Lesson 1b

INFINITE SERIES AND

TELESCOPING SUMS
INFINITE SERIES
 Infinite Series

Given the sequence: 𝑎!, 𝑎", 𝑎#, . . .

qA series is an expression that can be written in the form
&
$ 𝑎$ = 𝑎! + 𝑎" + 𝑎#+ . . . + 𝑎$ + . . .
$%!
where the numbers 𝑎!, 𝑎", 𝑎#, . . . are called the terms of the series.

Example: 0.3333 . . . = 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + . . .

or equivalently,
# # # #
0.3333 . . . = + ! + + + ...
!' !' !'" !'#
 Sum of an Infinite Series
From 𝑎! + 𝑎" + 𝑎# + . . . + 𝑎$ + . . .

Let 𝑠% denote the sum of the initial terms of the series, up to and
including the term with index 𝑛. Thus,

𝑠! = 𝑎!
𝑠" = 𝑎! + 𝑎"
𝑠# = 𝑎! + 𝑎" + 𝑎#
⋮
%
𝑠% = From 𝑎! + 𝑎" + 𝑎# + . . . + 𝑎% = ( 𝑎$
$&!

The number 𝑠% is called the nth partial sum of the series and
the sequence 𝑆( )&(%! is called the sequence of partial sums.
 Convergence and Divergence of Sequence
of Partial Sums

Let 𝑆% be the sequence of partial sums of the series

𝑆! 𝑆" 𝑆# . . . 𝑆% . . .

If the sequence 𝑆% converges to a limit S, then the series is said to

converge to S, and S is called the sum of the series. We denote this by
writing

S = lim ∑($%! 𝑆$
(→&

If the sequence of partial sums diverges, then the series is said to diverge. A divergent series
has no sum.
 EXAMPLE
From 0.3333 . . . = 0.3 + 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + . . .
or equivalently,
# # # #
0.3333 . . . = !' + !'! + !'" + !'# + . . .

The following sequence of (finite) sums are:

#
𝑠! = !' = 0.3
# #
𝑠" = + ! = 0.33
!' !'

# # #
𝑠# = !'
+ !'! + !'" = 0.333
# # # #
𝑠+ = !'
+ !'!
+ !'" + !'# = 0.3333 and so on.

The sequence of partial sums of the given series

converges.
 CONVERGING AND DIVERGING of an INFINITE SERIES

For the infinite series

∑&
(%! 𝑎( = 𝑎! + 𝑎" + 𝑎# + ⋯
the nth partial sum is given by
𝑆( = 𝑎! + 𝑎" + 𝑎# + ⋯ + 𝑎(
If the sequence of partial sums converges to L
lim 𝑆( = 𝐿 ,
(→&
Then the series converges. L is the sum of the
series.
If 𝑆( diverges, then the series diverges.
SPECIAL TYPES OF SERIES
q ARITHMETIC Sequence
𝑎!, 𝑎", 𝑎#, . . .

𝑎! , 𝑎! + 𝑑 , (𝑎!+𝑑) + 𝑑 , [(𝑎!+𝑑) + 𝑑] + 𝑑 …

𝑎! , 𝑎! + 𝑑 , 𝑎! + 2𝑑, 𝑎! + 3𝑑 . . .

𝑎! , 𝑎! + 𝑑 , 𝑎" + 𝑑, 𝑎# + 𝑑 . . .
q Arithmetic Series
(
𝑎$ = 𝑎! + 𝑎! + 𝑑 + 𝑎! + 2𝑑 + 𝑎! + 3𝑑 . . . + 𝑎! + (𝑘 − 1)𝑑 + ⋯
(
where 𝑎! ≠ 0
$&'
Note: the number 𝑑 is called the constant difference for the series
 q Geometric Sequence

𝑎 , 𝑎𝑟 , 𝑎𝑟 " , 𝑎𝑟 # , . . . , 𝑎𝑟 $ , . . .

q Geometric Series

A geometric series
∑&
$%' 𝑎𝑟 $ = 𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 " + 𝑎𝑟 # + . . . + 𝑎𝑟 $ + . . . 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 ≠ 0

Note: the number 𝑟 is called the constant ratio for the series

Example:
1. 1 + 2 + 4 + 8+ . . . + 2$ + . . . 𝑎 = 1, 𝑟 = 2

# # # # # !
2. + ! + + . . . + + ... 𝑎= ,𝑟 =
!' !' !'" !'# !' !'
 q Geometric Series

A geometric series

∑& $ " # $
$%' 𝑎𝑟 = 𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 + . . . + 𝑎𝑟 + . . .
Where 𝑎 ≠ 0
converges if 𝑟 < 1 and diverge if 𝑟 ≥ 1.

If the series converges, then the sum is

,
∑&
$%' 𝑎𝑟 $ =
! -.

Note: the number 𝑟 is called the ratio for the series

 EXAMPLE
)
Example 1. Determine whether the series ∑(
$&' *#
converges, and if so find its sum.

