Trying to find interval of convergence for a geometric series

In summary, the conversation discusses finding the interval of convergence for the given series, which is determined to be ##-1/\sqrt{15}<x<1/\sqrt{15}## due to the properties of geometric series.
  • #1
skyturnred
118
0

Homework Statement



here is the series:

[itex]\sum^{\infty}_{n=0}[/itex]x(-15(x[itex]^{2}[/itex]))[itex]^{n}[/itex]

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I know that

-1<-15x[itex]^{2}[/itex]<1 for convergence (because of geometric series properties)

but I run into a problem here:

-1/15<x[itex]^{2}[/itex]<1/15

You can't take the square root of a negative number.. so is the interval of convergence just

[0,(1/15)[itex]^{1/2}[/itex])?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
skyturnred said:
f geometric series properties)

but I run into a problem here:

-1/15<x[itex]^{2}[/itex]<1/15

You can't take the square root of a negative number.. so is the interval of convergence just

[0,(1/15)[itex]^{1/2}[/itex])?

Thanks

No. The left side of that inequality is free so you just have ##x^2<1/15##. When you take the square root of both sides remember ##\sqrt{x^2}=|x|## so you get ##|x|<1/\sqrt{15}## which is ##-1/\sqrt{15}<x<1/\sqrt{15}##.
 
  • #3
OK Thanks!
 

1. What is a geometric series?

A geometric series is a series of numbers where each term is multiplied by a constant ratio to get the next term. It follows the form a + ar + ar^2 + ar^3 + ..., where a is the first term and r is the constant ratio.

2. How do you determine the interval of convergence for a geometric series?

The interval of convergence for a geometric series can be determined by using the ratio test. This test compares the absolute value of each term to the next term in the series. If the ratio is less than 1, the series will converge. The interval of convergence will be from the starting value to the ending value of the series.

3. What happens if the ratio is equal to 1 in the ratio test?

If the ratio is equal to 1, then the series may converge or diverge. In this case, the ratio test is inconclusive and other tests, such as the root test or the integral test, must be used to determine convergence.

4. Can the interval of convergence for a geometric series be infinite?

Yes, it is possible for the interval of convergence for a geometric series to be infinite. This occurs when the constant ratio, r, is greater than 1. In this case, the series will diverge to infinity.

5. How do you handle negative values in a geometric series?

If the ratio, r, is negative, the absolute value of r will be used in the ratio test. This is because the absolute value will give the same result as squaring a negative number. The interval of convergence will still be determined using the absolute value of r.

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