Questions tagged [sequences-and-series]

For questions concerning sequences and series. Typical questions concern, but are not limited to: identifying sequences, identifying terms, recurrence relations, $\epsilon-N$ proofs of convergence, convergence tests, finding closed forms for sums. For questions on finite sums, use the (summation) tag instead.

Sequences and series are often considered as a main part of part of calculus, in addition to limits, continuity, differentiation and integration.

A sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed. There are special types of sequences, such as arithmetic sequences (or arithmetic progressions), where the next term is a constant more than the previous; harmonic progressions, which is formed by taking the reciprocal of each term of an arithmetic progression; logarithmic progression, which is formed from a series whose progression getting smaller; and geometric progressions, where the next term is a constant multiplied by the previous term.

A sequence can be given by a direct formula (e.g. $a_n = 2^n + 3$), or by a recurrence relation. In a recurrence relation, the relation between the next term and the earlier terms is given. An example is the recurrence relation $F_{n+2}=F_{n+1}+F_n, n \geq 0.$ Together with the initial terms $F_0=0$ and $F_1=1$, this recurrence relation defines the famous Fibonacci sequence.

A series is formed by summing a sequence. A typical question is: When the number of summed terms goes to infinity, does the sum approach a finite limit? In other words, is it convergent? Several tests, such as the ratio test, the root test, the limit comparison test, the integral test, etc. can help to answer these questions.

Important note. Questions about guessing the next number in a sequence, with no explicit mathematical context, will usually be quickly closed. Consider posting these questions at Puzzling Stack Exchange instead.

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Alternating harmonic series convergence $S_n = 1-\frac12 + \frac13 - \cdots + (-1)^n\frac1n$

Let's consider the alternating harmonic series $S_n = 1-\frac12 + \frac13 - \cdots + (-1)^n\frac1n$. By rearranging its terms, we get $S_n = (1-\frac12)-\frac14 + (\frac13-\frac16)-\frac18 + (\frac15-\frac1{10})-\cdots$. This equals to $S_n =…
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What is the closed form sum of the series $(1-\frac12)+(\frac13-\frac14)(1-\frac12+\frac13)+(\frac15 - \frac16)(1-\frac12+\frac13-\frac14 \frac15)+…$

What is the closed form sum of this series? $(1 - \frac12)+(\frac13 - \frac14)(1 - \frac12 + \frac13)+(\frac15 - \frac16)(1 - \frac12 + \frac13 - \frac14 + \frac15)+(\frac17 - \frac18)(1 - \frac12 + \frac13 - \frac14 + \frac15 - \frac16 +…
KingChem
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largest geometric progression that can be obtained from a set

The question is to find out the longest geometric progression (the common ratio $r \neq 1$) that can be obtained from the set $(100,101,102,...,1000)$ The common ratio must be greater than $1$ and for the common ratio $2$ the number of terms is $4$…
user471651
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Arithmetic Sequence in Harmonic Sequence

If Harmonic Sequence $$ H_n=\left\{ {1,\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{3},\frac{1}{4},\frac{1}{5},...} \right\} $$ How can I find an arithmetic sequence using the above sequence? Actually, I have found one by…
Vulcan
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Finding out nth term of a sequence by method of diference

Let us consider $$S_n=t_1+t_2+...+t_n$$ and let $∆_{t_1}=t_2-t_1,∆_{t_2}=t_3-t_2,...,∆_{t_{n-1}}=t_n-t_{n-1}$ be the first order difference. Similarly $∆^2_{t_1}=∆_{t_2}-∆_{t_1},...∆^2_{t_{n-2}}=∆_{t_{n-1}}-∆_{t_{n-2}}$ be the second other…
user471651
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Sum of infinite sequence

Let $$T_r=\frac{rx}{(1-x)(1-2x)(1-3x)\cdots(1-rx)}$$ Can someone please tell me how to break this expression into partial fractions (because I am a bit weak at it) to find the following $$\sum_{r=2}^\infty T_r$$
Rohan Shinde
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What is general term of the sequence : $1, 2, 4, 4, 8, 8, 8, 8, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 32, 32 ...$?

I have a sequence as follows: $$1, 2, 4, 4, 8, 8, 8, 8, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 32, 32 ...$$ What will be the closed form of the above sequence for the nth term? I clearly see the pattern of $2^x$ getting repeated $2^{x-1}$ times. But I am…
user3243499
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Does the series $\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}{\frac{\sin(n^3)}{\ln(n)}}$ converge?

Do you have any idea if the series $\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}{\frac{\sin(n^3)}{\ln(n)}}$ converges? I am totally lost!
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What is $\sum_{r=1}^\infty\frac{r+2}{2^{r+1}(r)(r+1)}$?

Find out the sum of the following infinite series $$\frac{3}{2^2(1)(2)} + \frac{4}{2^3(2)(3)} +\dots+\frac{r+2}{2^{r+1}(r)(r+1)}+\cdots $$ up to $r\to\infty$. MY TRY:- I tried to split $r+2$ as $[(r+1) +{(r+1)-r}]$ so that I can cancel one term…
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How to obtain the sum of the following series? $\sum_{n=1}^\infty{\frac{n^2}{2^n}}$

It seems that I'm missing something about this. First of all, the series is convergent: $\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\frac{2^{-n-1} (n+1)^2}{2^{-n} n^2}=\frac{1}{2}$ (ratio test) What I tried to do is to find a limit of a partial sum…
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Test whether or not $\sum _{n=1}^{\infty }\frac{1}{n\left(1+\frac{1}{2}+...+\frac{1}{n}\right)}$ converge?

$$\sum _{n=1}^{\infty }\frac{1}{n\left(1 +\frac{1}{2}+...+\frac{1}{n}\right)}$$ I am trying to use limit comparison test to test this series, Let $a_n = \frac{1}{n\left(1 +\frac{1}{2}+\ldots+\frac{1}{n}\right)}$ and $b_n =…
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The value of $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(-1)^{n-1}\frac{\log n}{n}$

How to compute the following convergent series? or some hint! $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(-1)^{n-1}\frac{\log n}{n}.$$ The Wolfram MATHEMATICA9.0 gives the result is $1/2(\log 2)^2-\gamma\log 2$, where $\gamma$ is tha Euler constant!
Riemann
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Proof for sum of product of four consecutive integers

I had to prove that $(1)(2)(3)(4)+\cdots(n)(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)=\frac{n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)(n+4)}{5}$ This is how I attempted to do the problem: First I expanded the $n^{th}$ term:$n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)=n^4+6n^3+11n^2+6n$. So the series…
Gayatri
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$S_n=\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{1}{k}$. then $S_{2^n}$=?

Let $S_n$=$\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{1}{k}$. which of the following is true? $S_{2^n}\ge\frac{n}{2}$ for every n$\ge1$. $S_n$ is a bounded sequence. $|S_{2^n}-S_{2^{n-1}}|\to0$ as n$\to\infty$. $\frac{S_n}{n}\to1$ as n$\to\infty$. I have a confusion that…
Priyanka
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Is the infinite sum convergent?

$$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n \cdot n^{\frac{1}{n}}}$$ Is this infinite sum convergent? There is a hint that using relation between $\ln n$ and $n^{\frac{1}{n}}$, but I don't know what the relation is.
cokecokecoke
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