We can represent the series \( S = \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{8} - \frac{1}{16} + \cdots \) more clearly by recognizing it as an infinite geometric series. ### Step 1: Identify the First Term and the Common Ratio The first term \( a \) of the series is \( \frac{1}{2} \).