Geometric Series and

Basic Properties of
Series
Formula:

a first term
If q  1, S   aq 
n
 .
n 0 1  q 1  ratio of terms
Series
Definition A series is an infinite sum of the form

S   an  a1  a2  a3  K
n 1

m
The finite sum Sm   an  a1  a2  K  am is
n 1

the mth partial sum of the series S.

The series S converges if the sequence (Sm) converges and has

a finite limit. If this is the case, then we say that the sum of the
series S is the limit of the sequence (Sm).

Notation S   an  a1  a2  a3  K  lim Sm
m 
n 1
Geometric Series
Definition A series S is geometric if the ratio of its two
subsequent terms is constant.
A geometric series is of the form

S  a  aq  aq  K   aq n .
2

n 0

Example The following series are geometric

 k 
1 1  1
2  1   K   2   1  2  4  8  K    2
k

2 4 k 0  2  k 0

1  0.1  0.01  0.001  K    0.1
k

k 0
Partial Sums of Geometric
Series m
m
Consider the partial sums S   aq of a geometric series
n 0
n


S  a  aq  aq  K   aq n .
2

n 0
Observe
m
Sm   aq n  a  aq  aq 2  K aq m 1  aq m These terms
n 0
m cancel when
qSm   aq n 1  aq  aq 2  K  aq m 1  aq m  aq m 1 subtracting the
n 0
equations

Subtrackting the equations one gets If q  1, one gets

Sm  qSm  a  aq m 1. 1  q m 1
Sm  a .
1 q
Sum of a Geometric Series
It is clear the the partial sums
1  q m 1
Sm  a
1 q
have a finite limit if and only if q  1. In this case the
 
a
geometric series S   aq converges and S   aq n 
n
.
n 0 n 0 1 q


a
Formula If q  1, S   aq n  .
n 0 1 q

In the above formula the term “a” is the first term of the
geometric series, and the term “q” is the ratio between two
subsequent terms.
Example


1 10
1  0.1  0.01  K    0.1 
n
1 
n 0 1- 0.1 9

Observe that 1+0.1+0.001+… = 1.111… =10/9.

Examples

1
2 Study the convergence of the series 
k 1 k  k  1
.

1 1 1 We use the Partial

Solution Write   .
k  k  1 k k  1 Fraction Decomposition.

These terms cancel each other.

M
1 M
 1 1 

k 1 k  k  1
  
k 1  k

k  1
 1 1  1 1  1 1  1 1  1 1 
         L       
 1 2  2 3  3 4  M  1 M   M M  1
1
 1   M 
 1.
M 1

1
Conclude The series converges and 
k 1 k  k  1
 1.
Sequences of the Terms of
Series
Theorem

If  a converges, then lim a  0.
k k
k 
k 1
M
Proof Consider SM  a .
k 1
k

If a
k 1
k converges, then lim SM  S is finite.
M 

Observe that an  S n  Sn 1.

We get

lim an  lim  Sn  Sn 1   lim Sn  lim Sn 1  S  S  0.

n  n  n  n 

Corollary If lim an  0 or if the limit does not exist, the series

n 


a
k 1
k diverges.
Examples

 1
1 Show that the series  k sin 
k=1 k  diverges.

Solution  1
sin 
 1  k  1  0.
The series diverges since lim k sin    lim
k 
 k k  1
k
2 Show that the series 
  1
k
 2
k 1 
diverges.
If k is a
large even
2
k=1 k 1 number, this
is close to 1
Solution 1
The series diverges since lim
 1 k  1
k
 2

 lim  1
k k 2
1
k  k2  1 k  1
1 2
k
does not exist. If k is a large odd number, this is
close to -1. Hence no limit.
Properties of Series
Theorem
 
Assume that  a and  b both converge. Let c be a constant.
k k
 k 1  k 1 
The series  ca ,   a  b  and   a  b  converge
k k k k k
k 1 k 1   k 1

and  ca  c  ca , k k
k 1 k 1
  

 a
k 1
k  bk    ak   bk
k 1 k 1
  

 a
k 1
k  bk    ak   bk
k 1 k 1

This result follows immediately from the properties of the limits.

Properties of Series

Observation The series  a
k 1
k  bk  may converge even
 
if the series a
k 1
k and b
k 1
k diverge.

If the series a
k 1
k diverges and bk  ak for all k , then all terms of

the series  a
k 1
k  bk  are 0. Hence the series converges.

1 2

 1  2n  
1 
 2
n

Example  
3n 
   3 n
    1
1
 3  3  2  
2 2
3
n=1  n 1 n 1  3  1 1 2
3 3