Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2014/ia/paper-4/5e/solution

A real sequence has limit of a sequence when
A series is a convergent series with sum when its partial sums have limit of a sequence .
For the first comparison test for series, either of the two allowed bounds implies . Hence
The partial sums form a monotone bounded sequence, so they converge. The series is convergent.
For the exponent , use for . The resulting telescoping series bounds every partial sum by , proving that the series converges by the monotone bounded sequence property. To prove divergence of the harmonic series, group the terms with : their sum is at least . Thus its partial sums are unbounded. If , then , so the comparison test for series proves
For the weighted square assumption, the finite-dimensional Cauchy-Schwarz inequality gives, for every ,
Again the positive partial sums form a monotone bounded sequence. This is the weighted square roots of a summable sequence argument, with . The weighted square condition implies .
The converse is false. Take . Each block contributes at most , and the resulting geometric series converges. But , whose harmonic series diverges. This proves the counterexample without assuming the full P-series criterion.

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