Radical Simplification: \sqrt{4^2 + 5^2} = \sqrt{16 + 25} = \sqrt{41}

[tangibleLime]

Homework Statement

Determine whether the series converges or diverges.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I got the correct answer but I'm not sure if my method is correct, or if I made so many mistakes that I ended up with the correct answer. If someone could go over this and tell me if my math is perfect or flawed, that would be fantastic.

First I set up a comparison series. The (7/3) comes from taking the n^7 out of the cubed root.

$$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{n}{n^\frac{7}{3}} = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^\frac{4}{3}}$$

This new series is a convergent p-series since p = (4/3), and (4/3) > 1.

So to test if the original series is also convergent, I have to use either the direct comparison test or the limit test. The limit test looks like it would be a pain to do, so I tried the direct comparison test. Unfortunately, the original series is not less than or equal to the new series, so the direct comparison test would not work. So I used the limit test.

$$\lim_{n \to \infty} | \frac{a_{n}}{b_{n}} |$$

$$\lim_{n \to \infty} | \frac{n^{\frac{4}{3}}*n+2}{\sqrt[3]{n^{7}+n^{2}}} |$$

$$\lim_{n \to \infty} | \frac{n^{\frac{7}{3}}+2}{\sqrt[3]{n^{7}+n^{2}}} |$$

Seeing that the highest power up top is equal to the highest power on bottom (7/3), I used to shortcut that the limit will end up being the ratio of those two coefficients (in this case, 1/1 = 1).

So b_n is >0, the limit is 1, which is a positive, finite number, which confirms that the original series is convergent.

I think the radical is throwing me off... I don't know what to do with it. When I try to take the limit do I divide all the terms by n^7, or n^7/3 since it's under the radical? Or is it fine the way I did it?

 

[Bohrok]

Pull out n^7/3 from the radical, simplify the expression a bit by making the n^7/3's cancel, and then take the limit.

 

[tangibleLime]

Well that's what I'm having difficulty with... pulling terms out of that radical. I've searched the Internet high and low and apparently there is no example of pulling out a term of a radical that is being added.

For example:

$$\sqrt{4^{2}+5^{2}}$$

$$(4^{2}+5^{2})^{1/2}$$

$$4^{2/2}+5^{2/2}$$

$$4^{1}+5^{1}$$

$$4+5$$

$$9$$

And I know that the original definitely does not equal 9, so this can't be a correct method... So I don't really know how I can just pull that n^7 out of that cubed root.

 

[snipez90]

What you reasoned in the original post should be fine. As n grows large, the n^2 term under the radical is insignificant, so the denominator behaves as n^(7/3) and it is clear the ratio a_n / b_n tends to 1. Don't forget to multiply the 2 in the numerator by n^(4/3).

 

[PAllen]

You can also use the comparison test. Just multiply your simple series by e.g. 2. Then for all n greater than some value, the augmented simple series will be larger. This is a common trick you should know.

 

[tangibleLime]

Ahh, makes sense. Thank you all!

 

[jgarci85UIC]

Reply to the algebra question: $\sqrt{4^2 + 5^2}$

$\sqrt{4^2 (1+ \frac{5^2}{4^2})}$

$[4^{2}(1+\frac{5^2}{4^2})]^\frac{1}{2}$

and by the law of exponents

$(a^{m}b^{n})^c = a^{mc}b^{nc}$

$4^{\frac{2}{2}}\sqrt{1+ \frac{5^2}{4^2}}$

Thats it.
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