Lesson 1b

INFINITE SERIES AND

TELESCOPING SUMS

MAPUA UNIVERSITY
INFINITE SERIES
 Infinite Series

Is an expression that can be written in the form

where the numbers are called the terms of the

series.
Example: 0.3333 . . . = 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + . . .
or equivalently,
0.3333 . . . =
 Sum of an Infinite Series

 From

Let denote the sum of the initial terms of the series, up to and
including the term with index . Thus,

The number is called the nth partial sum of the series and
the sequence is called the sequence of partial sums.
 Convergence and Divergence of Sequence
of Partial Sums
 Let be the sequence of partial sums of the series

If the sequence converges to a limit S, then the series is said to

converge to S, and S is called the sum of the series. We denote this by
writing

If the sequence of partial sums diverges, then the series is said to diverge. A
divergent series has no sum.
 EXAMPLE
 From0.3333 . . . = 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + . . .
or equivalently,
0.3333 . . . =

The following sequence of (finite) sums are:

3
33 and so on.
The sequence of partial sums of the given series

converges.
 CONVERGING AND DIVERGING SERIES

For the infinite series  

the nth partial sum is given by

If the sequence of partial sums converges to L

,
Then the series converges. L is the sum of
the series.
If , diverges, then the series diverges.
SPECIAL TYPES OF SERIES
 Special Types of Series

   Geometric Series
A geometric series
converges if and diverge if .
If the series converges, then the
sum is

Note: the number is called the ratio for the series

Example:
1.

2.
 EXAMPLE
 Example 1. Determine whether the series and if so find
its sum.

Solution:
Identify first four terms in the series:

solving fo the ratio r;

= = , thus
Since │r│= < 1, the series converges and the sum is
 EXAMPLE
 2. Find the sum of the infinite geometric series
8 + 12 + 18 + 27 + . . . if it exists.

Solution:
Find the ratio

Since , the series diverges.

 EXAMPLE

 3. Determine whether the series converges, and if so find its sum.  

Solution:
Rewriting the seies,
=3
for the 1st series, a = and r = , converges

=3 for the 2nd series, a = and r =

thus, the sum is:

 Special Types of Series

 Telescoping Sums

The name is derived from the fact that in simplifying

the sum, one term in each parenthetical expression cancels
one term in the next parenthetical expression, until the
entire sum collapses (like a folding telescope) into just two
terms.
 EXAMPLE
 1: Determine whether the series converges or diverges. If it
converges, find the sum.

Let

apply limits on both sides

)=1

The sequence of partial sum is convergent and so the series is

convergent and has the value of
 EXAMPLE
 2. Determine the sum of the given series .
Solution: = +

= +
1 = A(k+2)+Bk

Solving for A and B: (equate k = 0 and k + 2 = 0 )

if k=0; if k = -2
1 = A(0 + 2) + B(0) 1 = A(-2 + 2) + B(-2)
1 = 2A 1 = -2B
A= B=-
 EXAMPLE
 = +
= ()
k=1 k=2 k=3 k=4
=()+ ()+ ()+ ()+…+()+…

=+()

== +()

= +()= +() =

= Answer
 EXERCISES
 Determine whether the series converges, and if so finds its sum.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.