Analysis I MT22, Alternating series test


Flashcards

What’s the statement of the alternating series test for $\sum _ {k=1}^\infty (-1)^{k+1}a _ k$?

If $(a _ k)$ is a monotonically decreasing sequence and $a _ k \to 0$, then $\sum^\infty _ {k=1}(-1)^{k+1}a _ k$ converges.

What’s the basic idea when proving the alternating series test

If $(a _ k)$ is a monotonically decreasing sequence and $a _ k \to 0$, then $\sum^\infty _ {k=1}(-1)^{k+1}a _ k$ converges.

Regroup terms of $s _ {2n}$ and $s _ {2n+1}$ to show they’re bounded monotonic subsequences.

When proving the alternating series test,

If $(a _ k)$ is a monotonically decreasing sequence and $a _ k \to 0$, then $\sum^\infty _ {k=1}(-1)^{k+1}a _ k$ converges.

You work with the partial sums $s _ {2n}$ and $s _ {2n+1}$. What two ways do you rearrange

\[\begin{aligned} s _ {2n} &= a _ 1 - a _ 2 + a _ 3 - a _ 4 + \ldots - a _ {2n-2} + a _ {2n-1} - a _ {2n} \end{aligned}\]

to show it’s both monotonically increasing and bounded above?

\[\begin{aligned} s _ {2n} &= a _ 1 - a _ 2 + a _ 3 - a _ 4 + \ldots - a _ {2n-2} + a _ {2n-1} - a _ {2n} \\\\ &= (a _ 1 - a _ 2) + (a _ 3 - a _ 4) + \ldots + (a _ {2n-1} - a _ {2n}) \\\\ &= a _ 1 - (a _ 2 - a _ 3) - \ldots - (a _ {2n-2} - a _ {2n-1}) - a _ {2n} \\\\ \end{aligned}\]

When proving the alternating series test,

If $(a _ k)$ is a monotonically decreasing sequence and $a _ k \to 0$, then $\sum^\infty _ {k=1}(-1)^{k+1}a _ k$ converges.

You work with the partial sums $s _ {2n}$ and $s _ {2n+1}$. What two ways do you rearrange

\[\begin{aligned} s _ {2n+1} &= a _ 1 - a _ 2 + a _ 3 - a _ 4 + \ldots + a _ {2n-1} - a _ {2n} + a _ {2n+1} \end{aligned}\]

to show it’s both monotonically decreasing and bounded below?

\[\begin{aligned} s _ {2n+1} &= a _ 1 - a _ 2 + a _ 3 - a _ 4 + \ldots + a _ {2n-1} - a _ {2n} + a _ {2n+1} \\\\ &= a _ 1 - (a _ 2 - a _ 3) - \ldots - (a _ {2n} - a _ {2n+1}) \\\\ &= (a _ 1 - a _ 2) + (a _ 3 - a _ 4) + \ldots + (a _ {2n-1} - a _ {2n}) + a _ {2n+1} \end{aligned}\]

When proving the alternating series test,

If $(a _ k)$ is a monotonically decreasing sequence and $a _ k \to 0$, then $\sum^\infty _ {k=1}(-1)^{k+1}a _ k$ converges.

You end up showing that $s _ {2n} \to L$ and $s _ {2n+1} \to U$ both have limits. How do you show they’re equal?

By the AOL,

\[\begin{aligned} U - L &= \lim _ {n \to \infty} s _ {2n+1} - s _ {2n} \\\\ &= \lim _ {n\to\infty} a _ {2n+1} \\\\ &= 0 \end{aligned}\]