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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Sequences and Sums

There is a list of numbers $a_{1} , a_{2} , …, a_{2010}$ . For $1 \leq n \leq 2010$, where $n$ is positive integer, let $a_1+a_2+ \ldots +a_n = S_n$ . If $a_1 = 2010$ and $S_n = a_nn^2$ for all n, what is the value of $a_{2010}$ ? I've been trying…
SuperMage1
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Largest binary sequence with no more than two repeated subsequences

$A$ is an ordered sequence of elements $a_i = 0, 1$ containing no more than two adjacent repeated subsequences $[a_i, a_{i + k})$. What is the longest sequence $A$? Is it even finite? For example, the subsequence $\{0\}$ is found three times in a…
Vortico
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Proof that $\frac{9}{8} < \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^3} < \frac{5}{4}$.

I'm trying to prove that $\frac{9}{8} < \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^3} < \frac{5}{4}$. I've seen similar proofs to this that tend to approach the proofs geometrically, using the upper and lower bounds of the remainder, the sum of the…
user465188
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Convergence of $1-\frac12-\frac13+\frac14+\frac15+\frac16-....$

How do i establish the convergence of the series $$1-\frac12-\frac13+\frac14+\frac15+\frac16-\frac17-\frac18-\frac19-\frac1 {10}+...$$ where the number of signs increases by 1 in each "block"? I cannot apply the Dirichlet test because the sequence…
jimm
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Is the sequence $\{\varphi^{(k)}(n)\}$ an eventually periodic sequence?

give a number $n \in \mathbb{Z}^+$,write it as $n = (\overbrace{a_1a_2\cdots a_{p_1}})_g$, it means $n$ as the $g$ base. for example: $n = (5)_{10} = (\overbrace{101})_2 = (\overbrace{12})_3$. now give number $g,s \in \mathbb{Z}^+$, for every $n \in…
xunitc
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Simpler way to determine terms in arithmetic progression

I was given this question on a college assessment pre-test. I got the correct answer in a reasonable amount of time, but mostly because I worked backwards and double checked my answer. After I was done, I tried to find math on the net to solve it…
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Find the Generating Function from the sequence (0,1,0,3,0,5,...)

Find the Generating Function from the sequence (0,1,0,3,0,5,...) I can't conceptualize this one and I know it should be easy because it is just odds, but I am having a hard time figuring out how to cancel the even terms. I was thinking like k$x^k$…
C.Math
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Equivalent of a divergent sequence

I've read in an article of this site that if you consider the sequence defined for $n \in \mathbb{N}$ by $$ u_0=0 \text{ and }u_{n+1}=\left(u_n\right)^2+\frac{1}{4} $$ Then the sequence $\displaystyle \left(u_n\right)_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ converges…
Atmos
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What is known about sequences $a_{n}$ such that $\sum_{n=1}^{N}(-1)^{a_{n}}n = 0$?

The question I am really asking is, how many sequences $a_{n}$ satisfy the inequality for a given $N$. Clearly the number is even due to the symmetry of the problem. Also there is no solutions for $N\equiv 1 \mod 4$ or $N\equiv 2 \mod 4$ since the…
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Evaluate infinite sum involving n!

Evaluate $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n×n!}$ I really don't know where to begin with this but I'm pretty sure $e$ is involved somehow. If it can help, $n×n!=(n+1)!-n!$
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Calculating prime sequences

Let $\omega(k)$ be the prime omega function, it counts how many distinct prime factors k has. The dirichlet series for $\omega(k)$ can be written…
Ethan Splaver
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Convergence of a sequence

Problem statement: Determine the limit of the following sequence: $\sqrt{a},\sqrt{1+\sqrt{a}}, \sqrt{1+\sqrt{1+\sqrt{a}}},... $ My progress: Let´s begin by introducing some notation. Let $a_{n}$ denote the nth term of the sequence. We have…
EricAm
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Geometric series $\sum_{n=0}^\infty x^n$ when $x=0$

The infinite geometric series $\sum_{n=0}^\infty x^n=\frac{1}{1-x}$ and so is convergent for $|x|<1$. While working on a trigonometry problem I came across the case of what happens when $x=0$. Clearly the sum is $1$ with the convention $0^0=1$ (this…
jdods
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The convergence or the divergence of a series

Let us consider the series of general term: $$\frac{(-1)^{n-1}}{n^{1/2}}\sin(\beta \log n)$$ The question is about the convergence or the divergence of this series.
Safwane
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Infinite series $\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-3)^n}{n!}$

I can show that the sum $\displaystyle \sum\limits_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-3)^n}{n!}\;$ converges. But I do not see why the limit should be $\dfrac{1}{e^3}$. How do I calculate the limit?
leo
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