17 - Comparison Test

Comparison Test

Let $(a_k)$ and $(b_k)$ be real sequences
Assume that

$$0\le a_k\le b_k\text{ for all }k\ge 1$$

and

$$\sum _{k=1}^{\infty }{b}_k\text{ converges}$$

Then

$$\sum _{k=1}^{\infty }{a}_k\text{ converges}$$

Generally it works for $0\le a_k\le C{b}_k\text{ for all }k\ge 1$ for some $C\in \mathbb{R}$

Proof

Let $s_n={\sum }_{k=1}^n{a}_k$
Then $(s_n)$ is increasing, since $a_k\ge 0$ for all $k\ge 1$
And

$$s_n=\sum _{k=1}^n{a}_k\le \sum _{k=1}^n{b}_k\le \sum _{k=1}^{\infty }{b}_k$$

Since the last series converges then $(s_n)$ is bounded
Hence by Monotone Sequences Theorem

$$\sum _{k=1}^{\infty }{a}_k\text{ converges}$$

Comparison Test for Divergence

If

$$0\le a_k\le b_k\text{ for all }k$$

and

$$\sum _{k=1}^{\infty }{a}_k\text{ diverges}$$

Then

$$\sum _{i=1}^{\infty }{b}_k\text{ diverges}$$