206.11.3.12 write the power series

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the Maclaurin series for the function \( \ln(6x + 1) \), including determining the first four non-zero terms, expressing the series in sigma notation, and establishing the interval of convergence. Participants explore the steps involved in deriving the series and express uncertainty about certain calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants present the first four non-zero terms of the Maclaurin series for \( \ln(6x + 1) \) as \( 6x - 18x^2 + 72x^3 - 324x^4 \).
  • There is a proposal to express the power series using sigma notation, with some participants suggesting it resembles a geometric series, while others argue it does not fit that classification.
  • Concerns are raised about the interval of convergence, particularly regarding the point \( x = -\frac{1}{6} \) where the function value becomes undefined, leading to questions about whether this point should be included in the interval.
  • Some participants express confusion about the calculations and the steps involved, particularly in parts b) and c) of the problem.
  • One participant suggests a proof by induction for the coefficients of the series, while another questions the correctness of the proposed interval of convergence.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the form of the first four terms of the series, but there is disagreement regarding the correct expression in sigma notation and the interval of convergence. The discussion remains unresolved on these points.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note missing assumptions, such as the value of \( a \) in the series expansion, and express uncertainty about the calculations leading to the interval of convergence. There are also unresolved questions about the behavior of the series at the endpoints of the interval.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in series expansions, particularly in the context of logarithmic functions, and those studying convergence criteria in power series may find this discussion beneficial.

karush
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$\textsf{a. Find the first four nozero terms of the Maciaurin series for the given function} \\$
\begin{align}
f^0(x)&=\ln{ (6 x + 1)} &\therefore f^0(a)&=0\\
f^1(x)&=\frac{6}{(6 x + 1)} &\therefore f^1(a)&=6\\
f^2(x)&= \frac{-36}{(6 x + 1)^2} &\therefore f^2(a)&=-36\\
f^3(x)&= \frac{432}{(6 x + 1)^3} &\therefore f^3(a)&=432\\
f^4(x)&= \frac{-7776}{(6 x + 1)^4} &\therefore f^3(a)&=-7776\\
\end{align}
\begin{align}
&=\frac{0}{0!}(x-a)^0 +\frac{6}{1!}(x-a)^1+
\frac{-36}{2!}(x-a)^2+\frac{432}{3!}(x-a)^3
+\frac{-7776}{4!}(x-a)^4\\
\ln{ (6 x + 1)}&\approx 6x-18x^{2}+72x^{3}-324x^{4}
\end{align}
$\textsf{b. write the power series using $\sigma$ notation.} \\$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
f(x)&=\frac{1}{1-x}=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}x^k, \textsf{ for } |x|<1 \\
&=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}(6x)^{(k+1)}
\end{align}
$\textsf{c.Determine the interval of convergence of the series.} \\$
\begin{align}
IOC&=\left[-\frac{1}{6},\frac{1}{6}\right]
\end{align}

$\textit{not sure about this too many steps !}$
 
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karush said:
$\textsf{a. Find the first four nozero terms of the Maciaurin series for the given function} \\$
\begin{align}
f^0(x)&=\ln{ (6 x + 1)} &\therefore f^0(a)&=0\\
f^1(x)&=\frac{6}{(6 x + 1)} &\therefore f^1(a)&=6\\
f^2(x)&= \frac{-36}{(6 x + 1)^2} &\therefore f^2(a)&=-36\\
f^3(x)&= \frac{432}{(6 x + 1)^3} &\therefore f^3(a)&=432\\
f^4(x)&= \frac{-7776}{(6 x + 1)^4} &\therefore f^3(a)&=-7776\\
\end{align}
\begin{align}
&=\frac{0}{0!}(x-a)^0 +\frac{6}{1!}(x-a)^1+
\frac{-36}{2!}(x-a)^2+\frac{432}{3!}(x-a)^3
+\frac{-7776}{4!}(x-a)^4\\
\ln{ (6 x + 1)}&\approx 6x-18x^{2}+72x^{3}-324x^{4}
\end{align}
$\textsf{b. write the power series using $\sigma$ notation.} \\$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
f(x)&=\frac{1}{1-x}=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}x^k, \textsf{ for } |x|<1 \\
&=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}(6x)^{(k+1)}
\end{align}
$\textsf{c.Determine the interval of convergence of the series.} \\$
\begin{align}
IOC&=\left[-\frac{1}{6},\frac{1}{6}\right]
\end{align}

$\textit{not sure about this too many steps !}$
I'm assuming a = 0.

For b) work out a few terms of your series. They don't match the approximation.

For c) x = -1/6 gives f(0) = ln(0). Can we do that?

-Dan
 
didn't seem to say what a= was so i used 0,

not sure how to do b. thot i was following an example but 😰

didn't understand your Q on c.
 
karush said:
didn't seem to say what a= was so i used 0,

not sure how to do b. thot i was following an example but 😰

didn't understand your Q on c.
b) Your summand doesn't give the correct series. Let's look at it this way. We have the series (which we don't know in advance if it's arithmetic, geometric, or something else. The coefficients are 6, -18, 72, -324,... What's the pattern here? Once you have that, you should be able to prove it pretty easily.

c) Your interval of convergence contains the point x = -1/6. This means your function value f(-1/6) = ln(0). But can we calculate ln(0)? So is -1/6 in the interval of convergence? (By the way I haven't checked to see if your interval is correct in general. I've been lazy.)

