Advanced Calculus Challenges
Advanced Calculus Challenges
Indeterminate Limits
✓ ◆
sin x1 (1 + x)1/5 (1 x)1/5 1 1
1. lim 5. lim 10. lim
x!1 tan 1 1 x!0 (1 + x)1/3 (1 x)1/3 x!1 ln x x 1
x
sec2 x ✓ ◆x2
tan x x 6. lim
2. lim x!⇡/2 sec2 3x 1
x!0 x sin x 11. lim 1+
1
x!1 2x
2
7. lim (sin x)(csc x)
e2x 1 x!0+
3. lim 12. lim (ex + x)2/x
x!0 sin2 x 8. lim (x 2) tan 14 ⇡x x!1
x!2
✓ ◆
x2 ln(x 3) 1 1 x
4. lim 9. lim 13. lim xx
x!3+ ln(ex e3 ) x!0 x2 x2 sec x x!0+
Sequences
Determine whether the sequence with the given general term an converges or diverges. If it converges, find the
limit.
⇢ n+2
4n2 n3 3 ( 1)n n
1. an = 4. 7. a n =
10 + 2n3 5n n+1
✓ ◆
2n⇡
n3 + 2 5. an = tan 8. {ln(2n + 1) ln n}
2. an = 1 + 8n
n+3
⇢✓ ◆
( 1)n n+2 n
3. {e1/n } 6. an = p 9.
2 n n 2
P
1 P
1 P
1
14. If (an + bn ) is convergent, does it mean that both an and bn are convergent?
n=1 n=1 n=1
Integral Test
Determine if the series is convergent or divergent.
P
1
n3
P
1 1 P1 n P
1 1
1. n2 e 3. 2
5. n
7.
n=1 n=2 n(ln n) n=1 e n=3 n ln(n) ln(ln n)
P1 e1/n P
1 n2 P1 n+1
2. 2
4. 3
6. 2
n=1 n n=1 n + 4 n=1 n
Z 1
x sin(1) + cos(1) P1
n sin n
8. Fact: e sin x dx = . Why is this not sufficient (not enough) to conclude that e
1 2e n=1
is convergent?
P1 n + 100
9. We can use the integral test to determine if is convergent or divergent. However, this would be
n=1 n + 2
overkill (too much e↵ort). Why?
10. Find the values of the constant p for which the series is convergent.
P
1 1 P
1 1
(a) (b)
n=2 n(ln n)p n=2 n p ln n
Sums of some convergent p-series, for your amusement (not needed in class).
P1 1 1 1 ⇡2
• 2
= 1 + 2 + 2 + ··· =
n=1 n 2 3 6
P1 1 1 1 ⇡4
• 4
= 1 + + + · · · =
n=1 n 24 34 90
P1 1 1 1 ⇡6
• 6
= 1 + + + · · · =
n=1 n 26 36 945
s
1 1 6
If we use, say, the third series above, we have ⇡ = 6
+ 6 + · · · . We can then approximate ⇡ using
945 1 +
2 3
partial sums. For instance, using the 10th partial sum, we have
s
p
6 6 1 1 1
⇡ ⇡ S10 ⇡ 945 1 + 6 + 6 + · · · + 6 ⇡ 3.141591856.
2 3 10
P1 1
9. (Hint: Is n2 n! true for all positive integers n?)
n=1 n!
P
1
1 2
10. 1+ n e n (Hint: Expand as three series.)
n=1
P
1 3n2
2. ( 1)n 1 Answer: convergent (Alternating Series Test)
n=1 9n4 1
P
1 n P1 (2n)! ✓ ◆n 2
2. ( 1)n p 5. P
1 1
n=1 n3 + 2 n=1 (n!)
2 8. 1+
n=1 n
P
1 3n 1 P1 ( 2)n
3. ( 1)n 6. n
n=1 2n 1 n=1 n
2 2 · 6 2 · 6 · 10 2 · 6 · 10 · 14
9. + + + + · · · (Hint: Write in summation notation first.)
5 5 · 8 5 · 8 · 11 5 · 8 · 11 · 14
1·3 1·3·5 1·3·5·7 11 · 3 · 5 · · · · · (2n 1)
10. 1 + + · · · + ( 1)n + ···
3! 5! 7! (2n 1)!
P
1 (2n + 3)!
