Where am I going wrong with my Interval of Convergence calculations?

In summary, when Mac tries to solve the limit equation for x^2 he gets an infinite radius of convergence.
  • #1
MacLaddy1
52
0
Hello all,

Again I find myself at odds with my online class. Somehow, and with two problems in a row, I am finding the reciprocal answer to what Math Lab is telling me.

I would be very appreciative is someone could check my work.

Find the limit of convergence, and the radius.

\(\displaystyle \sum \frac{k^2x^{2k}}{k!}\)

Using the ratio test

\(\displaystyle \lim_{k\rightarrow \infty}\frac{(k+1)^2x^{2k+2}}{(k+1)k!}*\frac{k!}{k^2x^{2k}}\)

That should be an absolute value, but I don't know how to input that...

This should simplify down to,

\(\displaystyle x^2\lim_{k\rightarrow \infty}\frac{k^2+2k+1}{k^3+k^2}\) (with absolute values inputed)

Which should give an interval of convergence of,

\(\displaystyle 0<x^2<0\), R=0, [0,0]

My online class is showing R=\(\displaystyle \infty\) (\(\displaystyle -\infty,\infty\))

The last question gave an R=4, and I was showing R=1/4. I am reversing this somehow. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Mac
 
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  • #2
Now this is getting weird. I'm definitely doing something funny.

This is the very next question

\(\displaystyle \sum \frac{x^{2k-1}}{10^{k-1}}\)

I am getting an interval of convergence of

\(\displaystyle (-\sqrt{\frac{1}{10}},\sqrt{\frac{1}{10}})\)

And the answer it is showing is

\(\displaystyle (-\sqrt{10},\sqrt{10})\)
 
  • #3
MacLaddy said:
Now this is getting weird. I'm definitely doing something funny.

This is the very next question

\(\displaystyle \sum \frac{x^{2k-1}}{10^{k-1}}\)

I am getting an interval of convergence of

\(\displaystyle (-\sqrt{\frac{1}{10}},\sqrt{\frac{1}{10}})\)

And the answer it is showing is

\(\displaystyle (-\sqrt{10},\sqrt{10})\)

Hi there. (Wave)

Ok, so let's try the Ratio Test.

\(\displaystyle \left( \frac{x^{2(k+1)-1}}{10^{(k+1)-1}} \right) \left( \frac{10^{k-1}}{x^{2k-1}} \right) = \left( \frac{x^{2k}x^1}{10^{k}} \right) \left( \frac{10^{k}10^{-1}}{x^{2k}x^{-1}} \right) \)

After a bunch of cancelling you get \(\displaystyle \frac{x10^{-1}}{x^{-1}}=\frac{x^2}{10}\)

Now you need to find when \(\displaystyle \left| \frac{x^2}{10} \right| < 1 \)

That's just \(\displaystyle |x^2| < 10\) which gives the answer your book has. I checked my work a couple times for computational errors and don't believe I have any, but it's possible.
 
  • #4
MacLaddy said:
Hello all,

Again I find myself at odds with my online class. Somehow, and with two problems in a row, I am finding the reciprocal answer to what Math Lab is telling me.

I would be very appreciative is someone could check my work.

Find the limit of convergence, and the radius.

\(\displaystyle \sum \frac{k^2x^{2k}}{k!}\)

Using the ratio test

\(\displaystyle \lim_{k\rightarrow \infty}\frac{(k+1)^2x^{2k+2}}{(k+1)k!}*\frac{k!}{k^2x^{2k}}\)

That should be an absolute value, but I don't know how to input that...

This should simplify down to,

\(\displaystyle x^2\lim_{k\rightarrow \infty}\left| \frac{k^2+2k+1}{k^3+k^2} \right|\) ... (CB1)

Which should give an interval of convergence of,

\(\displaystyle 0<x^2<0\), R=0, [0,0]

My online class is showing R=\(\displaystyle \infty\) (\(\displaystyle -\infty,\infty\))

You can show that your series is convergent for all \(x\) by comparing it to a suitably modified version of the exponential series which does have an infinite radius of convergence.

You will also get this result if you use (CB1) and do the algebra correctly

CB
 
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  • #5
Jameson said:
Hi there. (Wave)

Ok, so let's try the Ratio Test.

\(\displaystyle \left( \frac{x^{2(k+1)-1}}{10^{(k+1)-1}} \right) \left( \frac{10^{k-1}}{x^{2k-1}} \right) = \left( \frac{x^{2k}x^1}{10^{k}} \right) \left( \frac{10^{k}10^{-1}}{x^{2k}x^{-1}} \right) \)

After a bunch of cancelling you get \(\displaystyle \frac{x10^{-1}}{x^{-1}}=\frac{x^2}{10}\)

Now you need to find when \(\displaystyle \left| \frac{x^2}{10} \right| < 1 \)

That's just \(\displaystyle |x^2| < 10\) which gives the answer your book has. I checked my work a couple times for computational errors and don't believe I have any, but it's possible.

