A power series is an infinite series

The number c is called the expansion point. The first thing to notice about a power series is that it is a
function of x.

Substituting in any number for x, the power series becomes a numerical series

and so we can ask if that numerical series converges or diverges. The set of all

x for which the power series (1) converges is called the interval of convergence

of the power series.

In mathematics, the radius of convergence of a power series is the radius of the largest disk in which the
series converges. It is either a non-negative real number or ∞. When it is positive, the power series
converges absolutely and uniformly on compact sets inside the open disk of radius equal to the radius of
convergence, and it is the Taylor series of the analytic function to which it converges.

You can use the Ratio Test (and sometimes, the Root Test) to determine the values for which a power
series converges. Here are some important facts about the convergence of a power series.

A power series converges absolutely in a symmetric interval about its expansion point, and diverges
outside that symmetric interval. The distance from the expansion point to an endpoint is called the
radius of convergence.

Any combination of convergence or divergence may occur at the endpoints of the interval. That is, the
series may diverge at both endpoints, converge at both endpoints, or diverge at one and converge at the
other.

A power series always converges at the expansion point.

The set of points where the series converges is called the interval of convergence.

Ratio Test

1. If   , then the series

 is convergent.

2. If   , then the series

is divergent.

3. The test is inconclusive when the limit equals 1! (This will not bother us much
when we consider power series!)

An Example.

It's time to exploit this for power series. Consider the series

We want to find out for what values of x the series converges. If we view this power
series as a series of the form

then   ,   ,   and so forth. The general term will have
the form

(Plug in   to see that this formula works!) Consequently the ratios are
given by

Since
we obtain

What's next? Do you remember the question we are trying to answer? For what values
of x does the power series converge! The ratio test tells us now that the series will
converge as long as |x|<1. It also tells us that the series will diverge for |x|>1. That
gives us a pretty complete picture about what's going on:

The biggest interval (it is always an interval!) where a power series is converging is

called interval of convergence of the power series. The interval of convergence is
always centered at the center of the power series. It is customary to call half the length
of the interval of convergence the radius of convergence of the power series. In our
example, the center of the power series is 0, the interval of convergence is the interval
from -1 to 1 (note the vagueness about the end points of the interval), its length is 2,
so the radius of convergence equals 1.

Another example.

Consider the power series

 Step 1. Find the general term of the power series. In our case

will do the job for   . Since we will be taking the limit as n goes to
infinity, the odd ``5'' at the beginning is of no consequence!

 Step 2. Compute the ratios   . Don't forget the absolute values!

  Step 3. Compute the limit of the ratios. Since   , in our case

for all x.

 Step 4. Apply the ratio test. Since 0<1 (in this example the limit does not
depend on the value of x), the series converges for all x.

Thus the interval of convergence is the interval   . The radius of

convergence in this case is said to be   .

One more example.

Consider the power series

 Step 1. Find the general term of the power series. This is not as easy as in
the last examples! The exponent of the (x + 2)'s jumps by 2 each time, up front
we have a power of 2. Let's try to rewrite the absolute values of the first terms
slowly: | A0| = 20 . | x + 2|1, | A1| = 21 . | x + 2|(2 . 1 + 1), | A2| = 22 . | x + 2|(2 . 2 + 1), | A3| =
23 . | x + 2|(2 . 3 + 1), and so forth. Thus the general term is given by

| An| = 2n . | x + 2|(2 . n + 1).

  Step 2. Compute the ratios   .

 Step 3. Compute the limit of the ratios. Since in this case the ratios do not
depend on n, there's nothing to do!

 Step 4. Apply the ratio test. The series will converge, when the ratio in Step 3
is less than 1 (diverge when the ratio exceeds 1):

Bingo! The radius of convergence in this case is   . The interval of

convergence is the interval from   to   .

Example 1  Determine the radius of convergence and interval of convergence for the
following power series.

                                                         

Solution
Okay, we know that this power series will converge for  , but that’s
it at this point.  To determine the remainder of the x’s for which we’ll get convergence
we can use any of the tests that we’ve discussed to this point.  After application of the
test that we choose to work with we will arrive at condition(s) on x that we can use to
determine which values of x for which the power series will converge and which
values of x for which the power series will diverge.  From this we can get the radius of
convergence and most of the interval of convergence (with the possible exception of
the endpoints).
 
With all that said, the best tests to use here are almost always the ratio or root test. 
Most of the power series that we’ll be looking at are set up for one or the other.  In
this case we’ll use the ratio test.
 

                                 

 
Before going any farther with the limit let’s notice that since x is not dependent on the
limit it can be factored out of the limit.  Notice as well that in doing this we'll need to
keep the absolute value bars on it since we need to make sure everything stays
positive and x could well be a value that will make things negative.  The limit is then,

                                                          
So, the ratio test tells us that if   the series will converge, if 
 the series will diverge, and if   we don’t know what will happen. 
So, we have,
                       

 
We’ll deal with the   case in a bit.  Notice that we now have the radius
of convergence for this power series.  These are exactly the conditions required for the
radius of convergence.  The radius of convergence for this power series is 
.
 
Now, let’s get the interval of convergence.  We’ll get most (if not all) of the interval
by solving the first inequality from above.

                                                             
 
So, most of the interval of validity is given by  .  All we
need to do is determine if the power series will converge or diverge at the endpoints of
this interval.  Note that these values of x will correspond to the value of x that will
give  .
 
The way to determine convergence at these points is to simply plug them into the
original power series and see if the series converges or diverges using any test
necessary.
 
:
In this case the series is,
                

This series is divergent by the Divergence Test since 

.
 
:
In this case the series is,

                                                  

This series is also divergent by the Divergence Test since 

 doesn’t exist.
 
So, in this case the power series will not converge for either endpoint.  The interval of
convergence is then,