Struggling with Series Convergence Tests?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around series convergence tests, specifically the comparison test and the alternating series test. The original poster presents several series for analysis and expresses difficulty in applying these tests to determine convergence or divergence.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss strategies for selecting appropriate comparison series and explore the behavior of functions like sin(x) as x approaches zero. Questions about understanding the underlying methods are raised, particularly regarding the comparison test and geometric series.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided hints and guidance on how to approach specific series, while others are still working through their understanding of the tests. There is an ongoing exploration of different series and their characteristics, with no explicit consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

The original poster has indicated a lack of prior work on the problems, which may affect the depth of the discussion. The conversation includes references to specific series and the challenges of finding suitable comparisons.

G01
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Hey everyone, I have some problems here involving the comparision test and Alternating series tests for series. I've solved most but there are about five I'm lost on. All I'm asking for is a couple hints. Thanks there's only one alternating series question so I'll put that first.

AST:
[tex]\sum^{\infty}_{n=1} (-1)^nsin(\pi/n)[/tex]

Comparison or Limit Comparison:

[tex]\sum^{\infty}_{n=2} \frac{n^2+1}{n^3-1}[/tex]

[tex]\sum^{\infty}_{n=1} \frac{1}{n!}[/tex]

[tex]\sum^{infty}_{n=1} \sin(\frac{1}{n})[/tex]

OK and this last one :

[tex]\sum^{\infty}_{n=1} \frac{5+2n}{(1+n^2)^2}[/tex]
I know I don't have any work but I'm stuck on these five. All I'm asking for is a couple hints thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
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You can do a little work. Do you understand these methods? Where exactly are you getting stuck?
 
Alright for the comparison or limit test problems I get stuck trying to find the series to compare it too. Is there any advice that makes picking a comarison series easier? I'l work on these a little more and post what I get.
 
Yeah I got the answer for the first comparison test question, that is divergent I ended up comparing it to N^2/N^3.
 
OK, that works. The same idea for works for the last one. For the sin(1/n) one, consider what sin(x) looks like as x->0. For the n! one, think geometric series.
 
OK, got the last one. I multiplied out the denominator and then found a comparison. Still stuck on the sin and factorial ones tough.
 
Last edited:
So... do you know what sin(x) looks like as x->0 or what a geometric series is?
 

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