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    logtest

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    tarikjary1976
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    logtest

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    tarikjary1976

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    The log test

    Kyle Miller
    Monday, 14 September 2015

    Thinking about how the ratio and root tests work, I realized that a similar test could be
    devised for comparing against p-series rather than geometric series. Here is the test:
    Theorem 1. Let ∞ −1
    P
    n=1 an be a series of positive terms. Consider limn→∞ logn an . Then:

    1. If this limit diverges to positive infinity or to a number L greater than 1, then ∞


    P
    n=1 an
    converges; and
    2. If this limit diverges to negative infinity or to a number L less than 1, then ∞
    P
    n=1 an
    diverges; and
    3. Otherwise the test is inconclusive.
    The proof is fairly similar to that of the ratio and root tests in Stewart:
    Proof. First, suppose limn→∞ logn an−1 diverges to positive infinity or to a number L greater
    than 1. Then there is a number p such that 1 < p and, if the limit converges, p < L. There
    is some N such that whenever n > N , logn a−1 −1
    n > p (that is, the sequence of logn an is
    −1 p 1
    eventually always larger than p). Observe this means an > n , and so an < np . Since 1 < p,
    P 1
    PN
    n=1 np is convergent, and so by the comparison test (starting at n = N + 1), n=1 an
    converges, too.
    The second part is similar, but p is chosen to be less than 1, and so by the comparison
    test with a divergent p-series, the series must also diverge.
    Examples:
    P∞
    1. 1
    n=2 (ln n)ln n . We compute logn an
    −1
    = ln(n)lnln(ln
    n
    n)
    = ln(ln n), which tends to ∞ as
    n → ∞, so by the theorem the series converges.
    ln(np ln n)
    2. For which p does ∞ 1
    = p+ ln(ln n)
    P
    n=2 np ln n converge? We compute ln n ln n
    , which tends
    to p as n → ∞, so the series converges if p > 1 and diverges if p < 1. When p = 1,
    then we may instead use the integral test.
    The test is worded as if it were the ratio or root test in Stewart. It can be strengthened
    into the following:
    Theorem 2. Let ∞ −1
    P
    n=1 an be a series of positive terms. If the sequence logn an is eventually
    bounded below by a number L > 1, then the series converges, and if the sequence is eventually
    bounded above by a number L < 1, then the series diverges.

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