Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2009/ia/paper-1/4e/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 ia Paper 1 4E Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The key fact is that convergence of a power series at one nonzero point forces absolute convergence at every smaller modulus. Indeed, if converges and , its terms form a bounded sequence, say . For ,by convergence of a geometric series.
Let be the set of moduli of points at which the power series converges, and put , allowing . The set contains zero, so its supremum is defined in . Whenever , the definition of supremum provides a convergence point with . The preceding estimate gives absolute convergence at . Whenever , convergence at would put in , contradicting its upper bound. This proves the asserted radius of convergence property, including and . Nothing in the argument decides convergence on .
For the requested boundary behavior, take the power seriesIts coefficients are for , and . At either or it is the divergent harmonic series. At either or it is , which converges by the alternating series test. In fact its radius of convergence is one, since inside the unit circle the terms are bounded by a geometric series, and outside it they do not tend to zero.
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