The Limit Comparison Tests

Let σ∞ ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 and σ𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 be series such that 𝑎𝑛 and 𝑏𝑛 are positive for all 𝑛. Then the following limit comparison
tests are valid:

𝑎𝑛
• If 0 < lim < ∞, then σ∞ ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 and σ𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 are both convergent or both divergent;
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛

𝑎𝑛
• If lim = 0, then σ∞ ∞
𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 convergent implies that the series σ𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 is also convergent;
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛

𝑎𝑛
• If lim = ∞, then σ∞ ∞
𝑛=1 𝑏𝑛 divergent implies that the series σ𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 is also divergent.
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛
Example: Determine whether the series
∞
3𝑛 − 1
෍ 3
2𝑛 − 4𝑛 + 5
𝑛=1
converges or diverges.
1
Use the limit comparison test. We will compare with the convergent p-series σ∞
𝑛=1 . Then
𝑛2

3𝑛 − 1
𝑎𝑛 2𝑛 3 − 4𝑛 + 5 3𝑛 − 1 𝑛2 3𝑛3 − 𝑛2 3
lim = lim = lim = lim = .
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛 𝑛→∞ 1 𝑛→∞ 2𝑛3 − 4𝑛 + 5 𝑛→∞ 2𝑛3 − 4𝑛 + 5 2
𝑛2
Hence, the given series converges by the limit comparison test.
Example: Determine whether the series
∞
1
෍
𝑛=1
𝑛(𝑛2 + 1)
converges or diverges.
1
Use the limit comparison test. We will compare with the convergent p-series σ∞
𝑛=1 . Then
𝑛2

1
𝑎𝑛 𝑛(𝑛2 + 1) 𝑛
lim = lim = lim = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛 𝑛→∞ 1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛2 + 1
𝑛2
Hence, the given series converges by the limit comparison test.
Example: Determine whether the series
∞
1
෍
𝑛𝑛 𝑛
𝑛=1
converges or diverges.
1
Use the limit comparison test. We will compare with the divergent harmonic series σ∞
𝑛=1 . Then
𝑛

1
𝑎𝑛 𝑛𝑛 𝑛 1 −
1
lim = lim = lim 𝑛 = lim 𝑛 𝑛 = 𝑒 0 = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛 𝑛→∞ 1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 𝑛→∞
𝑛 ∞0
Hence, the given series diverges by the limit comparison test.
Example: Determine whether the series
∞
1
෍ ln 1 +
𝑛
𝑛=1
converges or diverges.
1
Use the limit comparison test. We will compare with the divergent harmonic series σ∞
𝑛=1 . Then
𝑛

1
𝑛 2
1 − 1
𝑎𝑛 ln 1 + 1 + 𝑛
lim = lim 𝑛 = lim 𝑛 = lim = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛 𝑛→∞ 1 𝑛→∞ 1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 1
− 2
𝑛 𝑛
Hence, the given series diverges by the limit comparison test.
Example: Determine whether the series
1 1 1 1
+ + + ⋯+ +⋯
2 2 3 3 4 𝑛 𝑛+1
converges or diverges.
1
Use the limit comparison test. We will compare with the convergent p-series σ∞
𝑛=1 3 . Then
𝑛2

1
𝑎𝑛 𝑛 𝑛+1 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
lim = lim = lim = lim = 1.
𝑛→∞ 𝑏𝑛 𝑛→∞ 1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 𝑛 + 1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 1
3
𝑛2
Hence, the given series converges by the limit comparison test.
The Integral Test
Let 𝑓(𝑥) be a function which is continuous, positive, and decreasing for all 𝑥 in the range [𝑘, +∞). Then the
series
∞

෍ 𝑓(𝑛) = 𝑓(1) + 𝑓(2) + 𝑓(3) + ⋯ + 𝑓(𝑛) + ⋯

𝑛=𝑘
∞ ∞
converges if the improper integral ‫ 𝑥𝑑)𝑥(𝑓 𝑘׬‬converges, and diverges if ‫∞ → 𝑥𝑑)𝑥(𝑓 𝑘׬‬.

1
Example: Determine whether the series σ∞
𝑛=1 converges or diverges.
1+10𝑛
We use the integral test. Calculate the improper integral

∞ 𝑛 𝑛
1 1 1
න 𝑑𝑥 = lim න 𝑑𝑥 = lim ln 1 + 10𝑥 = lim ln 1 + 10𝑛 − ln11 = ∞.
1 1 + 10𝑥 𝑛→∞ 1 1 + 10𝑥 𝑛→∞ 10 1 𝑛→∞

Thus, the given series is divergent.