2. ( 1)n+1 Answer: divergent (Ratio Test)
n=1 3n (n!)2
P
1 P
1
2. If the series is of the form arn 1 or arn , it is a geometric series which converges if |r| < 1 and diverges
n=1 n=1
if |r| 1.
3. If the series has a form similar to a p-series or geometric series, consider the Direct Comparison Test or Limit
Comparison Test. In particular, if an is a rational function or an algebraic function of n (involving roots of
polynomials), the series should be compared with a p-series.
p p
P
1 4n5 + 4 P1 4n5 2n5/2 1
Compare 3
with b n where b n = 3
= 3
= 1/2 .
n=1 6n 7n 8 n=1 6n 6n 3n
P
1
The comparison tests apply only to positive term series, but if an has some negative terms, then we can
n=1
P
1
apply the comparison tests to |an | and test for absolute convergence.
n=1
4. If you can see at a glance that lim an 6= 0, then the Divergence Test can be used.
n!1
P
1 P
1
5. If the series is of the form ( 1)n 1a
n or ( 1)n an where each an > 0, the Alternating Series Test is an
n=1 n=1
obvious choice.
6. Series that involve factorials or other products (including a constant raised to the nth power) are often
conveniently tested using the Ratio Test.
P
1 n ✓ ◆n 2
P1 1 · 3 · 5 · · · · · (2n 1) P
1 n
3. ( 1)n 17. 31.
n=1 n+2 n=1 2 · 5 · 8 · · · · · (3n 1) n+1
n=1
P
1 n P1 ( 1)n 1 P
1 1
4. ( 1)n 18. p 32.
n=1 n2 +2 n 1 2
n=1 n + n cos n
n=2
P1 n 2 2n 1 P
1 P
1
ln n 1
5. n 19. ( 1)n p 33.
n=1 ( 5) n (ln n) ln n
n=1 n=1
P
1 1 p 1 p
P
P1 3
n 1
6. 20. p 34. (n2 1)n
n=1 2n +1 n=1 n( n + 1) n=1
P
1 1 1 p
P
P
1
7. p 21. ( 1)n cos(1/n2 ) 35. (n2 1)
n=2 n ln n n=1 n=1
✓ ◆n
P
1 2n n! P
1 1 P
1 1 1
8. 22. 36.
n=1 (n + 2)! n=1 2 + sin n n=1 n n2
P
1 P
1 P
1
9. n2 e n
23. tan(1/n) 37. (tan 1 n)n
n=1 n=1 n=1
P
1 P
1 P1 nn
10. n2 e n3 38.
24. n sin(1/n) n
n=1 n=1 n=1 2 n!
✓ ◆ ✓ ◆
P
1 1 1 P1 n! P1 3n + 2 3n
11. 3
+ n 25. n2 39.
n=1 n 3 n=1 e n=1 4n
P
1 1 P1 n2 + 1 P
1 n2 + 2n + 1
12. p 26. 40. ( 1)n
n=1 n n2 + 1 n=1 5n n=1 en
1 3n n2
P P
1 n ln n P
1 1
13. 27. 3 41.
n=1 n! n=1 (n + 1) n=1 n1+1/n
p
P1 sin 2n P1
n n P1 sin 4n
14. n
28. ( 1) 42. n
n=1 1 + 2 n=1 n+5 n=1 4
Infinite series have to be handled delicately. We cannot assume that the sum of infinitely many terms behaves just
like the sum of finitely many terms. We will end up with absurd statements if we pretend that the behavior will
1
be the same, such as in the following “proof” of 1 + 2 + 3 + · · · = 12 .
Let S = 1 + 2 + 3 + · · · . Next, let S1 = 1 1 + 1 1 + 1 · · · . This latter infinite series is divergent (pointed out
in class), but let’s pretend the notion of convergence or divergence is irrelevant, so we “can let” S1 “be” its value.
Then
1 S1 = 1 (1 1 + 1 1 + · · · ) = 1 1 + 1 1 + 1 · · · = S1
and so S1 = 12 .
Let S2 = 1 2+3 4+5 6 + · · · (divergent, but right now we do not care). Then
In the movie Mean Girls, Cady Heron, played by Lindsay Lohan, had to evaluate the following limit.
ln(1 x) sin x
Show that you are better than Lindsay Lohan by finding the limit of as x ! 0 and as x ! 0+ .
