EXAMPLE 4 Find the sum of the series 兺 correct to three decimal places.
n苷0 n!
(By definition, 0! 苷 1.)
SOLUTION We first observe that the series is convergent by the Alternating Series Test
because
1 1 1
(i) 苷 ⬍
共n ⫹ 1兲! n! 共n ⫹ 1兲 n!
1 1 1
(ii) 0 ⬍ ⬍ l0 so l 0 as n l ⬁
n! n n!
To get a feel for how many terms we need to use in our approximation, let’s write out
the first few terms of the series:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
s苷 ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⭈⭈⭈
0! 1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7!
苷 1 ⫺ 1 ⫹ 12 ⫺ 16 ⫹ 241 ⫺ 120 ⫹ 720 ⫺ 5040 ⫹ ⭈⭈⭈
1 1 1

b 7 苷 5040 ⬍ 5000 苷 0.0002

1 1
Notice that

s6 苷 1 ⫺ 1 ⫹ 12 ⫺ 16 ⫹ 241 ⫺ 120 ⫹ 720 ⬇ 0.368056

1 1
and
By the Alternating Series Estimation Theorem we know that

ⱍs ⫺ s ⱍ 艋 b
6 7 ⬍ 0.0002

N In Section 11.10 we will prove that
e x 苷 冘⬁n苷0 x n兾n! for all x, so what we have
obtained in Example 4 is actually an approxi-
mation to the number e ⫺1.
This error of less than 0.0002 does not affect the third decimal place, so we have
s ⬇ 0.368 correct to three decimal places. M
| NOTE The rule that the error (in using sn to approximate s) is smaller than the first
neglected term is, in general, valid only for alternating series that satisfy the conditions
of the Alternating Series Estimation Theorem. The rule does not apply to other types of
series.

11.5 EXERCISES

1. (a) What is an alternating series? ⬁ ⬁

n sn
(b) Under what conditions does an alternating series converge? 9. 兺 共⫺1兲
n苷1
n
10 n
10. 兺 共⫺1兲
n苷1
n
1 ⫹ 2sn
(c) If these conditions are satisfied, what can you say about the
⬁ 2 ⬁
remainder after n terms? n e 1兾n
11. 兺 共⫺1兲
n苷1
n⫹1
n ⫹4 3
12. 兺 共⫺1兲
n苷1
n⫺1
n
2–20 Test the series for convergence or divergence.
⬁ ⬁
n ln n
2. ⫺ 3 ⫹ 4 ⫺ 5 ⫹ 6 ⫺ 7 ⫹ ⭈ ⭈ ⭈
1 2 3 4 5
13. 兺 共⫺1兲
n苷2
n
ln n
14. 兺 共⫺1兲
n苷1
n⫺1
n
⫺ 48 ⫹ 49 ⫺ 104 ⫹ 114 ⫺ ⭈ ⭈ ⭈
4
3. 7 ⬁
cos n␲ ⬁
sin共n␲兾2兲
15. 兺 n 3兾4
16. 兺 n!
1 1 1 1 1 n苷1 n苷1
⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⫹ ⫺ ⭈⭈⭈

冉冊 冉冊
4.
s2 s3 s4 s5 s6 ⬁
␲ ⬁
␲
⬁
共⫺1兲 n⫺1 ⬁
共⫺1兲 n⫺1
17. 兺 共⫺1兲 n
sin
n
18. 兺 共⫺1兲 n
cos
n
5. 兺 6. 兺 n苷1 n苷1

冉 冊
n苷1 2n ⫹ 1 n苷1 ln共n ⫹ 4兲
⬁ ⬁ n
nn n
⬁
3n ⫺ 1 ⬁
n 19. 兺 共⫺1兲 n
20. 兺 ⫺
7. 兺 共⫺1兲n 8. 兺 共⫺1兲 n n苷1 n! n苷1 5
n苷1 2n ⫹ 1 n苷1 sn 3 ⫹ 2