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[parent] slower convergent series (Theorem)
Theorem 1   If
$\displaystyle a_1\!+\!a_2\!+\!a_3\!+\cdots$ (1)

is a converging series with positive terms, then one can always form another converging series $$g_1\!+\!g_2\!+\!g_3\!+\cdots$$ such that
$\displaystyle \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{g_n}{a_n} = \infty$ (2)

Proof. Let $S$ be the sum of (1), $S_n = a_1\!+\!a_2\!+\cdots+\!a_n$ the $n^\mathrm{th}$ partial sum of (1) and $R_{n+1} = S\!-\!S_n = a_{n+1}\!+\!a_{n+2}\!+\cdots$ the corresponding remainder term. Then we have $$a_n = R_n\!-\!R_{n+1} = (\sqrt{R_n}\!+\!\sqrt{R_{n+1}})(\sqrt{R_n}\!-\!\sqrt{R_{n+1}}).$$ We set $$g_n := \frac{a_n}{\sqrt{R_n}\!+\!\sqrt{R_{n+1}}} = \sqrt{R_n}\!-\!\sqrt{R_{n+1}} \quad \forall n = 1,\,2,\,3,\,\ldots$$ Then the series $g_1\!+\!g_2\!+\!g_3\!+\cdots$ fulfils the requirements in the theorem. Its terms $g_n$ are positive. Further, it converges because its $n^\mathrm{th}$ partial sum is equal to $\sqrt{R_1}\!-\!\sqrt{R_{n+1}}$ which tends to the limit $\sqrt{R_1} = \sqrt{S}$ as $n\to\infty$ since $R_{n+1}\to 0$ ; this implies also (2).




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See Also: slower divergent series, non-existence of universal series convergence criterion


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Cross-references: implies, limit, converges, theorem, remainder term, partial sum, sum, proof, positive, series
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This is version 8 of slower convergent series, born on 2005-03-19, modified 2006-09-27.
Object id is 6884, canonical name is SlowerConvergentSeries.
Accessed 1458 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC40A05 (Sequences, series, summability :: Convergence and divergence of infinite limiting processes :: Convergence and divergence of series and sequences)

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