Chapter 11: Problem 20
Test the series for convergence or divergence. $$\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k+5}{5^{k}}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The series converges by the Ratio Test.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Series Type
The given series is \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k+5}{5^k} \). This is a series with terms of the form \( \frac{k+5}{5^k} \). Notice that it combines a linear polynomial \( k+5 \) in the numerator with an exponential function \( 5^k \) in the denominator, suggesting a comparison with a geometric series or fitting for the ratio test.
02
Apply the Ratio Test
The ratio test evaluates the limit \( L = \lim_{k \to \infty} \left| \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} \right| \). For our series, \( a_k = \frac{k+5}{5^k} \) and \( a_{k+1} = \frac{(k+1)+5}{5^{k+1}} = \frac{k+6}{5^{k+1}} \). Let's find this limit:\[L = \lim_{k \to \infty} \left| \frac{\frac{k+6}{5^{k+1}}}{\frac{k+5}{5^k}} \right| = \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{(k+6)}{5(k+5)} \].
03
Simplify and Evaluate the Limit
Simplify the limit expression:\[L = \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{k+6}{5(k+5)} = \frac{1}{5} \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{k+6}{k+5} \].Now, divide both the numerator and the denominator by \( k \):\[L = \frac{1}{5} \times \lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{1 + \frac{6}{k}}{1 + \frac{5}{k}} \].As \( k \to \infty \), both \( \frac{6}{k} \) and \( \frac{5}{k} \) approach 0, so the limit becomes:\[L = \frac{1}{5} \times \frac{1}{1} = \frac{1}{5}.\]
04
Conclude Convergence or Divergence
According to the ratio test, if \( L < 1 \), the series converges. Since \( L = \frac{1}{5} < 1 \), the series \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k+5}{5^k} \) converges.
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Ratio Test
One of the methods to determine if a series converges or diverges is the Ratio Test. The Ratio Test involves checking the limit of the ratio of consecutive terms in the series.
- The test examines the limit, denoted as \( L \), of \( \lim_{k \to \infty} \left| \frac{a_{k+1}}{a_k} \right| \), where \( a_k \) is the general term of the series.
- If \( L < 1 \), the series converges absolutely.
- If \( L > 1 \) or \( L = \infty \), the series diverges.
- If \( L = 1 \), the test is inconclusive, and other methods must be used.
Geometric Series
A geometric series is a series with a constant ratio between successive terms. A typical geometric series takes the form \( a + ar + ar^2 + ar^3 + \ldots \), where \( a \) is the first term and \( r \) is the common ratio.
- If the absolute value of the common ratio \( |r| < 1 \), the series converges. The sum can be calculated using the formula \( S = \frac{a}{1-r} \).
- If \( |r| \geq 1 \), the series diverges.
Exponential Function Evaluation
Exponential functions are crucial in analyzing series as they can significantly affect convergence. In this exercise, we evaluated the series \( \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{k+5}{5^k} \), where the term \( 5^k \) appears in the denominator.
- An exponential term like \( 5^k \) grows rapidly as \( k \) increases, generally forcing the term \( \frac{k+5}{5^k} \) towards zero, favoring convergence.
- Even when the numerator \( k+5 \) grows linearly, its effect is minimized by the faster increase of \( 5^k \) in the denominator.
Limit Evaluation
Limit evaluation is a fundamental process in calculus and is crucial in the Ratio Test and similar tests. It involves simplifying expressions to understand behavior as \( k \) approaches infinity.
- In the context of series convergence, limits help predict how series terms behave as they approach infinity.
- For the ratio \( \frac{k+6}{5(k+5)} \), multiplying out the factors shows the eventual ratio depends largely on the leading terms.
- By dividing both the numerator and the denominator by \( k \), we simplify the expression, revealing how smaller terms become negligible as \( k \) goes to infinity, leading to the conclusion that the limit evaluates to a known ratio.