Exercise 2.7.7

(a)
Show that if a n > 0 and lim ⁡ ( n a n ) = l with l ≠ 0 , then the series ∑ ⁡ a n diverges.
(b)
Assume a n > 0 and lim ⁡ ( n 2 a n ) exists. Show that ∑ ⁡ a n converges.

Answers

Note: This is kind of like a wierd way to do a comparison with 1 ∕ n and 1 ∕ n 2 .

(a)
If lim ⁡ ( n a n ) = l ≠ 0 then n a n ∈ ( l − 𝜖 , l + 𝜖 ) , setting 𝜖 = l ∕ 2 gives n a n ∈ ( l ∕ 2 , 3 l ∕ 2 ) implying a n > ( l ∕ 2 ) ( 1 ∕ n ) . But if a n > ( l ∕ 2 ) ( 1 ∕ n ) then ∑ ⁡ a n diverges as it is a multiple of the harmonic series. (note that a n > 0 ensures l ≥ 0 .)
(b)
Letting l = lim ⁡ ( n 2 a n ) we have n 2 a n ∈ ( l − 𝜖 , l + 𝜖 ) setting 𝜖 = l gives n 2 a n ∈ ( 0 , 2 l ) implying 0 ≤ a n ≤ 2 l ∕ n 2 and so ∑ ⁡ a n converges by a comparsion test with ∑ ⁡ 2 l ∕ n 2 .
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2022-01-27 00:00
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