Determine whether the sequence converges or diverges

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In summary, the student is looking for help catching up on content from university, specifically questions from a quiz that is coming up soon. He Googles "series convergence tests" and is given a website with information on tests to determine convergence or divergence. He does not have notes from the professor and is wondering if anyone knows of a resource that could help him.
  • #1
dangish
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Hey all,

University for me started last week, however I was unable to attend until now. I just e-mailed my professor and there is a quiz just next week and I have no notes and he will not give them to me. I'm wondering if anyone knows any good online sites that could help me catch up. Here are some of the questions to give you an idea of what I am looking for:

Question 1: Determine whether the sequence converges or diverges. If it converges, find the
limit.

(a) {1 + [(-1)^n]/2 }

(b) {1 + [(-1)^n]/3n }

(c) {sin(n)/n}

Question 2: Determine whether the sequence is increasing, decreasing or not monotonic. Is the sequences bounded? If the sequence is convergent, find its limit.

(a) { (sqrt(n)) / 1 + sqrt(n) }

(b) { 2 + 1/3^n }

Question 3: Determine whether the series is convergent or divergent. If it is convergent, find
its sum.

(a) [itex]\sum 4n+2 / 4n - 2[/itex]

Any advice on some good reference material would be GREATLY appreciated.. Thanks in advance!
 
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  • #3


For question three, just see what the summand tends to as n tends to infinity. If it doesn't tend to zero, your sum won't converge.
 
  • #4


Wouldn't both the numerator and denominator go to infinity?
 
  • #5


Yes, but that doesn't tell us much. For this one, you can rewrite the function as such:

[tex]\frac{4n+2}{4n-2} = \frac{4n-2+4}{4n-2} = 1 + \frac{4}{4n-2}[/tex]

Try evaluating the limit from here.
 
  • #6


So it is convergent? And it's sum is 1?
 
  • #7


No, that's not the series. That's just the summand, the term in the series. You do know the limit test, right?

Limit test:
If an does not tend to 0 as n tends to infinity, then [itex]\sum a_n[/itex] diverges.
 
  • #8


Like I said, haven't been to class yet. I'll try and get some notes tomorrow, thanks for the help though I appreciate it man.
 

FAQ: Determine whether the sequence converges or diverges

What is the definition of convergence and divergence?

The definition of convergence is when a sequence of numbers approaches a specific value as the number of terms in the sequence increases. Divergence, on the other hand, is when a sequence of numbers does not approach a specific value and can either increase or decrease without bound.

How can I determine if a sequence converges or diverges?

To determine whether a sequence converges or diverges, you can use different methods such as the Limit Comparison Test, Ratio Test, or Root Test. These tests involve finding the limit of the sequence and comparing it to a known convergent or divergent series.

Are there any specific types of sequences that always converge or diverge?

Yes, there are specific types of sequences that always converge or diverge. For example, geometric and telescoping sequences always converge, while harmonic and alternating sequences can either converge or diverge depending on the values of the terms.

Can a sequence converge and diverge at the same time?

No, a sequence cannot converge and diverge at the same time. A sequence can either converge to a specific value or diverge without approaching a specific value.

Why is it important to determine whether a sequence converges or diverges?

Knowing whether a sequence converges or diverges is important in understanding the behavior of the sequence and its limit. It can also help in making predictions and decisions in various fields such as finance, physics, and engineering.

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