Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2004 / ia / Paper 1 / 12F (Analysis)

Rearranging the assumed positive-term ratio inequality givesInduction therefore yields $a_n/b_n\le a_1/b_1$ for every $n\ge 1$. In particularThe positive partial sums of the first series are nondecreasing and bounded above, so the bounded monotone sequence theorem proves that they converge. This is the ratio comparison test, and establishes convergence of $\sum a_n$.

Extend the sequence by $c_0=1$. Cancelling factorials in consecutive normalized central binomial coefficients givesThe given logarithmic inequality therefore impliesOn $[j,j+1]$, $1/t\le 1/j$, so summing its integrals gives ${\sum }_{j=1}^{n}1/j\ge \log (n+1)$. Exponentiating yields the explicit boundAlso every consecutive ratio is less than one, so $(c_n)$ is strictly decreasing, a fact needed for the alternating endpoint.

At $x=1/4$ the terms are $c_n$. Their decay to zero alone is insufficient for convergence. In factbecause the difference has numerator $n\ge 0$. Since $c_1=1/2$, induction gives $c_n\ge 1/(n+1)$. The comparison harmonic series diverges, so

At $x=-1/4$ the terms are $(-1{)}^n{c}_n$. Part (ii) gives positive decreasing magnitudes tending to zero, so the alternating series test applies. To see the convergence directly, let $S_N={\sum }_{n=1}^N(-1{)}^n{c}_n$. Thenwhile $S_{2k}\ge -c_1$, obtained by grouping $S_{2k}=-c_1+(c_2-c_3)+\cdots +(c_{2k-2}-c_{2k-1})+c_{2k}$. Thus the even partial sums have a finite limit. The odd partial sums differ from them by $-c_{2k+1}\to 0$, so the whole sequence of partial sums has the same limit. Absolute convergence would require convergence of $\sum c_n$, already disproved. Hence