-Dan
 
topsquark said:
b) The coefficients are 6, -18, 72, -324,...
\begin{array}
\displaystyle
& (6)(1)(1)&+(6)(3)(-1)&+(6)(12)(1)&+(6)(54)(-1) \\
&6 &-18 &+72 &-324
\end{array}
$\textsf{got this far but...}$
 
a. is correct.

b. It's not a geometric series. It has coefficients (before you divided out the factorial(s))

$$6\cdot0!\over1!$$
$$-6^2\cdot1!\over2!$$
$$6^3\cdot2!\over3!$$
$$-6^4\cdot3!\over4!$$
$$6^5\cdot4!\over5!$$
$$\vdots$$

In sigma notation,

$$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{x^n\cdot6^n\cdot(-1)^{n+1}\cdot(n-1)!}{n!}$$

(Nerd) I'm wondering about a proof by induction. (Wondering)

I'll let you refine the above (if you are so inclined) and complete c.
 
karush said:
$\textsf{a. Find the first four nozero terms of the Maciaurin series for the given function} \\$
\begin{align}
f^0(x)&=\ln{ (6 x + 1)} &\therefore f^0(a)&=0\\
f^1(x)&=\frac{6}{(6 x + 1)} &\therefore f^1(a)&=6\\
f^2(x)&= \frac{-36}{(6 x + 1)^2} &\therefore f^2(a)&=-36\\
f^3(x)&= \frac{432}{(6 x + 1)^3} &\therefore f^3(a)&=432\\
f^4(x)&= \frac{-7776}{(6 x + 1)^4} &\therefore f^3(a)&=-7776\\
\end{align}
\begin{align}
&=\frac{0}{0!}(x-a)^0 +\frac{6}{1!}(x-a)^1+
\frac{-36}{2!}(x-a)^2+\frac{432}{3!}(x-a)^3
+\frac{-7776}{4!}(x-a)^4\\
\ln{ (6 x + 1)}&\approx 6x-18x^{2}+72x^{3}-324x^{4}
\end{align}
$\textsf{b. write the power series using $\sigma$ notation.} \\$
\begin{align}
\displaystyle
f(x)&=\frac{1}{1-x}=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}x^k, \textsf{ for } |x|<1 \\
&=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}(6x)^{(k+1)}
\end{align}
$\textsf{c.Determine the interval of convergence of the series.} \\$
\begin{align}
IOC&=\left[-\frac{1}{6},\frac{1}{6}\right]
\end{align}

$\textit{not sure about this too many steps !}$

Notice that $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}\,\left[ \ln{ \left( 6\,x + 1 \right) } \right] = \frac{6}{6\,x + 1} \end{align*}$ and

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{6}{6\,x + 1} &= 6\,\left( \frac{1}{1 + 6\,x} \right) \\ &= 6\,\left[ \frac{1}{1 - \left( -6\,x \right) } \right] \\ &= 6\sum_{n = 0}^{\infty}{ \left( -6\,x \right) ^n } \textrm{ for } \left| -6\,x \right| < 1 \\ &= 6\sum_{n = 0}^{\infty}{ \left( -1 \right) ^n\, 6^n\,x^n } \textrm{ for } 6\left| x \right| < 1 \\ &= \sum_{n = 0}^{\infty}{\left( -1 \right) ^n \,6^{n+1}\,x^n} \textrm{ for } \left| x \right| < \frac{1}{6} \end{align*}$

so that means

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \int{ \frac{6}{6\,x + 1}\,\mathrm{d}x } &= \int{ \sum_{n = 0}^{\infty}{ \left( -1 \right) ^n\,6^{n+1}\,x^n }\,\mathrm{d}x } \\ \ln{ \left( 6\,x + 1 \right) } + C &= \sum_{n = 0}^{\infty}{ \frac{\left( -1 \right) ^n\,6^{n+1}\,x^{n+1}}{n+1} } \end{align*}$

If we let $\displaystyle \begin{align*} x = 0 \end{align*}$ it should be obvious that $\displaystyle \begin{align*} C = 0 \end{align*}$, thus

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \ln{ \left( 6\,x + 1 \right) } &= \sum_{n = 0}^{\infty}{ \frac{\left( -1 \right) ^n\,6^{n+1}\,x^{n+1}}{n+1} } \textrm{ for } \left| x \right| < \frac{1}{6} \\ &= 6\,x - 18\,x^2 + 72\,x^3 - 324\,x^4 + \dots \textrm{ for } \left| x \right| < \frac{1}{6} \end{align*}$Now a small side note, even though we know the radius of convergence of this series is the same as the geometric series we started with, we know nothing about the endpoints yet (as this is where the ratio test would give the inconclusive answer of 1) so now you need to substitute in $\displaystyle \begin{align*} x = -\frac{1}{6} \end{align*}$ and $\displaystyle \begin{align*} x = \frac{1}{6} \end{align*}$ and test the convergence of each resulting series.
 
wow, thanks everyone that was great help

i asked some others but they couldn't help
get my best input here

we had to move on to the next section but still need to do more of these series.
 

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