Are These Infinite Series Convergent or Divergent?

In summary, the conversation discusses different methods for finding the convergence or divergence of three infinite series and provides alternative solutions for each one. The first series can be solved using the Cauchy condensation test, while the second series can be shown to be convergent using logarithms. The third series can be proven to be convergent using comparison tests and the relationship between square roots and logarithms.
  • #1
horsecandy911
17
0

Homework Statement



I have been straining to find convergence or divergence of a few infinite series. I have tried everything I can think of; ratio test, root test, trying to find a good series for comparison, etc. Here are the formulas for the terms:
#1
1
-------------
(ln(n))^ln(n)

#2
nth root(2) - 1

#3
(k*ln(k))
---------
(k+1)^3


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



For #1, I noticed that it is equivalent to:
(1/ln(n))^ln(n)
That is, we can raise the 1 on top to the ln(n) power also. Since 1/ln(n) < 1, this sort of resembles a convergent geometric series, but I am unsure how to prove convergence

For #2, the limit of terms approaches 0, so nth-term divergence test does not help us. I tried the ratio test but couldn't evaluate the limit of the resulting ratio; same for the root test. Tried Limit Comparison Test with nth root(2) for my second series, but got that the limit of the ratio was 0, which is inconclusive. I can't tell whether it diverges or converges.

For #3, I think that lnk<k^.5 for large k and (k+1)^3 is greater than k^3, so the terms are less than those of k^1.5/k^3 which = 1/k^1.5, which is a convergent p-series. So by the comparison test this would converge, but I am not sure whether I can use that ln(k)<k^.5 or even if its true.

Thanks for reading and helping!
 
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  • #2
For the first one try this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauchy_condensation_test
So the question is does 2^n 1/( ln 2 n^(n ln 2)) converge?
(try to bound 2/n^(ln 2) by some constant which is smaller than 1).

For the second:

2^(1/n)-1 > = 1/n
show this by taking log: 1/n >= log (1+1/n), which is like showing that x>= log(1+x).

The third, I let someone else chip in.
 
  • #3
Thanks for the help!

I think that my solution to #3 is adequate. I'm not sure how to prove that k^.5 > ln(k), but I can see it from the graphs. I also found this alternative for #1:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090318051540AA00Lom

So that is the solution to all the problems.
 
  • #4
If you want to prove \sqrt k > ln k, that you can do by taking derivatives. For k = 1, 2, 3, 4 it is obviously true, and the derivative of \sqrt k is 1/(2 \sqrt k) > 1/k = (ln k)' for k >= 4. So the square root grows faster than the logarithm, and hence must always be greater than it.
 

Related to Are These Infinite Series Convergent or Divergent?

1. What is the definition of a convergent series?

A convergent series is a sequence of numbers that approaches a finite limit as the number of terms increases. In other words, the sum of the terms in the series gets closer and closer to a specific value as more terms are added.

2. How do you determine if an infinite series is convergent or divergent?

To determine if an infinite series is convergent or divergent, you can use various tests such as the ratio test, the root test, or the comparison test. These tests involve examining the behavior of the terms in the series and comparing them to known convergent or divergent series.

3. What is the difference between absolute and conditional convergence?

Absolute convergence refers to a series where the absolute value of each term in the series decreases fast enough that the series converges. Conditional convergence, on the other hand, refers to a series where the absolute value of each term does not decrease fast enough, but the series still converges due to the alternating signs of the terms.

4. Can an infinite series be both convergent and divergent?

No, an infinite series can only be either convergent or divergent. If the series approaches a finite limit, it is convergent. If the series does not approach a limit and instead the terms get larger and larger, it is divergent.

5. What is an example of a divergent series?

An example of a divergent series is the harmonic series, which is given by 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 + ... + 1/n. As n approaches infinity, the terms in this series get smaller, but the series still diverges and does not approach a finite limit.

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