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Exercise 732Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Integration › Riemann integralL1Added 2 Nov 2026

Comparing the harmonic sum with the logarithm

#integral comparison#harmonic series#monotonicity

Statement

Let Hn=∑k=1n1kH_n=\displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^n\frac1k. Prove that for all n≥1n\ge1,
ln⁡(n+1)≤Hn≤1+ln⁡n,\ln(n+1)\le H_n\le1+\ln n,
and deduce that Hn→+∞H_n\to+\infty and Hnln⁡n→1\dfrac{H_n}{\ln n}\to1.

Hint

Since x↦1xx\mapsto\frac1x is decreasing, on each interval [k,k+1][k,k+1] it lies between 1k+1\frac1{k+1} and 1k\frac1k.

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Solution

Two comparisons. For k≥1k\ge1 and x∈[k,k+1]x\in[k,k+1], 1k+1≤1x≤1k\frac1{k+1}\le\frac1x\le\frac1k. Integrating over [k,k+1][k,k+1] (length 11):
1k+1≤∫kk+1dxx≤1k.\frac1{k+1}\le\int_k^{k+1}\frac{dx}x\le\frac1k.

Lower bound. Using the right inequality and summing over k=1,…,nk=1,\dots,n:
Hn≥∫1n+1dxx=ln⁡(n+1).H_n\ge\int_1^{n+1}\frac{dx}x=\ln(n+1).

Upper bound. Using the left inequality, 1k≤∫k−1kdxx\frac1k\le\int_{k-1}^k\frac{dx}x for k≥2k\ge2. Summing over k=2,…,nk=2,\dots,n:
Hn−1≤∫1ndxx=ln⁡n.H_n-1\le\int_1^n\frac{dx}x=\ln n.

Consequences. Since ln⁡(n+1)→+∞\ln(n+1)\to+\infty, Hn→+∞H_n\to+\infty. Dividing by ln⁡n\ln n,
ln⁡(n+1)ln⁡n≤Hnln⁡n≤1ln⁡n+1,\frac{\ln(n+1)}{\ln n}\le\frac{H_n}{\ln n}\le\frac1{\ln n}+1,
and both bounds tend to 11.

Remark. The difference Hn−ln⁡nH_n-\ln n is decreasing and bounded below, so it converges to a constant, the Euler–Mascheroni constant γ≈0.5772\gamma\approx0.5772.