Chapter 9: Problem 4
Indicate whether the given series converges or diverges. If it converges, find its sum. $$ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\left[5\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{k}-3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{k+1}\right] $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The series converges, and its sum is \(\frac{69}{14}\).
Step by step solution
01
Identify the series components
The given series is \[\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\left[5\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{k}-3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{k+1}\right]\]This is a combination of two geometric series:1. \[\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} 5\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{k}\]2. \[\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} 3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{k+1}\]We will evaluate each series separately to check for convergence and sum.
02
Analyze the first series
The first series is \[\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} 5\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{k}\]. This represents a geometric series with first term \(a = 5 \cdot \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2}\) and common ratio \(r = \frac{1}{2}\). Since \(|r| < 1\), the series converges. The sum of this geometric series is given by:\[S_1 = \frac{a}{1-r} = \frac{\frac{5}{2}}{1-\frac{1}{2}} = \frac{\frac{5}{2}}{\frac{1}{2}} = 5\]
03
Analyze the second series
The second series is \[\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} 3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{k+1}\]. Rewrite the expression to start from \(k = 2\):\[\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} 3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{k+1} = \sum_{k=2}^{\infty} 3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{k}\]This represents a geometric series with the first term \(a = 3\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^2 = \frac{3}{49}\) and common ratio \(r = \frac{1}{7}\). Since \(|r| < 1\), the series converges. The sum is given by:\[S_2 = \frac{a}{1-r} = \frac{\frac{3}{49}}{1-\frac{1}{7}} = \frac{\frac{3}{49}}{\frac{6}{7}} = \frac{3}{42} = \frac{1}{14}\]
04
Combine the results
Now that we have the sums of both series, we combine them to find the sum of the original series:\[S = S_1 - S_2 = 5 - \frac{1}{14} = \frac{70}{14} - \frac{1}{14} = \frac{69}{14}\]Therefore, the series converges, and its sum is \(\frac{69}{14}\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Convergence
Understanding convergence is essential when dealing with infinite series. When a series converges, it means that as you keep adding more and more terms, the total sum approaches a specific finite number. In our problem, we have a series which is a combination of two separate geometric series. For a geometric series
- The sequence is described by an initial term and a common ratio.
- The series converges if the absolute value of the common ratio is less than 1.
Series Sum
Once a series is known to converge, we can calculate its sum. The sum of a converging geometric series is given by the formula \( S = \frac{a}{1-r} \), where \( a \) is the first term, and \( r \) is the common ratio.
- For the first geometric series in the problem, the first term is \( \frac{5}{2} \), and the common ratio is \( \frac{1}{2} \), resulting in a sum of 5.
- The second geometric series has a first term of \( \frac{3}{49} \) and a common ratio of \( \frac{1}{7} \), leading to a sum of \( \frac{1}{14} \).
Common Ratio
The common ratio is a critical element of a geometric series. It is the factor you multiply by to get from one term to the next. Recognizing the common ratio helps determine whether a series converges and aids in calculating the sum.
- A geometric series with a common ratio \( |r| < 1 \) means each successive term gets smaller, ensuring convergence.
- If \( |r| = 1 \), the series keeps oscillating or growing without settling, leading to divergence.
- In our exercise, the common ratios \( \frac{1}{2} \) and \( \frac{1}{7} \) for the two series fall within the convergence threshold.