Calculus 2 - Infinite Series Question - Estimating Series with Positive Terms

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Homework Statement



Consider the following convergent series. Then complete parts a throw d below.

sum[k=1,inf] 5/k^7

a. Find an upper bound for the remainder in terms of n

Homework Equations



Estimating Series with Positive Terms
Let f be a continuous, positive, decreasing function for x >= 1 and let a_k = f(k) for k = 1,2,3,... Let S = sum[k=1,inf] a_k be a convergent series and let S_n = sum[k=1,n] a_k be the sum of the first n terms of the series. The remainder R_n = S - S_n satisfies

R_n <= integral[n,inf] f(x)dx.

Furthermore, the exact value of the series is bounded as follows:

S_n + integral[n+1,inf] f(x)dx <= sum[k=1,inf] a_k <= S_n + integral[n,inf] f(X)dx

The Attempt at a Solution



I'm unsure how to do this problem. I believe that I'm trying to evaluate

S_n + integral[n,inf] f(X)dx

I have no problem find the value of integral[n,inf] f(X)dx
but am not sure how to find the value of S_n. I would now how to find the value of this if I was asked to find upper bound for the error for the first 50 terms, I could then find S_50 by just finding the sum which would be a finite number, but I am unsure how to find the upper bound in this case were I guess I'm trying to find the value of S_n in this case would be S_inf which I'm not sure how to do. Thank's for any help which you can provide me with.
 
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GreenPrint said:

Homework Statement



Consider the following convergent series. Then complete parts a throw d below.

sum[k=1,inf] 5/k^7

a. Find an upper bound for the remainder in terms of n

Homework Equations



Estimating Series with Positive Terms
Let f be a continuous, positive, decreasing function for x >= 1 and let a_k = f(k) for k = 1,2,3,... Let S = sum[k=1,inf] a_k be a convergent series and let S_n = sum[k=1,n] a_k be the sum of the first n terms of the series. The remainder R_n = S - S_n satisfies

R_n <= integral[n,inf] f(x)dx.

Furthermore, the exact value of the series is bounded as follows:

S_n + integral[n+1,inf] f(x)dx <= sum[k=1,inf] a_k <= S_n + integral[n,inf] f(X)dx

The Attempt at a Solution



I'm unsure how to do this problem. I believe that I'm trying to evaluate

S_n + integral[n,inf] f(X)dx

I have no problem find the value of integral[n,inf] f(X)dx
The remainder (or error) is
\int_n^{\infty}f(x)dx = \int_n^{\infty}\frac{dx}{x^7}
GreenPrint said:
but am not sure how to find the value of S_n. I would now how to find the value of this if I was asked to find upper bound for the error for the first 50 terms, I could then find S_50 by just finding the sum which would be a finite number, but I am unsure how to find the upper bound in this case were I guess I'm trying to find the value of S_n in this case would be S_inf which I'm not sure how to do. Thank's for any help which you can provide me with.
 
Well this problem was one of my homework questions which I do online in this program in which I input my answer and it told me I was wrong when I entered 5/6. Have I done something wrong?

5*integral[1,inf] dk/k^7 = 5/6
 
GreenPrint said:
Well this problem was one of my homework questions which I do online in this program in which I input my answer and it told me I was wrong when I entered 5/6. Have I done something wrong?

5*integral[1,inf] dk/k^7 = 5/6
Yes. If you want to estimate the series by using the first 50 terms of the series, the error is
R_{50} = \int_{50}^{\infty}5x^{-7}dx

You have this in your relevant equations, but you must not have thought it to be relevant...
 
Last edited:
Alright well I entered 5/(6n) and it still told me I was wrong.
 
You have been told that an upper bound for the error is
\int_n^\infty \frac{5}{x^7}dx= 5\int_n^\infty x^{-7}dx

What is that? (It is NOT 5/(6n)!)
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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