Section 8.

3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

The Integral and Comparison Tests

The Integral Test
THE INTEGRAL TEST: Suppose f is a continuous, positive, decreasing function on [1, )

X
and let an = f (n). Then the series
an is convergent if and only if the improper integral
n=1

f (x)dx is convergent. In other words:

(a) If

f (x)dx is convergent, then

(b) If

an is convergent.

n=1

f (x)dx is divergent, then

an is divergent.

n=1

REMARK: Dont use the Integral Test to evaluate series, because in general
Z

X
an 6= f (x)dx
n=1

EXAMPLES:
Z

X
1
1
1
1.
is divergent, because f (x) =
is continuous, positive, decreasing and
dx is
n
x
x
n=1
divergent by the p-test for improper integrals, since p = 1 1.

X
1
1
1
2.
is divergent, because f (x) = 1/2 is continuous, positive, decreasing and
dx
1/2
1/2
n
x
x
n=1
1

is divergent by the p-test for improper integrals, since p = 1/2 1.

Z

X
1
1
1
3.
is convergent, because f (x) = 2 is continuous, positive, decreasing and
dx is
2
n
x
x2
n=1
convergent by the p-test for improper integrals, since p = 2 > 1.

REMARK 1: When we use the Integral Test it is not necessary to start the series or the integral
at n = 1. For instance, in testing the series
Z

X
1
1
we use
dx
n+1
x+1
n=5
5

REMARK 2: It is not necessary that f be always decreasing. It has to be ultimately decreasing,

that is, decreasing for x larger than some number N.
EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series

X
ln n

n=1

converges or diverges.

Section 8.3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series

X
ln n

n=1

converges or diverges.

ln x
is positive and continuous for x > 1. However, looking at
Solution: The function f (x) =
x
the graph of this function we conclude that f is not decreasing.

At the same time one can show that this function is ultimately decreasing. In fact,


1
x ln x 1
ln x
1 ln x
(ln x) x ln x x

x
f (x) =
=
=
=
2
2
x
x
x
x2
Note that 1 ln x < 0 for all sufficiently large x which means that f (x) < 0 and therefore f
is ultimately decreasing. So, we can apply the Integral Test:
Z

ln x
dx = lim
t
x

Zt

ln x
(ln x)2
dx = lim
t
x
2

Since this integral diverges, the series

X
ln n
n=1

EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series

X
n=2

t

(ln t)2
=
t
2

= lim

also diverges.
1
converges or diverges.
n ln n

1
is continuous, positive and decreasing on [2, ), therefore
Solution: The function f (x) =
x ln x
we can apply the Integral Test:
Z
2

1
dx = lim
t
x ln x

Zt

1
dx = lim ln(ln x)]t2 = lim [ln(ln t) ln(ln 2)] =
t
t
x ln x

Since this integral diverges, the series

X
n=2

EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series

1
also diverges.
n ln n

X
n=2

1
converges or diverges.
n ln2 n

Section 8.3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series

X
n=2

1
converges or diverges.
n ln2 n

1
is continuous, positive and decreasing on [2, ), therefore
Solution: The function f (x) =
x ln2 x
we can apply the Integral Test:


t

Z
Zt
1
1
1
1
1
1
lim
lim
= lim
=
+
2 dx = t
2 dx = t
t
ln x 2
ln t ln 2
ln 2
x ln x
x ln x
2

Since this integral converges, the series

X
n=2

mentioned before,

X
n=2

1
also converges. We also note that, as it was
n ln2 n

1
1
6=
.
2
ln 2
n ln n

THEOREM (p-Test): The p-series

X
1
is convergent if p > 1 and divergent if p 1.
p
n
n=1

Proof: We distinguish three cases:

X
1
1
diverges by the Divergence Test.
Case I: If p < 0, then lim p = , therefore
p
n n
n
n=1

X
1
1
1
1
Case II: If p = 0, then lim p = lim 0 = lim
= 1, therefore
diverges by the
p
n n
n n
n 1
n
n=1
Divergence Test.
1
Case III: If p > 0, then the function f (x) = p is continuous, positive and decreasing on
x

X
1
is convergent if and only if
[1, ), therefore we can apply the Integral Test by which
p
n
n=1
Z
Z
1
1
the improper integral
dx is convergent. But
dx is convergent if p > 1 and divergent
p
x
xp
1

if p 1 by the p-test for improper integrals. 

REMARK: As before, when we use the p-Test it is not necessary to start the series at n = 1.
EXAMPLE: Determine whether the following series converge or diverge:

X
X
X
1
1
1
(b)
(c)
, >0
(a)
2
1+
n
n
n
n=1
n=1
n=1

X
X
1
1
diverges by the p-test for series, since p = 1 1. The series
Solution: The series
n
n2
n=1
n=1

X
1
converges by the p-test for series, since p = 2 > 1. The series
converges by the p-test
1+
n
n=1
for series, since p = 1 + > 1.

X
1
converges or diverges.
EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series
n+1
n=1
3

Section 8.3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLE: Determine whether the series

X
n=1

1
converges or diverges.
n+1

REMARK: Note that we CANT apply the p-test directly!

1
is continuous, positive and decreasing on [1, ), therex+1
fore we can apply the Integral Test:
Zt
Z
1
1
dx = lim
dx = lim ln(x + 1)]t1 = lim [ln(t + 1) ln 2] =
t
t
t
x+1
x+1
Solution 1: The function f (x) =

Since this integral diverges, the series

Solution 2: We have

1
also diverges.
n+1

X1
1
=
n + 1 n=2 n

n=1

n=1

X
X
1
1
diverges by the p-test with p = 1, it follows that
also diverges, since
Since
n
n+1
n=1
n=2
convergence or divergence is unaffected by deleting a finite number of terms.

The Comparison Tests

X
X
THE COMPARISON TEST: Suppose that
an and
bn are series with positive terms.
X
X
(a) If
bn is convergent and an bn for all n, then
an is also convergent
X
X
(b) If
bn is divergent and an bn for all n, then
an is also divergent
EXAMPLE: Use the Comparison Test to determine whether the following series converge or
diverge.

X
X
1
ln n

(b)
(a)
3
n
n1
n=2
n=1

X
1
ln n
1
> for n > e and
diverges by the p-test with p = 1, it follows that
Solution: Since
n
n
n
n=1

X
X
ln n
1
1
1

also diverges. Similarly, since

>
and
diverges by the p-test with
3
3
3
n
n1
n
n
n=1
n=2

X
1

p = 1/3, it follows that

also diverges.
3
n1
n=2

EXAMPLE: Use the Comparison Test to determine whether the following series converge or
diverge:

X
X
X
1
1
1
(b)
(c)
(a)
3
2
2
n +n+1
n +1
n 1
n=2
n=2
n=1
4

Section 8.3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLE: Use the Comparison Test to determine whether the following series converge or
diverge:

X
X
X
1
1
1
(b)
(c)
(a)
3
2
2
n +n+1
n +1
n 1
n=2
n=2
n=1
Solution:
(a) Since
1
1
< 3
3
n +n+1
n
it follows that

X
n=1

n3

X
1
n3
n=1

and

converges by the p-test with p = 3

1
also converges.
+n+1

(b) Since
1
1
<
n2 + 1
n2
it follows that

X
n=1

n2

and

X
1
n2
n=1

converges by the p-test with p = 2

1
also converges.
+1

(c) Since
2
1
<
n2 1
n2
it follows that

X
n=2

for n 2 and

X
X
2
1
=
2
n2
n2
n=2
n=2

1
also converges.
n2 1

Another way to show it is to rewrite

X
n=2

X
n=1

1
1
< 2
2
n + 2n
n
it follows that

n=1

n2

1
as
1

X
X
1
1
1
=
=
2
2
2
(n + 1) 1 n=1 n + 2n + 1 1 n=1 n + 2n

Since

converges by the p-test with p = 2

and

X
1
n2
n=2

converges by the p-test with p = 2



X
1
1
and
therefore
also converges.
21
n2 + 2n
n
n=2

Section 8.3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

X
X
THE LIMIT COMPARISON TEST: Suppose that
an and
bn are series with positive
terms. If
an
=c
lim
n bn
where c is a finite number and c > 0, then either both series converge or both diverge.
EXAMPLE: Use the Limit Comparison Test to determine whether

X
n=2

diverges.
Solution: Put an =

n2

1
converges or
1

1
1
,
b
=
. Then
n
n2 1
n2

1
2
n2
an
= lim n 1 1 = lim 2
= lim
c = lim
n
n
n n 1
n bn
2
n

n2
n2
n2 1
n2

1
1
=1
=
1
n 1 2
1

0
n

= lim

X
X
1
1
converges by the p-test with p = 2, it follows that
also
Since c = 1 and
2
2
n
n 1
n=2
n=2
converges.

EXAMPLE: Use the Limit Comparison Test to determine whether the following series converge
or diverge:
(a)

X
n=1

1
2 n+1

(b)

X
n=2

1
2
4n n 1

(c)

X
n=1

4n2 n + 5
n5 + n4 + 2n 2

(d)

X
n=1

1
n1+1/n

Section 8.3 The Integral and Comparison Tests

2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

EXAMPLE: Use the Limit Comparison Test to determine whether the following series converge
or diverge:

X
X
X
X
1
1
4n2 n + 5
1

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
2
5
4
1+1/n
2 n+1
4n n 1
n + n + 2n 2
n
n=1
n=2
n=1
n=1
Solution:

1
1
(a) Put an =
, bn = . Then
2 n+1
n
c = lim

Since c =
diverges.

an
=
bn

n
= lim
= lim
n 2 n + 1
n

1
2 n+1
lim
n 1
n

n
n

2 n+1
n

= lim

1
1
1 =

2
2+ n

X
X
1
1
1

diverges by the p-test with p = 1/2, it follows that

and
also
2
n
2
n
+
1
n=1
n=1

(b) Put an =

1
1
,
b
=
. Then
n
4n2 n 1
n2

an
= lim
c = lim
n
n bn

1
4n2 n1
1
n2

n2
= lim
= lim
n
n 4n2 n 1

n2
n2
4n2 n1
n2

= lim

1
4

1
n

1
n2

1
4

X 1
X
1
1
Since c = and
converges
by
the
p-test
with
p
=
2,
it
follows
that
also
2
2
4
n
4n

1
n=2
n=2
converges.
1
4n2 n + 5
, bn = 3 . Then
(c) Put an = 5
4
n + n + 2n 2
n
an
= lim
c = lim
n
n bn

4n2 n+5
n5 +n4 +2n2
1
n3

4 n1 + n52
4n5 n4 + 5n3
=
lim
n 1 + 1 + 24
n n5 + n4 + 2n 2
n
n

= lim

2
n5

=4

X
X
1
4n2 n + 5
Since c = 4 and
converges
by
the
p-test
with
p
=
3,
it
follows
that
n3
n5 + n4 + 2n 2
n=1
n=1
also converges.
1
1
(d) Put an = 1+1/n , bn = . Then
n
n
1
n1 n1/n
n11/n
an
n1+1/n
= lim
=
lim
= lim n1/n
=
lim
c = lim
1
1
1
n
n
n
n
n bn
n
n
n

To evaluate lim n1/n we apply LHospitals Rule. To this end we first put y = n1/n . Then
n

ln y = ln(n1/n ) =
We have

(ln n)
1/n
1
ln n
= lim
= lim
= lim = 0

n
n 1
n n
n n
n

X
1
= e0 = 1. Since c = 1 and
diverges by the p-test with p = 1, it
n
n=1
lim

Therefore lim n1/n

n

follows that

X
n=1

ln n
n

1
n1+1/n

also diverges.