Exercises: Limit Comparison Test

Theory

Determine whether the following series converge or diverge.

Exercises

Exercise 1
Question
n=112n+n3\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{2\sqrt{n}+\sqrt[3]{n}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n\frac{1}{\sqrt n}.

limn12n+n31n=12\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\frac{1}{2\sqrt n+\sqrt[3]{n}}}{\frac{1}{\sqrt n}} =\frac12

Hence the series diverges.

Exercise 2
Question
n=31ln(lnn)\sum_{n=3}^{\infty} \frac{1}{\ln(\ln n)}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Since ln(lnn)\ln(\ln n)\to\infty slowly, the terms do not decrease fast enough. The series diverges.

Exercise 3
Question
n=1(lnn)2n3\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{(\ln n)^2}{n^3}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n2\frac{1}{n^2}.

limn(lnn)2/n31/n2=0\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{(\ln n)^2/n^3}{1/n^2}=0

Hence the series converges.

Exercise 4
Question
n=21nlnn\sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{1}{\sqrt n\,\ln n}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n\frac{1}{\sqrt n}.

limn1/(nlnn)1/n=0\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1/(\sqrt n\ln n)}{1/\sqrt n}=0

Thus the series diverges.

Exercise 5
Question
n=111+lnn\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{1+\ln n}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1lnn\frac{1}{\ln n}.

limn1/(1+lnn)1/lnn=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1/(1+\ln n)}{1/\ln n}=1

Hence the series diverges.

Exercise 6
Question
n=2ln(n+1)n+1\sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{\ln(n+1)}{n+1}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with lnnn\frac{\ln n}{n}.

limnln(n+1)/(n+1)lnn/n=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\ln(n+1)/(n+1)}{\ln n/n}=1

Thus the series diverges.

Exercise 7
Question
n=11nn21\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n\sqrt{n^2-1}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n2\frac{1}{n^2}.

limn1/(nn21)1/n2=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1/(n\sqrt{n^2-1})}{1/n^2}=1

Hence the series converges.

Exercise 8
Question
n=110n+1n(n+1)(n+2)\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{10n+1}{n(n+1)(n+2)}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n2\frac{1}{n^2}.

limn(10n+1)/(n(n+1)(n+2))1/n2=10\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{(10n+1)/(n(n+1)(n+2))}{1/n^2}=10

Thus the series converges.

Exercise 9
Question
n=1tan1nn1.1\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\tan^{-1}n}{n^{1.1}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Since tan1nπ2\tan^{-1}n\to \frac{\pi}{2}, compare with 1n1.1\frac{1}{n^{1.1}}.

limntan1n/n1.11/n1.1=π2\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\tan^{-1}n/n^{1.1}}{1/n^{1.1}}=\frac{\pi}{2}

Hence the series converges.

Exercise 10
Question
n=1cothnn2\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\coth n}{n^2}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Since cothn1\coth n\to1, compare with 1n2\frac{1}{n^2}.

limncothn/n21/n2=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\coth n/n^2}{1/n^2}=1

Thus the series converges.

Exercise 11
Question
n=11nnn\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n\sqrt[n]{n}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Since nn1\sqrt[n]{n}\to1, compare with 1n\frac{1}{n}.

limn1/(nnn)1/n=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1/(n\sqrt[n]{n})}{1/n}=1

Hence the series diverges.

Exercise 12
Question
n=1lnnn3\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\ln n}{n^3}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n2\frac{1}{n^2}.

limn(lnn)/n31/n2=0\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{(\ln n)/n^3}{1/n^2}=0

Thus the series converges.

Exercise 13
Question
n=1n!lnnn(n+2)!\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{n!\ln n}{n(n+2)!}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Note that

n!lnnn(n+2)!=lnnn(n+1)(n+2).\frac{n!\ln n}{n(n+2)!}=\frac{\ln n}{n(n+1)(n+2)}.

Comparing with 1n2\frac{1}{n^2} shows convergence.

Exercise 14
Question
n=1arctannn\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\arctan n}{n}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Since arctannπ2\arctan n\to \frac{\pi}{2}, compare with 1n\frac{1}{n}.

limnarctann/n1/n=π2\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\arctan n/n}{1/n}=\frac{\pi}{2}

Hence the series diverges.

Exercise 15
Question
n=15n2+2n1+n5\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{5n^2+2n}{\sqrt{1+n^5}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n\frac{1}{\sqrt n}.

limn(5n2+2n)/n51/n=5\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{(5n^2+2n)/\sqrt{n^5}}{1/\sqrt n}=5

Thus the series diverges.

Exercise 16
Question
n=123n1\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{2}{3^n-1}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 13n\frac{1}{3^n}.

limn2/(3n1)1/3n=2\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{2/(3^n-1)}{1/3^n}=2

Hence the series converges.

Exercise 17
Question
n=1n23nn104n23\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{n^2-3n}{\sqrt[3]{n^{10}-4n^2}}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n4/3\frac{1}{n^{4/3}}.

limn(n23n)/n10/31/n4/3=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{(n^2-3n)/n^{10/3}}{1/n^{4/3}}=1

Thus the series converges.

Exercise 18
Question
n=111+n\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{1+\sqrt n}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n\frac{1}{\sqrt n}.

limn1/(1+n)1/n=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1/(1+\sqrt n)}{1/\sqrt n}=1

Hence the series diverges.

Exercise 19
Question
n=1nlnnn3+1\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\sqrt n\ln n}{n^3+1}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with lnnn5/2\frac{\ln n}{n^{5/2}}.

limnnlnn/n3lnn/n5/2=1\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\sqrt n\ln n/n^3}{\ln n/n^{5/2}}=1

Thus the series converges.

Exercise 20
Question
n=1n(n+3)(n+1)(n+2)(3n+7)\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{n(n+3)}{(n+1)(\sqrt n+2)(3n+7)}
Show solution ↓
Solution

Compare with 1n\frac{1}{\sqrt n}.

limnn(n+3)(n+1)(n+2)(3n+7)/1n=13\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{n(n+3)}{(n+1)(\sqrt n+2)(3n+7)}\Big/\frac{1}{\sqrt n} =\frac13

Hence the series diverges.