Is the Maclaurin Expansion Valid for Infinite Points?

In summary, a Maclaurin series or Taylor series has an interval of convergence, centered at a. It may converge only at a, or on an interval (a - r, a + r), or over the entire real number line. The series is valid if evaluated at a point within its interval of convergence. A Maclaurin series is a type of Taylor series with a fixed a value of 0. The convergence of a Taylor series can be better understood in complex analysis, as it is limited by the nearest singularity in the complex plane.
  • #1
kidsasd987
143
4
my professor told me any n times differentiable function can be approximated by macularine/taylor expansion.is that true? As far as I know, if the function is approximated at point a, the approximation is valid if we pick a point near a.

however, if we assume that we picked a point of a+infinite=b, how do we know the approximation can we conclude the approximation is valid or not?

For example, if we approximate a function with macularine series, and picked the point b=infinite for x, shouldn't we check the ratio test first?

ex.lima,n→∞(n+1)(a)*(x-a)(n+1)/(n+1)!]/[ƒ(n)(a)*(x-a)(n)/(n)!]

simplyfying this equation gives

lima,n→∞n+1(a)*(xn+1+ ... +an+1)]/[ƒn(a)*(n+1)*(xn...+an]

if it converges for every continuous smooth n time differetiable function, can anyone provie me proof?[/SUB]
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
kidsasd987 said:
my professor told me any n times differentiable function can be approximated by macularine/taylor expansion.
That's Maclaurin...
kidsasd987 said:
is that true? As far as I know, if the function is approximated at point a, the approximation is valid if we pick a point near a.

however, if we assume that we picked a point of a+infinite=b
A Maclaurin series or a Taylor series has an interval of convergence, centered at a. Some series converge only at a, and others converge on an interval (a - r, a + r). Still others converge over the entire real number line.
kidsasd987 said:
, how do we know the approximation can we conclude the approximation is valid or not?
If we're evaluating the series at a point within its interval of convergence.
kidsasd987 said:
For example, if we approximate a function with macularine series, and picked the point b=infinite for x, shouldn't we check the ratio test first?

ex.lima,n→∞(n+1)(a)*(x-a)(n+1)/(n+1)!]/[ƒ(n)(a)*(x-a)(n)/(n)!]if it converges for every continuous smooth n time differetiable function, can anyone provie me proof?
 
  • #3
Mark44 said:
That's Maclaurin...
A Maclaurin series or a Taylor series has an interval of convergence, centered at a. Some series converge only at a, and others converge on an interval (a - r, a + r). Still others converge over the entire real number line.
If we're evaluating the series at a point within its interval of convergence.
yeah.. that was weird cause I found macularine converges but taylor somewhat behaves differently as x,a,n three variables reach to infinity
 
  • #4
kidsasd987 said:
yeah.. that was weird cause I found macularine converges but taylor somewhat behaves differently as x,a,n three variables reach to infinity
A Maclaurin series is a Taylor series. A Taylor series is an infinite polynomial in powers of x - a. A Maclaurin series is an infinite polynomial in powers of x - 0. There is no such thing as a "macularine" series.
kidsasd987 said:
taylor somewhat behaves differently as x,a,n three variables reach to infinity
I have no idea what you're trying to say here. In a Taylor series, a is fixed. If x is outside the interval of convergence then of course the series will fail to converge. The same is true for a Maclaurin series.
 
  • #5
You may have to be patient. You will only be able to completely understand convergence of Taylor series when you start into complex analysis. That is because the radius of convergence of a Taylor series is only as far as the nearest singularity in the complex plane.
 

1. What is a Maclaurin expansion?

A Maclaurin expansion is a mathematical series that approximates a function as an infinite sum of terms. It is a special case of a Taylor series, where the expansion is centered at x=0.

2. How is a Maclaurin expansion calculated?

A Maclaurin expansion is calculated using the derivatives of the function at x=0. The general formula for a Maclaurin series is: f(x) = f(0) + f'(0)x + (f''(0)x^2)/2! + (f'''(0)x^3)/3! + ...

3. What is the purpose of a Maclaurin expansion?

A Maclaurin expansion allows us to approximate a function with a polynomial, making it easier to evaluate and manipulate. It is also useful for finding the behavior of a function near x=0 and can be used in solving differential equations.

4. What is the error in a Maclaurin expansion?

The error in a Maclaurin expansion is the difference between the actual value of the function and the value calculated using the polynomial approximation. It is represented by the remainder term, which decreases as more terms are added to the series.

5. How can we ensure accuracy in a Maclaurin expansion?

To ensure accuracy in a Maclaurin expansion, we can add more terms to the series or use a computer to calculate a larger number of terms. Additionally, we can also use the remainder term to estimate the maximum possible error in our approximation.

Similar threads

Replies
24
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
11
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
791
Replies
1
Views
938
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Calculus
Replies
13
Views
1K
Back
Top