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Establish convergence or divergence by a comparison test. $$ \sum \frac{1}{e^{n}-n^{e}} $$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The series \( \sum \frac{1}{e^n - n^e} \) converges by comparison with the geometric series \( \sum \frac{1}{e^n} \).

Step by step solution

01

Recognize the Series to Compare

To use the comparison test, we need to find a series that is either known to be convergent or divergent. In this case, consider the series \( \sum \frac{1}{e^n} \), which is a geometric series with a common ratio \( r = \frac{1}{e} < 1 \), and is thus convergent.
02

Formulate the Comparison

We observe that \( e^n - n^e > e^n - e^e \) for sufficiently large \( n \). Hence, \( \frac{1}{e^n - n^e} < \frac{1}{e^n - e^e} \). For large \( n \), \( e^e \) is a constant, so this behaves like \( \frac{1}{e^n} \).
03

Apply the Comparison Test

Since \( \sum \frac{1}{e^n} \) converges and \( \frac{1}{e^n - n^e} < \frac{1}{e^n} \) for sufficiently large \( n \), by the direct comparison test, the series \( \sum \frac{1}{e^n - n^e} \) also converges.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Comparison Test
The comparison test is a powerful tool when determining the convergence or divergence of series. It's particularly useful when you can relate a complex series to a simpler one that you already understand. Here's how the comparison test works:
  • If you have two series, \(\sum a_n\) and \(\sum b_n\), where \(0 \leq a_n \leq b_n\) for all \(n\) beyond a certain point, and if the larger series \(\sum b_n\) is convergent, so is \(\sum a_n\).
  • If \(a_n \geq b_n \geq 0\) and \(\sum b_n\) is divergent, then \(\sum a_n\) is also divergent.

The trick is to find a "comparison series" that's easier to analyze. For the given problem, the series \(\sum \frac{1}{e^n}\) served as the comparison series due to its known convergence properties. This allows us to conclude that the original series is convergent too.
Geometric Series
A geometric series is one of the most straightforward types of series to understand and test for convergence. It takes the form \(\sum ar^n\), where \(a\) is a constant and \(r\) is the common ratio.
  • The series converges if the absolute value of the common ratio \(|r|\) is less than 1.
  • The sum of the infinite geometric series is \(\frac{a}{1-r}\) when \(|r| < 1\).

In the example given in the problem, the series \(\sum \frac{1}{e^n}\) simplifies to a geometric series with a common ratio \(r = \frac{1}{e}\), which is less than 1. This means that the geometric series converges, and thus provides a foundation for using it as a comparison for the more complex series \(\sum \frac{1}{e^n - n^e}\). Geometric series often serve as excellent benchmarks in comparison tests due to their clear convergence criteria.
Direct Comparison Test
The direct comparison test is a specific type of comparison test used to establish convergence by directly comparing two series.Here's how you apply it:
  • Find a series \(\sum b_n\) that you know converges or diverges.
  • Make sure \(0 \leq a_n \leq b_n\) holds for all large \(n\).
  • Using the relationship, deduce convergence or divergence of \(\sum a_n\).

In the exercise provided, we considered the series \(\sum \frac{1}{e^n}\), which is convergent. The series \(\sum \frac{1}{e^n - n^e}\) was shown to be less than a multiple of this known convergent geometric series for large \(n\). This direct comparison, showing \(\frac{1}{e^n - n^e} < \frac{1}{e^n}\), allows us to conclude using the direct comparison test that the more complex series also converges.

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