How do you find the interval of convergence Sigma (3^n+4^n)x^n from n=[0,oo)?

2 Answers
Feb 7, 2017

The series:

sum_(n=0)^oo (3^n+4^n)x^n

is absolutely convergent in the interval x in (-1/4,1/4).

Explanation:

You can use the ratio test, evaluating:

abs(a_(n+1)/a_n) = abs(((3^(n+1)+4^(n+1))x^(n+1))/((3^n+4^n)x^n))

abs(a_(n+1)/a_n) = ((3^(n+1)+4^(n+1)))/((3^n+4^n))abs(x)

abs(a_(n+1)/a_n) = 4^(n+1)/4^n((3/4)^(n+1)+1)/((3/4)^n+1)abs(x)

abs(a_(n+1)/a_n) = 4((3/4)^(n+1)+1)/((3/4)^n+1)abs(x)

and passing to the limit for n->oo:

lim_(n->oo) abs(a_(n+1)/a_n) = 4abs(x)

So the series is absolutely convergent for abs(x) < 1/4 and divergent for abs(x) > 1/4.

As usual, the case where lim_(n->oo) abs(a_(n+1)/a_n) = 1 must be examined separately:

  1. For x = 1/4 the series becomes:

sum_(n=0)^oo (3^n+4^n)/4^n = sum_(n=0)^oo[ (3/4)^n+1]

which clearly is divergent as s_n > n, where s_n is the n-th partial sum.

  1. For x = -1/4 the series becomes:

sum_(n=0)^oo (-1)^n(3^n+4^n)/4^n = sum_(n=0)^oo(-1)^n[ (3/4)^n+1]

We can see that this series is not convergent as:

abs(s_(n+1) = s_n) = (3/4)^(n+1) +1 > 1

so that the series does not satisfy Cauchy's convergence test.

Feb 8, 2017

sum_(n=0)^oo(3^n+4^n)x^n=1/(1-3x)+1/(1-4x) for x in(-1/4,1/4)

Explanation:

sum_(n=0)^oo(3^n+4^n)x^n=sum_(n=0)^oo(3x)^n+sum_(n=0)^oo(4x)^n

sum_(n=0)^m(3x)^n = ((3x)^(m+1)-1)/(3x-1)

sum_(n=0)^m(4x)^n = ((4x)^(m+1)-1)/(4x-1)

Defining I_3=abs(3x) < 1 and I_4 = abs(4x)<1 we have

I_4 sub I_3

Now regarding sum_(n=0)^m(4x)^n we now that if x in I_4 we have

lim_(m->oo)sum_(n=0)^m(4x)^n=-1/(4x-1)=1/(1-4x) and

lim_(m->oo)sum_(n=0)^m(3x)^n=-1/(3x-1)=1/(1-3x)

Finally we have that

sum_(n=0)^oo(3^n+4^n)x^n=1/(1-3x)+1/(1-4x) for x in I_4