Ahh, that's a bit of a palm to forehead moment.

For some reason I was separating the $x^2$ out, so that I was working with \(\displaystyle -\frac{1}{10}<x^2<\frac{1}{10}\). That makes a lot more sense now. I can't explain why I was thinking that.

CaptainBlack said:
You can show that your series is convergent for all \(x\) by comparing it to a suitably modified version of the exponential series which does have an infinite radius of convergence.

You will also get this result if you use (CB1) and do the algebra correctly

CB

Still not sure I understand this one. If I take the limit of what's on the right, it becomes zero. At least I thought it did. So if I multiply $x^2$ by 0 I will just end up with \(\displaystyle -1<0<1\). I'm definitely missing a step here. I see my mistake from the other two problems, but I can't quite rectify it with this one. I'll probably figure it out soon, hopefully, since I saw my mistake from the other ones.

Thanks again, it is much appreciated.
 
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  • #6
MacLaddy said:
Still not sure I understand this one. If I take the limit of what's on the right, it becomes zero. At least I thought it did. So if I multiply $x^2$ by 0 I will just end up with \(\displaystyle -1<0<1\). I'm definitely missing a step here. I see my mistake from the other two problems, but I can't quite rectify it with this one. I'll probably figure it out soon, hopefully, since I saw my mistake from the other ones.

Thanks again, it is much appreciated.

When you take the limit and get 0 regardless of x then the radius of convergence is infinity because it just doesn't matter what the value of x is, the limit will always be less than 1 so it's always true.
 
  • #7
I may have seen one way to work this, but I probably am not understanding it in the correct- or proper- terms.

If I were to take the limit shown, and leave $x^2$ in the numerator instead of pulling it out front, then improperly I could say \(\displaystyle -1<\frac{x^2}{\infty}<1 = -\infty<x^2<\infty\)

Is that "sort-of" the right thinking? It at least turns out correctly in this scenario, but I know that would be improper.
 
  • #8
Jameson said:
When you take the limit and get 0 regardless of x then the radius of convergence is infinity because it just doesn't matter what the value of x is, the limit will always be less than 1 so it's always true.

Well, when you put it simply like that then it makes perfect sense. (Smile)

Thanks again, both of you.
 
  • #9
MacLaddy said:
Still not sure I understand this one. If I take the limit of what's on the right, it becomes zero. At least I thought it did. So if I multiply $x^2$ by 0 I will just end up with \(\displaystyle -1<0<1\). I'm definitely missing a step here. I see my mistake from the other two problems, but I can't quite rectify it with this one. I'll probably figure it out soon, hopefully, since I saw my mistake from the other ones.

Thanks again, it is much appreciated.

\(\displaystyle |x^2|\lim_{k\rightarrow \infty}\left| \frac{k^2+2k+1}{k^3+k^2} \right|\) ... (CB1)

\[|x^2|\left| \frac{k^2+2k+1}{k^3+k^2} \right|=\left|\frac{x^2(k+1)}{k^2}\right|\]

Now for fixed \(x\) this goes to zeros as \(k \to \infty\) which is less than 1 so the series converges for all \(x\)

CB
 

FAQ: Where am I going wrong with my Interval of Convergence calculations?

What is an interval of convergence?

An interval of convergence is a range of values for which a given mathematical series converges. In other words, it is the set of numbers for which the series will approach a finite value as the number of terms increases.

How do you determine the interval of convergence for a series?

The interval of convergence can be determined by using the ratio test or the root test. These tests involve evaluating the limit of the absolute value of the ratio or the root of consecutive terms in the series. If the limit is less than 1, the series will converge. If the limit is greater than 1, the series will diverge. The endpoints of the interval can also be tested using other convergence tests.

What is the significance of the interval of convergence?

The interval of convergence is important because it tells us the range of values for which the series will converge. This allows us to determine the validity and accuracy of the series for different inputs. It also helps us to understand the behavior of the series and make predictions about its behavior outside of the interval.

Can a series have more than one interval of convergence?

Yes, a series can have more than one interval of convergence. This can happen when the series has multiple regions of convergence, meaning that it converges for different ranges of values. It can also occur when the series has a singularity or discontinuity at some point in the interval, causing it to converge for different sub-intervals.

What factors can affect the size of the interval of convergence?

The size of the interval of convergence can be affected by the coefficients and powers in the series. Generally, series with smaller coefficients and higher powers will have a larger interval of convergence. Additionally, the convergence tests used to determine the interval can also affect its size, as different tests have different criteria for convergence.

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