Questions tagged [power-series]

Questions about the properties of functions of the form $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}a_n (x-c)^n$, where the $a_n$ are real or complex numbers, and $x$ is real or complex.

A series of the form $$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_n (x-c)^n$$ is called a power series, and can be used to expand functions. The center $c$ is often $0$ and the radius of convergence $R$ is given by $R = \left(\limsup\limits_{n\to\infty}\sqrt[n]{|a_n|}\right)^{-1}$.

Power series for some common functions are: \begin{align} \frac{1}{1-x}&=\sum_{n=0}^\infty x^n\quad(|x|\lt1)\\\ \ln(1+x)&=\sum_{n=0}^\infty\frac{(-1)^nx^{n+1}}{n+1}\quad(|x|\leq 1, x\neq -1)\\\ \arctan(x)&=\sum_{n=0}^\infty\frac{(-1)^nx^{2n+1}}{2n+1}\quad(|x|\leq 1,x\neq \pm i)\\\ \tan(x)&=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{|B_{2n}|(4^n-1)4^n }{(2n)!}x^{2n-1}\quad(|x|< \pi/2)\\\ \sin(x)&=\sum_{n=0}^\infty\frac{(-1)^n x^{2n+1}}{(2n+1)!}\\\ \cos(x)&=\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n x^{2n}}{(2n)!}\\\ e^x &= \sum_{n=0}^\infty\frac{x^n}{n!}\\\ \end{align}

If convergence is not an issue or if you are working over a different domain than $\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$, consider using the tag instead.

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Calculate $\sum_{n=m}^\infty (-1)^n \frac{(a)_n}{(n-m)!}x^n$

Can you find an analytical expression for the following series? $$\sum_{n=m}^\infty (-1)^n \frac{(a)_n}{(n-m)!}x^n$$ where $m$ is a nonnegative integer, $x\in (0,1)$, $a > 0$, and $(a)_n$ is the Pochhammer symbol denoting a falling…
a06e
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The radius of convergence of $\sum_{n\ge 0}{\log(n!)x^n}$.

I want the radius of convergence of the series $\sum_{n\ge 0}{\log(n!)x^n}$. Could I use the stirling formula $$n!\sim_\infty \left(\frac{n}{e}\right)^n\sqrt{2 \pi n}?$$ Because then $$\log (n!)\sim_\infty…
palio
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Trying to evaluate a series

I know that : $$\sum_{n\in\mathbb{N}^*} \binom{2n}{n}\frac{1}{n4^n}= \sum_{n\in\mathbb{N}^*} \frac{(2n)!}{(n!)^2n4^n}=\ln(4)$$ But I have no idea on how to prove it ! Is it a well-known series ? I need it for a second calculation of a Dirichlet…
LexLarn
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Can $x$ be written as a power series in $e^x$?

I was told that it is not possible to write $x$ as a power series in $e^x$ i.e. $$x = \sum_{k = 0}^\infty a_k e^{kx}.$$ The proof given stated that if such a power series did exist, then one could take the derivative of both sides to obtain $$1 =…
Poseidaan
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Convergence of $\sum_{n=0}^\infty z^{2^n}$

Let formally $f(z) := \sum_{n=0}^\infty z^{2^n}$. What is the raduis of convergence of this series ?
user42761
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Finding the power series for an integral

Exercise Find a power series for the function $$f(x) = \int_0^x \frac{t^2}{1-t^4} \, dt$$ So basically what we want is to find $\displaystyle\sum_{n=0}^\infty a_n(x-c)^n$ so that $$\displaystyle\sum_{n=0}^\infty a_n(x-c)^n = f(x) = \int_0^x…
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Why fractional power does not have power-series expansions?

Why fractional power does not have power series expansions? For example, $f(x)=x^{1/2}$, why the behavior at $0$ disallows a power-series expansion? For what reason? Thanks in advance.
Ian
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How to prove $5 + \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \sqrt[n] 5$ is divergent?

As the title describes, I tried ratio test and root test, but the answer is 1 for both.
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Challenging series of a fraction with a cosine

I am not sure how to determine the following function explicitly: $$f(x)=\sum_{k=1}^{+\infty} \frac{(-1)^k}{(\pi k)^2}\cos(\pi k x) $$ when $-1
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This series is known? $\sum _{n=1}^{\infty }\frac{2^{n-1}x^{2n-1}}{\prod _{i=1}^n\left(2i-1\right)}$

This series is known? I was solving a differential equation by power series and my solution involves that series $$\sum _{n=1}^{\infty }\frac{2^{n-1}x^{2n-1}}{\prod _{i=1}^n\left(2i-1\right)}$$
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For which $\alpha, \beta$ the series converges $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{(n+1)^{\beta}-n^{\beta}}{n^{\alpha}}$?

I don't know wheteher I determine convergence properly, because it seems for me thath I have a problem in the end. $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{(n+1)^{\beta}-n^{\beta}}{n^{\alpha}}$$ I want to assume the asymptotic similarity with…
Funny
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Find the sum of series: $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\frac{x^{2n}}{(2n)!}$

I have some trouble with series theory. The specific questions are as follows: \begin{equation} \sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\frac{x^{2n}}{(2n)!} \end{equation} My idea is just like this: Since…
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How to prove this equation?

$\displaystyle\frac1N\sum_{k=0}^{N-1}e^{\frac{i2\pi\mu k}N}=\begin{cases}1,&k\mid\mu\\0,&k\nmid\mu\end{cases}$ where $\mu=0,\pm1,\pm2,\dots$ and $N>0$. I hope for the procedure in detail.
park ning
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Efficient way of multiplying two power series expansions?

I was asked to multiply these two power series expansions: ie. $p(x)q(x)$ $$p(x) = 2(x − 4) − 7(x − 4)^2 + 5(x − 4)^3 + . . .$$ $$q(x) = 4 − 3(x − 4) + (x − 4)^3 + . . .$$ and I was wondering if there's a trick to doing this without distributing…
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Function To Power Series

I am trying to convert this function into a power series and can't figure it out. $f(x) = 4 e^{-5x}$ I have calculated the first four terms to be $4-20x+50x^{2}-\frac{250x^{3}}{3}$.