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.

8489 questions
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Is every power series infinitely differentiable everywhere?

I have found various sources on the internet that say that power series are infinitely differentiable on their interval of convergence: Wikipedia: Once a function $f(x)$ is given as a power series as above, it is differentiable on the interior of…
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Approaching Maclaurin/Taylor series from a different angle.

So I have been asked a question for one of my problem sets but I haven't found a "good" way to approach it. Personally I was thinking of approaching the series it backwards but then again if I want to use a certain test(i.e. ratio test, comparison…
EhBabay
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Evaluation of a power series

Given a power series in the form $$ f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{p(n)}{q(n)}x^{n} $$ here $ p(n) $ and $ q(n) $ are Polynomials of certain degree then can i get $ f(x) $ in term of elementary functions ?? if $ q(n) =1 $ then i know how to get…
Jose Garcia
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How can I construct a power series from any given polynomial?

Suppose I have some polynomial: $$f(x)=a_0 +a_1x+a_2 x^2+a_3 x^6+a_4x^8$$ How can I construct a power series representation for this polynomial? More generally: How can I construct a power series given ANY polynomial with finite terms?
qmd
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How should I find the radius of convergence for this power series?

For each $m \in \mathbb{N}$, define the power series as $\sum_{n} \binom{mn}{n} z^n$, find its radius of convergence. I tried with ratio test but I got really messy algebra. My attempt so far: Let $R$ denote the radius of convergence, then $R =…
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Find the sum of $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n(n+2)}x^n$

$$S(x)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n(n+2)}x^n$$ The question is divided into three parts: 1. Determine its radius of convergence 2. By using the power series of $\frac{1}{1-x}$, show that for all x $\in$ ]-1,1[ , we get $\ln(1-x)=-\sum_{n}^\infty…
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Equalizing of powers in power series solution method

I have reached to the following equation using power series solution method $$ \sum_{i=0}^p(i+1)\,a_i\,r^{i+1}+\sum_{i=0}^pa_i\,r^i+\sum_{i=0}^p(i+2)\,a_i\,r^{i-1}=0 $$ I really don't know what should I do to equalize the powers. Do limits of…
Wisdom
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Find a power series representation for f(x)=ln(x+1) centered at 1

Is my answer correct? $$f(x)=ln(x+1)$$ $$\int\frac{1}{x+1}dx$$ $$\int\sum_{n=0}^\infty\frac{(-1)^n}{2^{n+1}}{(x-1)^n}dx$$ $$\sum_{n=0}^\infty\frac{(-1)^n}{2^{n+1}}\frac{(x-1)^{n+1}}{n+1}$$ $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-1)^{n-1}}{n2^n}{(x-1)}^n$$
Zoey
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Summing a general power series

Given a series of the form $$\sum_{r=0}^N f(r)\alpha^r\tag{1}$$ where $f$ is an analytic function of $r$, $N$ is an integer, and $\alpha>0$, how could one solve the above for it's sum? In particular, I'm interested in the sum for…
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Taking a power of a power series, inside of a power series

I have a power series nestled inside a power series, and the inside power series is taken to a power. I need to isolate the term that would go like $t^{2mn}$ so that I could integrate it. I'm not looking to sum up the series, since that's where I'm…
Buddhapus
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Radius of convergence of $f(x)=\arcsin(x)$.

I am working out the series representation for the $\arcsin(x)$ function and its radius of convergence, I'm just not sure if my calculations are correct. I used the generalized binomial formula to come up with the following series…
Walt
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(Solved) Sum of the series $\sum_{k=2}^\infty (k-1)(1-p)^{k-2}$?

Where did I go wrong here? As part of my worksheet for uni, I had to calculate the sum of the series $\sum_{k=2}^\infty (k-1)(1-p)^{k-2}$. ($p \in (0,1)$ denotes a probablity.) According to the German Wiki page on Geometric Series (relevant formula…
Michael
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What is the function associated with the following power series: $\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}x^n\;\;?$

What is the function associated with the following power series: $$\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}x^n$$ If the sum started at 0 (if $n=0$) the function would be $\frac{1}{1-x}$, but with $n=2$, I am a bit confused. Please pardon my poor english.
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Why is $(x- x_{0})^n$ zero around $x_{0}$ on graph?

We where tought that the Taylor power serie centred at the point $x_{0}$ is given by: $\Sigma \frac{ f^{n}(x_{0})}{n!}(x- x_{0})^n$ Where the $\frac{ f^{n}(x_{0})}{n!}$ are the coefficient of the power serie. Now this is one of the most beautiful…
Bahaa
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Finding power series representation

How we can show a presentation of a power series and indicate its radius of convergence? For example how we can find a power series representation of the following function? $$f(x) = \frac{x^3}{(1 + 3x^2)^2}$$
Yigit Can
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