 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑛
Example: Determine whether σ∞
𝑛=1 converges or diverges.
1+𝑛2

𝜋
We easily can see that 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑛 < . Hence, by comparison test,
2

∞ 𝜋 ∞ ∞
𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑛 2 =𝜋෍ 1 .
෍ < ෍
1 + 𝑛2 1 + 𝑛2 2 1 + 𝑛2
𝑛=1 𝑛=1 𝑛=1

1
Use the integral test to determine convergence of the series σ∞
𝑛=1 :
1+𝑛2

∞ 𝑛
1 1 𝑛
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
න 2
𝑑𝑥 = lim න 2
𝑑𝑥 = lim 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑥 1 = lim 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑛 − 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛1 = − = .
1 1 + 𝑥 𝑛→∞ 1 1 + 𝑥 𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 2 4 4
Since the improper integral is convergent, then the original series is also convergent.
 2
Example: Determine whether σ∞
𝑛=0 𝑛𝑒
−𝑛
converges or diverges.

2
Use the integral test to determine convergence of the series σ∞
𝑛=0 𝑛𝑒
−𝑛 :

∞ 𝑛 𝑛
−𝑥 2 −𝑥 2
1 −𝑥2
න 𝑥𝑒 𝑑𝑥 = lim න 𝑥𝑒 𝑑𝑥 = lim − 𝑒
0 𝑛→∞ 0 𝑛→∞ 2 0

1 −𝑛2 1 −02 11 1
= lim − 𝑒 − − 𝑒 = lim − 𝑛2 + = .
𝑛→∞ 2 2 𝑛→∞ 2𝑒 2 2

Since the improper integral is convergent, then the original series is also convergent.
The Ratio Test (D’Alambert test)
Let σ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 be a series with positive terms. Then the following rules are valid:

𝑎𝑛+1
• If lim < 1, then the series σ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 is convergent;
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛

𝑎𝑛+1
• If lim > 1, then the series σ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 is divergent;
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛

𝑎
• If lim 𝑛+1 = 1, then the series σ∞
𝑛=1 𝑎𝑛 may converge or diverge and the ratio test is inconclusive; some
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛
other tests must be used.
 3𝑛
Example : Determine whether the series σ∞
𝑛=1 𝑛2 converges or diverges.
We use the ratio test.

3𝑛+1
𝑎𝑛+1 (𝑛 + 1)2 3𝑛2 3𝑛2
lim = lim = lim = lim 2 =3
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛 𝑛→∞ 3𝑛 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 1 2 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 2𝑛 + 1
𝑛2
As it can be seen, the given series diverges.
 ∞ 𝑛3
Example : Investigate whether the series σ𝑛=1 converges or diverges.
𝑙𝑛3 𝑛

We apply the ratio test to investigate convergence of this series:

(𝑛 + 1)3
𝑎𝑛+1 𝑙𝑛3 𝑛+1 𝑛+1 3 𝑛3 + 3𝑛2 + 3𝑛 + 1 1
lim = lim = lim = lim =
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛 𝑛→∞ 𝑛3 𝑛→∞ 𝑛3 𝑙𝑛3 𝑛→∞ 𝑙𝑛3𝑛3 ln3
𝑙𝑛3 𝑛

1
As ln3 > 𝑙𝑛𝑒 = 1 and ln3 < 1, the given series converges.
 3⋅1! 32 ⋅2! 33 ⋅3! 3𝑛 ⋅𝑛!
Example : Determine whether the series + + 3 + ⋯+ + ⋯ converges or diverges.
1 22 3 𝑛𝑛

We apply the ratio test and calculate the corresponding limit:

3𝑛+1 ⋅ (𝑛 + 1)!
𝑎𝑛+1 (𝑛 + 1)𝑛+1 3 𝑛 + 1 𝑛𝑛
lim = lim = lim
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛 𝑛→∞ 3𝑛 ⋅ 𝑛! 𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 1 𝑛+1
𝑛𝑛

3𝑛𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 3 3
= lim 𝑛
= lim 3 = 𝑛 =
𝑛→∞ 𝑛 + 1 𝑛→∞ 𝑛+1 1 e
lim 1 + 𝑛
𝑛→∞
3
Since the ratio 𝑒 is greater than 1, the given series is divergent.
 ∞ 𝑥 𝑛
Example : Determine whether the series σ𝑛=1 𝑛! converges or diverges.
𝑛

We apply the ratio test and calculate the corresponding limit:

𝑥 𝑛+1 𝑥 𝑛 𝑥
𝑎𝑛+1 (𝑛 + 1)! 𝑛 + 1 𝑛 + 1 𝑛! 𝑛 + 1 𝑛+1
lim = lim = lim
𝑛→∞ 𝑎𝑛 𝑛→∞ 𝑥 𝑛 𝑛→∞ 𝑥 𝑛
𝑛! 𝑛!
𝑛 𝑛

𝑥 𝑛
𝑥 𝑛 𝑛 𝑥 𝑥
= lim 𝑛 + 1 = lim 𝑥 = = .
𝑛→∞ 𝑥 𝑛 𝑛→∞ 𝑛+1 1 𝑛
𝑒
𝑛 lim 1 + 𝑛
𝑛→∞
𝑥
• If 𝑒 < 𝑥, the ratio is greater than 1, the given series is divergent.
𝑒
𝑥
• If 0 ≤ 𝑥 < 𝑒, the ratio 𝑒 is smaller than 1, the given series is convergent.