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Use any method to determine whether the series converges. $$\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k^{2}}{5^{k}}$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The series converges by the Ratio Test.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the series

The series is given by \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k^{2}}{5^{k}} \). This series has terms of the form \( \frac{k^{2}}{5^{k}} \) where \( k \) is a positive integer.
02

Apply the Ratio Test

We use the Ratio Test to determine if the series converges. Define \( a_k = \frac{k^2}{5^k} \). The Ratio Test requires us to find \( \lim_{k \to \infty} \left| \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} \right| \).
03

Calculate the Ratio

\[ a_{k+1} = \frac{(k+1)^2}{5^{k+1}} \] So the ratio \( \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} \) becomes:\[ \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} = \frac{(k+1)^2}{5^{k+1}} \times \frac{5^k}{k^2} = \frac{(k+1)^2}{5k^2} \]
04

Simplify and Take the Limit

We take the limit of the ratio as \( k \rightarrow \infty \):\[ \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{(k+1)^2}{5k^2} \] This simplifies to:\[ \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{k^2 + 2k + 1}{5k^2} = \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{1 + \frac{2}{k} + \frac{1}{k^2}}{5} = \frac{1}{5} \]
05

Apply Ratio Test Conclusion

Since \( \lim_{k \to \infty} \left| \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} \right| = \frac{1}{5} < 1 \), by the Ratio Test, the series \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k^2}{5^k} \) converges.

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Key Concepts

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

Convergent series
A convergent series is a sequence of terms whose sum approaches a specific finite value as more terms are added. When a series converges, it means that as you add more and more terms, the total sum of the series stabilizes at a particular number, rather than growing infinitely or oscillating without settling. For example, in the series \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k^{2}}{5^{k}} \), we found that the series converges using the Ratio Test.

This means:
  • Adding up infinitely many terms of \( \frac{k^{2}}{5^{k}} \) will settle at a specific sum.
  • Even though there are infinitely many terms, each term's contribution becomes negligibly small.
  • The sum stabilizes rather than diverging to infinity or showing erratic behavior.
Understanding convergent series is crucial in mathematical analysis because it helps us evaluate infinite processes and their real-world applications.
Series convergence
Series convergence involves checking if the infinite sum of terms approaches a finite limit. There are several tests to determine this, one of which is the Ratio Test used in our exercise.

Here's a quick overview of the Ratio Test approach:
  • The Ratio Test involves comparing the ratio of consecutive terms \( \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} \) as \( k \to \infty \).
  • If the absolute value of this limit is less than 1, the series converges.
  • If it's greater than 1, the series diverges, and if it equals 1, the test is inconclusive.
In our case, for the series \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k^{2}}{5^{k}} \), the limit of the ratio is \( \frac{1}{5} \), indicating convergence since it's less than 1. The Ratio Test is a powerful tool for analyzing series since it gives a clear-cut criterion for convergence.
Limit of a sequence
The limit of a sequence is the value that terms of the sequence get closer to as the sequence progresses. In mathematical terms, if \( a_k \) is a term in the sequence, as \( k \to \infty \), \( a_k \) approaches the limit. This concept is fundamental when dealing with series and their convergence.

Here's how the limit applies:
  • For \( a_k = \frac{k^2}{5^k} \), the limit of the sequence in the Ratio Test calculation was \( \frac{1}{5} \).
  • This limit helped determine the behavior of the series, showing it converged when assessed against the Ratio Test.
  • A finite limit means we can predict where the sequence is heading, crucial for confirming series convergence.
Understanding the limit of a sequence helps in identifying overall patterns and behaviors of both sequences and series, greatly aiding in mathematical problem-solving and analysis.

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