Chapter 9: Problem 42
Use the limit comparison test to determine whether the series converges or diverges.$$\sum \frac{n+1}{n^{2}+2}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The series diverges.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Series
We are given the series \( \sum \frac{n+1}{n^{2}+2} \). Our task is to determine whether this series converges or diverges using the limit comparison test.
02
Select a Comparison Series
To apply the limit comparison test, we need to choose a known series to compare with. We choose the series \( b_n = \frac{1}{n} \) for our comparison because the highest degrees in the numerator and denominator of our original series suggest it behaves similarly to \( \frac{1}{n} \).
03
Apply the Limit Comparison Test
The limit comparison test states that for two series \( \sum a_n \) and \( \sum b_n \), if \( \lim_{{n \to \infty}} \frac{a_n}{b_n} = c \) where \( c \) is a positive finite number, then both series either converge or diverge together. Calculate the limit:\[ c = \lim_{{n \to \infty}} \frac{\frac{n+1}{n^{2}+2}}{\frac{1}{n}} = \lim_{{n \to \infty}} \frac{n(n+1)}{n^{2}+2} = \lim_{{n \to \infty}} \frac{n^2 + n}{n^2 + 2} \]Simplifying, this becomes:\[ c = \lim_{{n \to \infty}} \frac{1 + \frac{1}{n}}{1 + \frac{2}{n^2}} = \frac{1}{1} = 1 \]
04
Conclusion Based on Limit
Since \( c = 1 \), which is a positive finite number, the limit comparison test concludes that both \( \sum \frac{n+1}{n^{2}+2} \) and \( \sum \frac{1}{n} \) behave the same. The series \( \sum \frac{1}{n} \) is a harmonic series, which is known to diverge. Therefore, the original series \( \sum \frac{n+1}{n^{2}+2} \) also diverges.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Convergence
Convergence of a series is one of the foundational concepts in calculus and analysis. A series converges when the sum of its terms approaches a finite number as the number of terms increases indefinitely. When a series converges:
- You can think of the terms settling into a sort of balance, leading to a specific sum.
- This behavior is important in fields like physics and engineering, where stability and predictability are crucial.
Divergence
Divergence, as opposed to convergence, describes the behavior where the sum of a series' terms does not settle into a specific finite number. Instead, it grows indefinitely. Some key characteristics of divergence include:
- The series can overall increase without bound or oscillate without settling into a pattern.
- Divergent series are often less useful directly in real-world applications but can be understood to extract valuable information.
Harmonic Series
The harmonic series, expressed as \(\sum \frac{1}{n}\), is a classic example in the study of series, important due to its clear divergent nature. Though each term gets smaller as \(n\) increases, the series as a whole does not converge. A few notes about the harmonic series:
- The series has historical importance, being studied since ancient Greek times and featuring prominently in mathematical analysis.
- It helps illustrate the idea that a series can have diminishing terms yet still diverge.