Undergrad Cauchy's Integral Test for Convergence

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion focuses on proving the inequality $$ \sum_{1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^{2} + 1} < \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{4}\pi $$ using Cauchy's Integral Test for Convergence. The user explores the concept of decreasing functions and their limits, specifically defining $$ V_{\nu} $$ and its constraints. The discussion concludes with the user seeking clarification on the inclusion of the term $$ f(0) $$ to achieve the desired equality, ultimately leading to the result $$ 1 + 0.281 - 0.153 = 1.128 $$.

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  • Understanding of Cauchy's Integral Test for Convergence
  • Familiarity with limits and convergence in calculus
  • Knowledge of series and summation notation
  • Basic understanding of integral calculus
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samgrace
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Hello,

I am want to prove that: $$ \sum_{1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^{2} + 1} < \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{4}\pi $$

Cauchy's Convergence Integral

If a function decreases as n tends to get large, say f(x), we can obtain decreasing functions of x, such that:

$$ f(\nu - 1) \geqslant f(x) \geqslant f(\nu) $$

where

$$ {\nu - 1 \leqslant x \leqslant \nu} $$

we then let:

$$ V_{\nu} = f(\nu-1) - \int^{\nu}_{\nu-1} f(x) .dx = \int^{\nu}_{\nu-1} f(\nu-1) - f(x) .dx $$

to give the values of the constraints;

$$ 0 \leqslant V_{\nu} \leqslant f(\nu-1) - f(\nu) $$

My understanding of this is that V sub nu is a value of the limit for each evaluated interval, thus it would be less than the evaluation itself. The next step is

We take the sum of V sub nu, and this should have the constraint;

$$ V_{2} + V_{3} + ... + V_{n} \leqslant f(1) - f(n) \leqslant f(1) $$

Which is in my attempt, then the final part which I think I'm not understand correctly:

V sub nu is then convergent to a positive limit as n -> infinity:

$$ \sum_{1}^{n-1} V_{\nu} - \int^{n}_{1} f(x) .dx \leqslant f(1)$$

thus as the function decreases as n tends to get large:

$$ f(1) + f(2) + ... + f(n) $$

It may or may not converge, just as:

$$ \int^{n}_{1} f(x) .dx $$

does or does not tend to the limit l as n --> infinity.

then

Of which I can't get the equality displayed at the start. My attempt

With values for nu:

$$ \nu = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 $$

with the x between the integer increment to be half the interval:

$$ x = 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5. $$

I obtained values for the limit of each interval evaluation:

$$ V_{1} = 0.2 \\ V_{2}= 0.19 \\ V_{3} = 0.06 \\ V_{4} = 0.02 \\ V_{5} = 0.011 $$

Then the constraint:

$$ V_{2} + V_{3} + V_{n} \leqslant f(1) - f(n) \leqslant f(1) $$

holds as;

$$ 0.281 \leqslant 0.4615 \leqslant 0.5 $$

So the intergrand taken for n=x=5:

$$ \sum_{1}^{n-1} V_{\nu} - \int^{n}_{1} f(x) .dx $$

equals:

$$ 0.281 - 0.153 = 0.128 $$

Where

$$ \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{4}\pi = 1.128 $$

Can anyone tell me where the one comes in? I thought it was the the truncated series of V sub nu.

It works if you add in the f(0) term:

$$ f(0) + \sum_{1}^{n-1} V_{\nu} - \int^{n}_{1} f(x) .dx \leqslant f(1) $$

$$ 1 + 0.281 - 0.153 = 1.128 $$I hope this makes sense and someone can clarify the limits to me.
 
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Since you haven't gotten that many replies so far I thought I add another way of showing the inequality. I can't help you with the method you're using.

##\sum_1^\infty \frac{1}{n^2+1} \le -\frac{1}{2}+\sum_1^\infty \frac{1}{n^2}##
where the last sum is well known https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basel_problem
 
The exact answer is ##\frac{\pi}{2}\text{coth}(\pi)## by the way. That doesn't help, but it's neat to know.
 
Relativistic Momentum, Mass, and Energy Momentum and mass (...), the classic equations for conserving momentum and energy are not adequate for the analysis of high-speed collisions. (...) The momentum of a particle moving with velocity ##v## is given by $$p=\cfrac{mv}{\sqrt{1-(v^2/c^2)}}\qquad{R-10}$$ ENERGY In relativistic mechanics, as in classic mechanics, the net force on a particle is equal to the time rate of change of the momentum of the particle. Considering one-dimensional...

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