Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/ia/paper-1/3d/solution

The alternating series test says that if decreases to , then
converges. Taking proves convergence of the given series.
It is not absolute convergence, because the series of absolute values is the p-series
which diverges since . Thus the original series has conditional convergence.
For an explicit divergent rearrangement of a series, take unused positive terms, which are the even-indexed terms, until the partial sum exceeds , then take the first unused negative term. Next take positive terms until the sum exceeds , then the next unused negative term, and continue. Both the positive and negative subseries have infinite total magnitude, so this procedure uses every term. The negative term inserted at stage tends to zero, while the preceding partial sum exceeds ; consequently these rearranged partial sums tend to . This is a divergent series with exactly the prescribed terms.

New to topics? Read the docs here!