Numerical series

Asmaa Rahim

MCB
Academic year 2024-2025

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1 Denitions

2 Series of Positive Terms

3 Alternating series

4 Series of Arbitrary Terms

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Series
Denition 1.
∞
or denoted by un is dened as the
X
A numerical series series
n=1
formal sum of the terms of a sequence of real or complex numbers.
The partial sum of the series, denoted by Sn , is the sum of the rst
n terms :
n X
Sn = uk = u1 + u2 + · · · + un
k=1

Denition 2.
If the sequence of partial sums {Sn } converges to a nite limit S as
n → ∞, then the series is said to converge, and S is called the sum of the
∞
and we write un = S . Otherwise, the series is said to diverge.
X
series
n=1

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Series
Remark
∞
X
{Sn } converges ⇔ un converges
n=1

Example
∞
1
Show that the series converges.
X
n(n + 1)
n=1
n n
1 1 1
We compute the partial sum Sn = ).
X X
= ( −
k(k + 1) k k +1
k=1 k=1
Then, Sn = (1 − A12A) + (A21A − A13A) + · · · + (An1A − 1
n+1 ) = 1 −
1
n+1 .
and so, lim Sn = 1.
n→+∞
∞
1
Therefore the given series is convergent and =1
X
n(n + 1)
n=1
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Series
Theorem 1. (Necessary condition for convergence (NCC))
∞
If the series un is convergent, then lim un = 0.
X
n→+∞
n=1

Contraposition
∞
If lim un does not exist or if lim un 6= 0, then the series un is
X
n→+∞ n→+∞
n=1
divergent.

Example
∞
n2
Show that the series is divergent.
X

n=1
3n 2 + 1
∞
n2 1 n2
6= 0 ⇒ is divergent.
X
lim = 3
n→+∞ 3n2 + 1 3n 2 + 1
n=1
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Series

Properities of numerical series

if
P un and vn are convergent series, then so are the series (un + vn ),
P P P
cun where c is a constant.

Theorem 1. (Cauchy criterion)

The series un converges if and only if
P

p
X
∀ > 0, ∃N > 0, ∀p ≥ q ≥ N, uk ≤ 
k=q+1

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Series
Denition 3.
A series with positive terms is a series where all terms un satisfy un ≥ 0.

Denition 4.
∞ 1
is called the p -series, then, the series converges if p > 1 and
P
p
n=1 n
diverges if p ≤ 1.
If p = 1, then the series is called harmonic.

The Comparison test

Suppose that un and vn are series with positive terms.
P P

1 If un ≤ vn and vn is convergent, then un is also convergent.

P P

2 If un ≥ vn and vn is divergent, then un is also divergent.

P P

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Series

Example
∞ 3
Determine whether the series converges or diverges.
P
2 n 2 + 4n + 1
n=1
3 3 3 P 3 P 1
≤ 2 , then = 32 .
P
2 2
≤ 2
2n + 4n + 1 2n 2n + 4n + 1 2n n2
P 1
is the p -series convergent whith p = 2 > 1. Therefore
n2
∞ 3
is convergent by the Comparison test.
P
2
n=1 2n + 4n + 1

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Series
The Limit Comparison test
Suppose that un and vn are series with positive terms. If
P P
un
lim = l where l is a nite number and l > 0, then either both series
n→+∞ vn
converge or both diverge.

Remark
If l = 0 or l = ∞, then no conclusion can be drawn about the
convergence or divergence of n un .
P

If l = 1, then the sequences un and vn are called equivalent, we

denote by un ∼ vn .

Example
P 1 P 1
we can consider n and n 2
n n
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Series

Example
1
Test the series n for convergence or divergence.
P
1 + 2n
1 1 u
un = , vn = n ⇒ lim n = 1 > 0.
1+2 n 2 n→+∞ vn
P 1
Since n n is a convergent geometric series, the given series converges by
2
the Limit Comparison test.

