Is this the formal way of comparing series?

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Homework Statement



Determine whether \sum_{n=2}^{\infty}\frac{1}{n^2 \ln(n)} converge or diverge.

The Attempt at a Solution



If you are a marker, what is the formal work you want to see? This is how I would write it on my paper

Imagine below is a paper

\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}\frac{1}{n^2 \ln(n)} < \sum_{n=2}^{\infty}\frac{1}{n^2 }

\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}\frac{1}{n^2 } is a p-series with p > 1, so it converges and by the comparison test, \sum_{n=2}^{\infty}\frac{1}{n^2 \ln(n)} must also converge
 
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I think you meant that your p-series converges.
 
SammyS said:
I think you meant that your p-series converges.

Yes...*goes fixing*

Why do I keep making these mistakes lol, it's like my physics final two days ago...
 
You have the general idea. But, for full credit, you need to note that your presumed termwise comparison

<br /> \frac{1}{n^2 \ln(n)} &lt; \frac{1}{n^2 }<br />

is not true when n = 2 and observe that that doesn't matter.
 
I would rather see \frac{1}{n^2 \ln(n)} &lt; \frac{1}{n^2 }\,,\text{ for } n &gt; 1\ .<br />
 
So don't write the summation, just write out the term, an and bn
 
Yes, compare terms.
 
Actually wait, LCKurtz made a good point, just because one term is bigger, doesn't mean the sum is. So it doesn't matter in the end right?
 
But if each term of one series is larger than each corresponding term in the other series, and they're all positive ...
 
  • #10
SammyS said:
But if each term of one series is larger than each corresponding term in the other series, and they're all positive ...

But it isn't, not for n = 2. Easily taken care of but it requires mentioning.
 
  • #11
Point well taken.
 

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