1 cos2 x
A lot of people think that the statement a + ar + ar2 + · · · = 1 a r is a theorem we have to prove. However, in
Precalculus, the expression 1 a r needs to be given as the definition of the sum because first, we need to make sense
of the sum of infinitely many terms. Before we can prove what the sum is, we have to understand first what we
mean by sum in this case. Even Ms. Norbury in Mean Girls, played by Tina Fey, is aware of this nuance.
sum of an infinite geometric series
1. Find the interval of convergence (or the set of convergence, in case R = 0 so the series is convergent only on
the set {c} where c is the center) of the given power series.
P1 (3x)n
(a)
n=1 (2n)!
P1 xn
(b) ( 1)n+1
n=2 n(ln n)2
P1
(c) nn x n
n=1
P1 ⇣ x ⌘n
(d)
n=2 ln n
(a) f (x) = 3x
5 + 7x
(b) f (x) =
1 + 2x 3x2
(c) f (x) = cos3 x. Hint: Use the identity cos 3x = 4 cos3 x 3 cos x
(d) f (x) = x2 tan 1 x1
4 8x
4. Find a power series for f (x) = and also for g(x) = . Determine their intervals of convergence.
x2 4 (x2 4)2
Hint: How are f and g related?
5y 4 cos2 x xy 4 x4 4y 2
1. lim 3. lim 4. lim
(x,y)!(0,0) x4 + y 4 (x,y)!(0,0) x2 + y8 (x,y)!(0,0) x2 + 2y 2
x+y xy
2. lim 5. lim p
(x,y)!(0,0) x2 + y (x,y)!(0,0) x2 + y 2
10x2 yey+2
2. lim
(x,y)!(0,0) 3x4 + 2y 2
Partial Derivatives
Find all first-order partial derivatives.
@2z 2
2 · @ z.
6. Show that z = cos(4x + 4ct) satisfies the equation = c
@t2 @x2
Chain Rule
Use the Chain Rule to find @w/@s and @w/@t.
1. w = x2 + y 2 + z 2 , x = t sin s, y = t cos s, z = st2
2. w = x cos yz, x = s2 , y = t2 , z = s 2t
3. w = tan(x/y), x = 2s + 3t, y = 3s 2t
Use the Chain Rule to find the indicated partial derivatives
y p p @z @z @z
4. z = , x = pq r, y = p qr; , , when (p, q, r) = (2, 1, 4)
2x + y @p @q @r
@w @w @w
5. w = xeyz , x = r2 s, y = s2 t, z = t2 r; , , when (r, s, t) = ( 1, 2, 1)
@r @s @t
Use the Chain Rule to solve these related rates problems.
6. The length l, width h, and height h of a box change with time. At a certain instant the dimensions are l = 1
m and w = h = 2 m, and l and w are increasing at a rate of 2 m/s while h is decreasing at a rate of 3 m/s.
At that instant, find the rates at which the following quantities are changing: (a) the volume, (b) the surface
area.
1. f (x, y) = x3 12xy + 8y 3
2 x2
2. f (x, y) = (x2 + y 2 )ey
4. f (x, y) = xy x2 y xy 2
1. f (x, y) = x + y xy, R: the triangular region with vertices (0, 0), (0, 2), and (4, 0)
Use the Method of Lagrange Multipliers to find the absolute extrema of f subject to the given constraint.
1. f (x, y) = x2 y2; 2y x2 = 0
1 2
2. f (x, y) = y 2 x2 ; 4x + y2 = 1
4. f (x, y, z) = 4x 3y + 2z + 5; 4x2 + y 2 + 4z 2 = 14
5. f (x, y, z) = x2 + y 2 + z 2 ; x2 + 4y 2 z2 = 4
6. f (x, y, z) = x2 + 2y 2 + 2z 2 ; x2 yz = 9
8. f (x, y, z) = x2 + y 2 + z 2 ; xyz = 1
9. f (x, y, z) = x2 + y 2 + z 2 ; xy 2 z 3 = 2
Double
Z ZIntegrals
Find f (x, y) dA for the given function f and the region R. Use the more convenient order (dy dx or dx dy).
R
y
1. f (x, y) = , R: trapezoid bounded by y = x, y = 2x, x = 1, x = 2
x2 + y 2
2. f (x, y) = xey , R: triangle bounded by y = 4 x, y = 0, x = 0