Does the Infinite Series Converge or Diverge? A Problem on Complex Numbers

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
3 replies · 3K views
matpo39
Messages
40
Reaction score
0
i need a little help with this problem:

determine if the infinite series converges or diverges.
summation (from n=1..infinity) {1/(n^2+i^n)}

I first applied the ration test to this series and got

(n+1)^2 + i^(n+1) / [n^2 + i^n]

i then multiplied top and bottom by (n^2 - i^n)
which gave

[{(n+1)^2 + i^(n+1) }* (n^2-i^n) ]/{n^4 - i^2n}

this is where i get stuck, i can't seem to simplify it any further.
if some one can give me some advice on it, it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
the ratio test is the best way to do it. but when you've got an expression like

[tex]\frac{(n+1)^2+c}{n^2+d}[/tex]

all you need to do is divide every term by n^2.
 
Also don't forget that it is the limit of the absolute value of the ratio that counts.
 
I don't think the ratio test works here. A simple comparison (of the terms' absolute values) seems to work better.
 
Last edited: