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Classify the series as arithmetic or geometric then determine whether the series is convergent or divergent

Classify the series as arithmetic or geometric then determine whether the series is-example-1

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1 vote

Answer: Arithmetic , Divergent


Step-by-step explanation:

Given sequence is

{aₙ} = { 4 , 10/3 , 8/ 3 , 2 , . . . }

To check whether the sequence is geometric or not , we divide second term by first term to find the common ratio . Then we again divide third term by second term to get common ratio .

The common ratio we get would same , then it is geometric .

10/3 10 5

r₁ = ----------- = ------ = ------

4 12 6

8/3 8 3 4

r₂= ---------- = ---------- * ------------ = -----

10/ 3 3 10 5


Thus the common ratio are not same . So the sequence is not geometric .

Now we check for arithmetic .

We take difference of second and first term and then difference of third and second term . If it will be same then it is arithmetic . This is called common difference , d .

10 - 2

d₁ = ------ - 4 = -------

3 3

8 10 - 2

d₂ = ------ - -------- = ---------

3 3 3

Thus the common difference is same .

So the given sequence is arithmetic .

To find whether it is convergent or divergent , we need to write sum of n terms first .

Formula for finding sum of n terms of arithmetic sequence is

n

sₙ = ----- [ 2a + ( n - 1 ) d]

2

We have a = 4 , d = - 2/3 .

Plug in this formula we get

n n 2 2

sₙ = ------- [ 2 * 4 + ( n - 1 ) ( -2/3) ] = ------ [ 8 - ----- n + ------ ]

2 2 3 3

n 26 2

sₙ = ------ [ ------ - ------- n ]

2 3 3


To check whether it is convergent or divergent , we take limit sₙ approaches to infinity .

n 26 2

lim sₙ = lim { --- [ --- - ------ n ] } = - ∞

n → ∞ n→∞ 2 3 3


As the sequence diverge , thus the series is divergent .

Thus given series is arithmetic , divergent .

Second is the correct option .


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