Power Series — Question 5

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Question 5

Determine the radius and set of convergence of ∑n=0∞n!xn\displaystyle\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}n!x^n. Use the Ratio Test to show what happens for every nonzero xx.

Original worksheet page 1: question and worked solution for 4-14-005
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Question 5 – Solution

Step 1: Fix x≠0x\ne0 and form the ratio.

With an=n!xna_n=n!x^n, |an+1an|=(n+1)|x|→∞.\left|\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_n}\right|=(n+1)|x|\longrightarrow\infty. The Ratio Test therefore gives divergence for every fixed nonzero xx. Indeed, the terms eventually increase in magnitude and cannot tend to zero.

Step 2: Check x=0x=0.

At x=0x=0, the series has only its n=0n=0 term nonzero (using 00=10^0=1 in the power-series convention), so it converges to 11.

Conclusion.

The radius is R=0\boxed{R=0} and the set of convergence is the single point {0}\boxed{\{0\}}. This is not a nondegenerate interval.

Original worksheet page 2: question and worked solution for 4-14-005

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