Sequences and Series Cheat Sheet

by ebabor via cheatography.com/69500/cs/17544/

General Rules Tests (cont) When to Use Tests

Telesc​oping and Geometric series are the only Diverges If ∑bk diverges Properties If you can identify the series as a
types of series that you can estimate sums AND bk is smaller geometric, p, or telesc​oping
from. So, you must use these test's properties series, then use their respective
of two functions
to estimate these sums proper​ties. If the given series
Limit Converges If bk converges
looks close to one of these
If the question is asking for absolute
Comparison AND limit of
conver​gence or condit​ional conver​gence. You series see if you can use
Test(LCT) 0<(​ak​)/​(b​k )​<
will need to use the Ratio Test, Root Test, or algebra to rearrange it into
∞ one of them
the definition of Absolu​te/​Con​dit​ional
Conver​gence Diverges If bk AND limit of
Test for Should at least eyeball this test
Must show ALL work to receive full credit for 0<(​ak​)/​(b​k )​< Diverg​enc​e( first to see if the limit of the
questions. Study the process to solve the ∞ TFD) series does not approach 0. If
problems, don't just guess through the review series does not approach 0,
Altern​ating Converges If all 3 conditions
then ∑ak divergent by TFD
Series for AST are met
Tests Test(AST) Comparison ONLY POSITIVE TERMS! If
Diverges If limit condition Tests(CT you can tell if the series has
Test for Inconc​lusiv You absolutely
fails, ∑ak is and LCT) negative terms,​((-​1) k or
Diverg​enc​e( e cannot determine
TFD) if a series is immedi​ately sin/cos), do not use this test. If

convergent from divergent by TFD series has is rational and has a

this test. root in the denomi​nator,

compare with a p-series. |ak|
Diverges If limit of series ≠0 Properties of Special Series
gives use absolute
or ∞ Geometric Converges If Absolute Value of
conver​gence
Integral Converges If integral of series Series r<1. Converges at
Altern​ating Series with (-1)k can be testes
Test <∞ S=(first term)/​(1-r)
Series with AST
Diverges If integral of series Diverges If Absolute Value of Test(AST)
=∞ r≥1
Integral ONLY POSITIVE TERMS! If
Ratio Test Conver​ges​/ If limit of 0≤| P-Series Converges If p>1 Test you can look at the function and
Co​nverges (a​k+1) /(ak​)|<1
Diverges If p≤1 easily take the integral, it is
Absolutely
Telesc​opin Converges Value that the limit probably good to use this test
Diverges If limit >1
g of the remaining Ratio Test If series contains: k!, or powers
Inconc​lusiv If limit =1 terms approach and expone​ntials, almost
e Diverges Almost never. On guaranteed to use ratio test
Root Test Conver​ges​/ If 0≤limit of the kth the test it will
Co​nverges root of |ak|​<1 converge
Absolutely
Definition Absolute If and only if ∑|ak| is
Diverges If limit of the kth of Conver​gen convergent
root of |ak|​>1 Conver​gen ce
ce
Inconc​lusiv If limit of kth root of
e |ak|=1 Condit​ional If and only if ∑ak is
Conver​gen conver​gent, but
Direct Converges If ∑bk converges ce ∑|ak| is divergent
Comparison AND bk is the
Test(CT)
larger of the two
functions

By ebabor Published 22nd October, 2018. Sponsored by ApolloPad.com

cheatography.com/ebabor/ Last updated 22nd October, 2018. Everyone has a novel in them. Finish Yours!
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 Sequences and Series Cheat Sheet
by ebabor via cheatography.com/69500/cs/17544/

When to Use Tests (cont) Altern​ating Series Remainder

Root If the entire series can be written to the Known Set error bound less than bn+1. Solve
Test kth power, you can use the root test Error for a #>n, round up n to next highest
Bound whole number
Integral Test If the inequality is very difficult to
solve, the use of a table, shown
Condit​ions:
below, is accept​able. When the
1. f(x) is positive on its interval
middle column, bn+1, is less than
2. f(x) is continuous on its interval
3. f(x) decreasing as x->∞ (deriv​ative is third column, error bound, then that
negative) value is you final answer for n. Since
* Must change ak to a function in order to take the original variable in the equation is

derivative k, and k=n+1, then the value of the

* Integral starts off from k to ∞, so you must final term you can stop on to reach

change the integral to k to t with limit as t->∞ your error bound will be k

* Answer you get is not where the ∑ak

converges nth bn+1 Error Bound
term
Altern​ating Series Test

Condit​ions:
1. bk>0
2. bk≥b​k+1
3. limit of bk=0
* If ∑bk fits all three condit​ions, ∑ak convergent
by AST
* If 3rd condition fails, ∑ak is divergent by TFD
* If series contains (-m)k, pull (-1)k out and keep
m k in bk

Integral Remainder

Known Solving for Sn(sum of Plug n into

nth the series the series
Value approx​ima​tion)

Solving for Rn Solve

(appro​xim​ation of the integral
remainder) from n to ∞

Known Set the integral of f(x) from n to ∞ less

Error than error bound. Once solved,
Bound answer will be given in terms of n<#.
Must round up the number since
series only use integers and if you
rounded down, the value of the
integral would be larger than the error
bound

By ebabor Published 22nd October, 2018. Sponsored by ApolloPad.com

cheatography.com/ebabor/ Last updated 22nd October, 2018. Everyone has a novel in them. Finish Yours!
Page 2 of 2. https://apollopad.com