# Difference between revisions of "Harmonic series"

There are several types of harmonic series.

The the most basic harmonic series is the infinite sum $\displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{i}=1+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{3}+\frac{1}{4}+\cdots$ This sum slowly approaches infinity.

The alternating harmonic series, $\displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}\frac{(-1)^{i+1}}{i}=1-\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{3}-\frac{1}{4}+\cdots$ , though, approaches $\displaystyle \ln 2$.

The general harmonic series, $\displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{ai +b}$, has its value depending on the value of the constants $a$ and $b$.

The zeta-function is a harmonic series when the input is one.

## How to solve

Harmonic Series

It can be shown that the harmonic series converges by grouping the terms. We know that the first term, 1, added to the second term, $\frac{1}{2}$ is greater than $\frac{1}{2}$. We also know that the third and and fourth terms, $\frac{1}{3}$ and $\frac{1}{4}$, add up to something greater than $\frac{1}{2}$. And we continue grouping the terms between powers of two. So we have $\displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{i}=1+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{3}+\frac{1}{4}+\cdots=(1+\frac{1}{2})+(\frac{1}{3}+\frac{1}{4})+(\frac{1}{5}+\frac{1}{6}+\frac{1}{7}+\frac{1}{8})+\cdots \ge \frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}+\cdots \to \infty$