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Series
The Ratio Test (D'Alembert rule)
un+1
Let un be a series with positive terms such that lim = l.
P
n n→+∞ un
If l < 1, then n un is convergent.
P

If l > 1, then n un is divergent.

P

If l = 1, the Ratio Test is inconclusive ; that is,P

no conclusion can be
drawn about the convergence or divergence of n un .

The Root Test (Cauchy rule)

√
Let un be a series with positive terms such that lim un = l .
P n
n n→+∞
If l < 1, then n un is convergent.
P

If l > 1, then n un is divergent.

P

If l = 1, the Root Test is inconclusive.

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Series
Example 1.
P n
Test the convergence of the series .
n
3n
un+1 n+1
= 31 . −→ 13 as n → ∞.
un n
1
Since 3 < 1, the given series is convergent by the Ratio Test.

Example 2.
n
2n + 1

Test the convergence of the series .
P
n
3n + 4
√ 2n + 1
n un = −→ 23 as n → ∞.
3n + 4
Since 32 < 1, the given series is convergent by the Root Test.

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Series
The Integral Test
Suppose f is a continuous, positive, decreasing function on [n0 , ∞[ and let
∞
un = f (n). Then the series un is convergent if and only if the improper
P
n=n0

∞
integral f (x)dx is convergent. In other words :
n0

∞ ∞
If f (x)dx is convergent, then the series un is convergent.
P
n0 n=n0

∞ ∞
If f (x)dx is divergent, then the series un is divergent.
P
n0 n=n0

Example
∞ 1
Test the series for convergence or divergence.
P
n=1 n2 +1
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Series
Note
In general,
∞
X ∞
un 6= f (x)dx
n=n0 n0

Example
∞
X 1 π2
2
=
n
n=1
6
whereas
∞
1
dx = 1
x2
1

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Series

Denition 5.
A series n un is called if the series |un | is
P P
absolutely convergent n
convergent.

Denition 6.
A series n un is called conditionally if it is convergent but
P
convergent
not absolutely convergent.

Theorem 2.
if a series un is absolutely convergent, then it is convergent.
P
n

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Series

Example
∞ cos n
Determine whether is convergent or divergent.
P
3
n=1 n
cos n 1
3 ≤ 3 for all n ≥ 1.
n n
P 1
We know that is convergent (p -series with p = 3) and therefore
P cos n n3
is convergent by the Comparison test. Thus the given series
n n3
P cos n
is absolutely convergent, then convergent by Theorem 2.
n n3

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Series
An alternating series is a series whose terms are alternately positive and
negative. It is of the form
∞
(−1)n un
X

n=1
.
Alternating Series Test (Leibnitz Test)
∞
If the alternating series (−1)n un where un > 0 satises :
P
n=1
the sequence {un } is decreasing for all n,
lim un = 0,
n→+∞
then, the series is convergent.

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Series

Example
∞ (−1)n
satises :
P
2
n=1 n
1
> 0,
n2
1 1 1
{ } is decreasing for all n because < .
n2 (n + 1)2 n2
1
lim = 0.
n→+∞ n2
so the series is convergent by the Alternating Series Test

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Series
Abel's Test
∞
Consider the series an bn , if :
P
n=1
the sequence {an } is monotonic for all n,
lim an = 0,
n→+∞
n
∃M > 0 where
P
bk ≤ M
k=1
∞
then, the series an bn is convergent.
P
n=1

Note
n
P 1 n
P 1
• cos(αk) ≤ α • sin(αk) ≤ α
k=1 sin k=1 sin
2 2
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Series
Example
∞ cos n
Determine whether is convergent by Abel's Test.
P
3
n=1 n
1
We set an = , bn = cos n.
n3
the sequence {an } is decreasing for all n ≥ 1,
1
lim an = lim 3 = 0,
n→+∞ n→+∞ n
n n 1
  = M.
P P
bk = cos(k) ≤
k=1 k=1 1
sin
2
∞ cos n
Then, is convergent by Abel's Test.
P
3
n=1 n

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