Solution:
Identify first four terms in the series:
/ / / /
∑&
$%' = 5 + + + !0 + 0+
+$
solving fo the ratio r;
$ $
% ! &' ! !
𝑟= = ; 𝑟= $ = , thus 𝑎 = 5 , 𝑟 =
) * * *
%
!
Since │r│= < 1, the series converges and the sum is
*
( 5 𝑎 5 20
( = = =
$&' 4
$ 1−𝑟 1− 1 3
4
 EXAMPLE
2. Find the sum of the infinite geometric series
8 + 12 + 18 + 27 + . . . if it exists.

Solution:
Find the ratio 𝑟.
𝑎" 12 3
𝑟= = = ;
𝑎! 8 2
+ !, #
𝑟= "= =
+! !" "

Since 𝑟 > 1, the series diverges.

 EXAMPLE
3. Determine whether the series converges, and if so find its sum.
% '
∑$!"# ! − !"#
& (
Solution:
% '
Rewriting the series, ∑$
!"# − (!"#
&!
& #
= 3∑'
$%& − 2(5) ∑$
!"#
(! (!
# ! # !
= 3∑ $
!"# − 10 ∑$
!"#
& (
thus, the sum is:
& &
# " #
∑&
$%! +$ − /$%& = 3 #
& − 10 '
& = −"
!-# !-'
 Special Types of Series

qHarmonic Series
q- series on which the terms are correspondingly the reciprocal of the
terms of an arithmetic series.

qFor the arithmetic series

∑&
$%! 𝑘 = 1 + 2+3+ 4+ . . .

The corresponding harmonic series is

# # # #
∑$
!"# = 1 + + + + ...
! ' % &

• It is a divergent series
 Special Types of Series
q Hyperharmonic Series or p-series
! ! ! !
• An infinite series of the form ∑&
$%! $ ( = 1 + "(
+ #( + . . . $(

• Converges if 𝑝 > 1 and diverge if 0 < 𝑝 ≤ 1

 EXAMPLES
Identify p and determine whether the series converges.
¥ 2
-
1. åk
k =1
3

Solution: 2
¥ -
2 it is p-series with p=
åk
k =1
3
= 3

So, the series is diverges

¥
1
2.
å
k =1 k
Solution: #
is a 𝑝-series with 𝑝 =
¥ '
1
å
k =1 k
#
since 𝑝 = so, the series diverges.
'
 Special Types of Series

q Telescoping Sums

The name is derived from the fact that in simplifying

the sum, one term in each parenthetical expression cancels
one term in the next parenthetical expression, until the
entire sum collapses (like a folding telescope) into just two
terms.
 EXAMPLE
#
1 : Determine whether the series ∑$
)"* ))+%)+' converges or diverges. If it
converges, find the sum.
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
# # # #
Let 𝑠) = ∑$
)"* ) = ∑ $
)"* = ∑$ )"* −
) +%)+' ()+')()+#) )+# )+'

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑠) = − + − + − + ...+ −
1 2 2 3 3 4 𝑛 𝑛+1
#
𝑠) = 1 −
)+#

apply limits on both sides

#
lim 𝑠) = lim (1 − )=1
)→$ )→$ )+#

The sequence of partial sum is convergent and so the series is convergent and has
the value of
!
∑(
%&' =1
%! 3#%3"
 EXAMPLE 1 1
𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝐴 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 = − 𝑖𝑛
! 2 2
2. Determine the sum of the given series ∑(
4&! 4(43"). ∑$
!"#
#
= ∑$
#(
0
+
1
)
!(!+') / /+'
# $ 0 1 # #
Solution: ∑$ = ∑ ( + ) 2 # #
/"# /(/+') # / /+' ∑$
!"#
)
+ )
= ∑$
!"# ( − )
! (!+') '! '(!+')
(by partial fractions)
# 0 1
= + # # # # # # # # #
/(/+') / (/+') 𝑠) =( − )+ ( − )+ ( − )+ ( − )+…+( −
' 3 & 4 3 #* 4 #' '()2')
multiply both sides by the LCD: k (k + 2) # # # # #
1 = A(k+2)+Bk )+( − ) +( − )
') '()2#) '()+#) ') ' )+'

Solving for A and B: (equate k = 0 and k + 2 = 0 ) # # # #

𝑠) = + −( + )
' & ')+' ' )+'

# # # # #
if k=0; if k = -2 lim 𝑠) = lim [ + −( + )] = +
)→$ )→$ ' & '+') ' )+' '
1 = A(0 + 2) + B(0) 1 = A(-2 + 2) + B(-2) # # #
−('+'($) + ' $+' )
&
1 = 2A 1 = -2B
# #
A =' B = -' # # # #
𝑠) = + −(0 + 0) = +
' & ' &

%
𝑆) = &
Answer
 EXERCISES
Determine whether the series converges, and if so finds its sum.

# $5!
1. ∑(
$&! −
*

6
2. ∑(
$&! −1
$5!
7#(&

!
3. ∑(
$&! $3# $3*

!
4. ∑(
$&! 8$ ! 3#$ 5"

! !
5. ∑(
$&! −
"# "#)&