MATHEMATICS 201-NYB-05

Integral Calculus
Martin Huard
Winter 2012

XXII Alternating Series, Absolute
Convergence and the Ratio Test

1. Determine whether the alternating series converges or diverges.
a)
( ) 1
2 1
1
k
k
k

+
=

b)
( )
1
2
1
1
k
k
k
+

c)
( ) 1
5
1
k
k
k

d) ( )
1
1
3
1
1
k
k
k
k

+
+
+
=

e)
( )
2
1
1
1
k
k
k
k

+
=

f)
( )
( )
1
ln 2
1
k
k
k

+
=

2. Show that the series is convergent. Then approximate the sum using the first n terms, and
give the maximum error in your approximation.
a)
( )
1
4
1
1
k
k
k
+

3 n =
b) ( )
3
8
1
5
k
k

4 n =
c)
( )
2
1
10
1
k
k
k
k

5 n =
d)
( )
1
1
2 !
1
k
k
k
k

4 n =

3. Determine whether each series converges absolutely, conditionally or diverges.
a) ( )
2
2
5
1
k
k
k

b)
( ) 1 5
2
1
k k
k
k
k

c)
( )
2
4
1
k
k
k

d)
!
3
1
n
n
n

e)
2
1
!
1
k
k
k

+
=

f)
( )
5
3 !
1
k
k
k

g)
( )
2
1
5
1
k
k
k
k

+
=

h)
( )
3
2 !
!
1
n
n n
n

+
=

i)
( )
( )
1
1
ln 2
1
k
k
k
+

+
=

j) ( )
2
3
1
k
k
k

k)
( )
( )
2 4 6 2
1 4 7 3 2
1
k
k
k

l)
( )
( )
1 !
1 3 5 2 1
1
k
k
k
k

m)
( )
( )
1
( 1)ln 1
1
k
k k
k

+ +
=

n)
( ) 1
1
1
k
k k
k

+ +
=

o)
( )
1 2 1
2
1 3
1
1
k k
k
k
+

+
=

p) ( )
1
1
k
k
k
ke

q)
( ) ( )
2
1 2
1
k
k
k k
k

+
+
=

r)
( ) ( ) 1 cos
1
k
k
k
k
t

s)
( ) 2
1
k
k
k

t)
( )
2
2
2
1
k
k
k

+
=

u)
( ) 1 ln
1
k
k
k
k

v) ( )
2 1
5
1
n
n
n
n

+
=

w)
( )
( )
4
3 813 5 2
1
n
n
n

x) ( )
2
3
2 1
5
1
n
n
n
n

+
=

y)
1 1 1
3! 5! 7!
1 ... + + z)
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 1 2
2 2 5 2 5 8 2 5 811
...


+ + + +
Math NYB XXII Alternating Series and the Ratio Test
Winter 2012 Martin Huard 2
4. Use any appropriate method to decide whether each series converges or diverges.
a)
1
arctan
k
k

b)
2
4 3
1
k
k
k

c)
2
2
!
1
k
k
k
k

d) 3
1
3
1
k
k k
k

e) 2
ln
1
k
k
k

f)
2
!
1
k
k
k

g)
( )
1
3
5
1
k
k
k
k
+

h)
( ) 1
1
1
k
k
k
k

+
=

i)
2
4
1
1
k
k
k

+
=

j)
1
2
1
k
e
k
k

k)
1
1
5
1
k
k

l)
2
2
3
5
1
k
k
k

m)
9 16 25 36 1 4
2 9 28 65 126 217
+ + + n)
17 1713 171319 1
2 2 4 2 4 6 2 4 6 8


+ + + +
o)
( )
5
ln
2
n
n
n
n

Answers
1. a) Converges b) Converges c) Converges
d) Diverges e) Diverges f) Converges
2. a)
1231 1
3 1296 256
, s R ~ s b)
5475 1215
4 4096 32768
, s R

~ s
c)
1353 9
5 20000 250000
, s R

~ s d)
151 1
4 384 3840
, s R ~ s
3. a) Converges absolutely b) Diverges c) Diverges
d) Diverges e) Converges absolutely f) Converges absolutely
g) Converges conditionally h) Diverges i) Converges conditionally
j) Converges absolutely k) Converges absolutely l) Converges absolutely
m) Converges conditionally n) Converges conditionally o) Diverges
p) Converges absolutely q) Converges conditionally r) Diverges
s) Diverges t) Diverges u) Converges Conditionally
v) Diverges w) Converges absolutely x) Converges absolutely
y) Converges absolutely z) Converges absolutely
4. a) Diverges b) Converges c) Converges d) Converges
e) Converges f) Converges g) Converges h) Converges
i) Diverges j) Converges k) Diverges l) Diverges
m) Converges n) Diverges o) Converges