How do you find the power series for #f(x)=ln(1-3x^2)# and determine its radius of convergence?

1 Answer
Mar 14, 2018

#ln(1-3x^2) = -sum_(k=0)^oo 3^(k+1)x^(2k+2)/(k+1)#

Explanation:

Start from the sum of the geometric series:

#sum_(k=0)^oo q^k = 1/(1-q)#

For #abs(q) <1#

Let #q=3x^2# so that we have:

#sum_(k=0)^oo 3^kx^(2k) = 1/(1-3x^2)#

and multiplying by #6x#:

#6sum_(k=0)^oo 3^kx^(2k+1) = (6x)/(1-3x^2)#

The series is convergent for #3x^2 < 1#, that is for #x in (-1/sqrt3,1/sqrt3)#. Inside this interval we can integrate the series term by term and obtain a series with the same radius of convergence.

#6sum_(k=0)^oo 3^kint_0^x t^(2k+1)dt = int_0^x (6tdt)/(1-3t^2)#

#6sum_(k=0)^oo 3^kx^(2k+2)/(2k+2) = int_0^x -(d(1-3t^2))/(1-3t^2)#

#6sum_(k=0)^oo 3^kx^(2k+2)/(2k+2) = -lnabs(1-3x^2)#

and finally:

#ln(1-3x^2) = -sum_(k=0)^oo 3^(k+1)x^(2k+2)/(k+1)#