Exercises: Integral Test

Theory

Determine whether the following series converge or diverge.

Exercises

Exercise 1
Question
n=1nn+1\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{n}{n+1}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=xx+1f(x)=\frac{x}{x+1}.

1xx+1dx=1(11x+1)dx=.\int_1^\infty \frac{x}{x+1}\,dx = \int_1^\infty \left(1-\frac{1}{x+1}\right)dx = \infty.

Conclusion: The series diverges.

Exercise 2
Question
n=111+4n2\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{1+4n^{2}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=11+4x2f(x)=\frac{1}{1+4x^2}.

\int_1^\infty \frac{1}{1+4x^2}\,dx < \int_0^\infty \frac{1}{1+4x^2}\,dx = \frac{\pi}{4}.

Conclusion: The series converges.

Exercise 3
Question
n=11n+5\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n+5}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=1x+5f(x)=\frac{1}{\sqrt{x+5}}.

11x+5dx=.\int_1^\infty \frac{1}{\sqrt{x+5}}\,dx = \infty.

Conclusion: The series diverges.

Exercise 4
Question
n=1nln(n+1)\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{n}{\ln(n+1)}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=xln(x+1)f(x)=\frac{x}{\ln(x+1)}. Since f(x)f(x) grows without bound,

1xln(x+1)dx=.\int_1^\infty \frac{x}{\ln(x+1)}\,dx = \infty.

Conclusion: The series diverges.

Exercise 5
Question
n=1lnnn2\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\ln n}{n^{2}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=lnxx2f(x)=\frac{\ln x}{x^2}.

\int_1^\infty \frac{\ln x}{x^2}\,dx < \infty.

Conclusion: The series converges.

Exercise 6
Question
n=1en1+e2n\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{e^{n}}{1+e^{2n}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

For large nn,

en1+e2nen.\frac{e^n}{1+e^{2n}} \sim e^{-n}.

Since

\int_1^\infty e^{-x}\,dx < \infty,

Conclusion: The series converges.

Exercise 7
Question
n=18tan1nn2+1\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{8\tan^{-1} n}{n^{2}+1}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Since tan1nπ2\tan^{-1}n \le \frac{\pi}{2},

8tan1nn2+14πn2.\frac{8\tan^{-1} n}{n^2+1} \le \frac{4\pi}{n^2}.

Also,

\int_1^\infty \frac{1}{x^2}\,dx < \infty.

Conclusion: The series converges.

Exercise 8
Question
n=21nlnn\sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n\ln n}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=1xlnxf(x)=\frac{1}{x\ln x}.

21xlnxdx=ln(lnx)2=.\int_2^\infty \frac{1}{x\ln x}\,dx = \ln(\ln x)\Big|_2^\infty = \infty.

Conclusion: The series diverges.

Exercise 9
Question
n=31nlnnln2n1\sum_{n=3}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n\ln n\sqrt{\ln^2 n-1}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let u=lnxu=\ln x.

1xlnxln2x1dx=1uu21du.\int \frac{1}{x\ln x\sqrt{\ln^2 x-1}}\,dx = \int \frac{1}{u\sqrt{u^2-1}}\,du.

This integral converges.

Conclusion: The series converges.

Exercise 10
Question
n=11(n+1)ln2(n+1)\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{(n+1)\ln^2(n+1)}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=1xln2xf(x)=\frac{1}{x\ln^2 x}.

\int_2^\infty \frac{1}{x\ln^2 x}\,dx < \infty.

Conclusion: The series converges.

Exercise 11
Question

Show that

n=21nlnpn\sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n\ln^p n}

converges if p>1 and diverges if p1p\le1.

Show solution ↓
Solution

Let f(x)=1xlnpxf(x)=\frac{1}{x\ln^p x}.

1xlnpxdx={finite,pgt;1,,p1.\int \frac{1}{x\ln^p x}\,dx = \begin{cases} \text{finite}, & p>1,\\ \infty, & p\le1. \end{cases}

Conclusion: The series converges for p>1 and diverges for p1p\le1.

Exercise 12
Question

Show that

n=31nlnn(lnp(lnn))\sum_{n=3}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n\ln n(\ln^p(\ln n))}

converges if p>1 and diverges if p1p\le1.

Show solution ↓
Solution

Let u=ln(lnx)u=\ln(\ln x).

1xlnx(lnp(lnx))dx=1updu.\int \frac{1}{x\ln x(\ln^p(\ln x))}\,dx = \int \frac{1}{u^p}\,du.

This integral converges if p>1 and diverges if p1p\le1.

Conclusion: The series converges for p>1 and diverges for p1p\le1.