Centre and Radius of Convergence

In summary, the problem is to find the center and radius of convergence for the series \sum_{n=1}^\infty n(z+i\sqrt{2})^n. Using the ratio test and taking the limit as n approaches infinity, it can be determined that the radius of convergence is 1. Additionally, the center of convergence is located at i\sqrt{2}.
  • #1
Schniz2
19
0

Homework Statement



Find the centre and radius of convergence:
[tex]\stackrel{\infty}{n=1}\sum n.(z+i\sqrt{2})^{n}[/tex]

Homework Equations



1) Ratio test [tex]\left|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_{n}}\right|<1[/tex]

2) Textbook uses [tex]\stackrel{lim}{n-> \infty}\left|\frac{a_{n}}{a_{n+1}}\right|[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



using 1) and taking the limit as n -> infinity i end up with
[tex]\left|z+i\sqrt{2}\right|<1[/tex]
...but then don't know where to go

using 2) i end up with
[tex]\left|\frac{1}{z+i\sqrt{2}}\right|[/tex]
...

:S
 
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  • #2
Will you please double check the problem statement again and make sure that you typed the problem correctly above? It doesn't look right, because everything but the n is a constant. So your series is just a constant times the summation of n, as n goes from 1 to infinity. A power series is a series of the form
[tex]\sum_{n=0}a_n(z-c)^n[/itex]
The an are the coefficients depending on n, and z=c is the center of the power series. You can click on the LaTeX output to see how I entered it.
 
  • #3
sorry, was meant to be to the power 'n' and i had '2'
 
  • #4
Okay, then your power series is
[tex]\sum_{n=1}^\infty n (z+i\sqrt{2})^n.[/tex]
Comparing this with the power series form I wrote previously, this means that [itex]a_n=n[/itex] are the coefficients and [itex]z=-i\sqrt{2}[/itex] is the center. Now to find the radius of convergence for a complex power series, there is a theorem that the radius of convergence R is
[tex]R=\lim_{n\to\infty} \left| \frac{a_n}{a_{n+1}} \right|,[/tex]
if this limit exists. This is what your textbook is using. The first ratio test you listed is something a little different.

Now, can you find the radius of convergence R from here?
 
  • #5
I'm not really sure, the textbook seems to ignore the part containing the 'z' but this confuses me because it is to the power 'n' so i would have thought you would need to include it when finding the limit as 'n' goes to infinity. To make things more confusing our lecturer uses the ratio test formula in all the examples he has given us (which only happens to be 2)... and we don't have any tutorials which i think is pathetic.

If I ignore the brackets to the power 'n' i just get a radius of 1... but this seemed too simple.
If this is the correct answer, how would i go about solving, do i just ignore the z^2n+1

[tex]\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{(2n+1)!} z^{2n+1}[/tex] ?
 
  • #6
Well the point of the theorem I gave, and of what the text no doubts gives, is that it gives a formula for finding the radius of convergence.

The limit in your first problem is 1, so the radius of convergence is 1. That is all there is to it. This means that the power series converges when [itex]|z+i\sqrt{2}|<1[/itex] and diverges when [itex]|z+i\sqrt{2}|>1[/itex].

For your other problem, no you don't ignore that part. Look at the theorem I wrote above and the theorem in your book. Note that it is based upon the power series being given in a certain form. Rewrite the series as
[tex]\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{(2n+1)!} z^{2n+1} = z\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{(2n+1)!} z^{2n}[/tex]
by just factoring out a z.

Now let [itex]w=z^2[/itex]. Then the series (excluding the lone factored z) becomes
[tex]\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{(2n+1)!} z^{2n} = \sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{(2n+1)!} w^n[/tex]
Find the radius of convergence of this series, say R. Then this series converges for |w|<R, but since w=z2, the original series converges for [itex]|z|<\sqrt{R}[/itex]. The factored out z term doesn't really matter, because if the series directly above converges, then z times that series (the original series) also converges.
 
  • #7
Schniz2 said:

Homework Statement



Find the centre and radius of convergence:
[tex]\stackrel{\infty}{n=1}\sum n.(z+i\sqrt{2})^{n}[/tex]

Homework Equations



1) Ratio test [tex]\left|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_{n}}\right|<1[/tex]

2) Textbook uses [tex]\stackrel{lim}{n-> \infty}\left|\frac{a_{n}}{a_{n+1}}\right|[/tex]
Just different ways of looking at the same thing. The ratio test you mention says that a numeric sequence, [itex]\sum a_n[/itex] converges absolutely as long as [itex]|a_{n+1}/a_n|\to a< 1[/itex].

Now apply that to the power sequence \sum a_n (z-z_0)^n: the ratio is [itex]|a_{n+1}(z-z_0)^{n+1}|/|a_n(z-z_0)^n|= |a_{n+a}/a_n||z- z_0|< 1[/itex].

Finally solve for [itex]|z- z_0|[/itex] by dividing both sides by [itex]|a_{n+1}/a_n|[/itex]: [itex]|z- z_0|< |a_{n+1}/a_n|[/itex]

Because you divided both sides by the fraction, in has been inverted.

The Attempt at a Solution



using 1) and taking the limit as n -> infinity i end up with
[tex]\left|z+i\sqrt{2}\right|<1[/tex]
...but then don't know where to go

using 2) i end up with
[tex]\left|\frac{1}{z+i\sqrt{2}}\right|[/tex]
...
No, you don't. In the second form, you are looking only at the limit of the coefficients, without the "[itex](z+ i\sqrt{2})[/itex]". Since the limit of the coefficients is 1, in either case, you get that the radius of convergence is 1.

And since you want [itex]|z- z_0|= |z+ i\sqrt{2}|= |z- (-i\sqrt{2})|[/itex], the center of convergence is [itex]i\sqrt{2}[/itex].

:S
 

1. What is the definition of the center and radius of convergence?

The center of convergence is a point on the complex plane where the power series converges, and the radius of convergence is the distance from the center to the point where the series no longer converges.

2. How can I determine the center and radius of convergence for a given power series?

The center and radius of convergence can be determined by using the ratio test, where the limit of the absolute value of the ratio between consecutive terms in the series is taken. If this limit is less than 1, the series will converge, and the center and radius can be found from the resulting expression.

3. Can a power series have an infinite radius of convergence?

Yes, a power series can have an infinite radius of convergence. This means that the series will converge for all values of the variable and have a center at infinity.

4. What is the significance of the radius of convergence in power series?

The radius of convergence is important because it tells us for which values of the variable the power series will converge. It also allows us to determine the interval of convergence, which is the range of values for which the series will converge.

5. Can the center of convergence be a complex number?

Yes, the center of convergence can be a complex number. In fact, if the coefficients in the power series have complex values, the center of convergence will also be a complex number.

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