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Exercise 2072Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Series › Convergence testsM1Added 2 Nov 2026

Convergence of the series of sin(n)/n

#Abel summation#Dirichlet test#trigonometric series

Statement

Prove that ∑n≥1sin⁡nn\displaystyle\sum_{n\ge1}\frac{\sin n}n converges.

Hint

Show that the partial sums Bn=∑k=1nsin⁡kB_n=\sum_{k=1}^n\sin k are bounded, then apply Abel's summation by parts with ak=1ka_k=\frac1k.

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Solution

Step 1: the partial sums of sin⁡k\sin k are bounded. Using 2sin⁡12sin⁡k=cos⁡(k−12)−cos⁡(k+12)2\sin\frac12\sin k=\cos\left(k-\frac12\right)-\cos\left(k+\frac12\right) and telescoping,
Bn=cos⁡12−cos⁡(n+12)2sin⁡12,∣Bn∣≤1sin⁡12=:M.B_n=\frac{\cos\frac12-\cos\left(n+\frac12\right)}{2\sin\frac12},\qquad|B_n|\le\frac1{\sin\frac12}=:M.

Step 2: Abel's summation by parts. With ak=1ka_k=\frac1k and bk=sin⁡kb_k=\sin k,
∑k=1nakbk=anBn+∑k=1n−1(ak−ak+1)Bk.\sum_{k=1}^na_kb_k=a_nB_n+\sum_{k=1}^{n-1}(a_k-a_{k+1})B_k.

Step 3: convergence. Since an→0a_n\to0 and ∣Bn∣≤M|B_n|\le M, anBn→0a_nB_n\to0. The second sum converges absolutely because
∑k(ak−ak+1)∣Bk∣≤M∑k(ak−ak+1)=Ma1<∞\sum_{k}(a_k-a_{k+1})|B_k|\le M\sum_k(a_k-a_{k+1})=Ma_1<\infty
(the differences are positive and telescope). So the partial sums have a limit.

Remark. This is Dirichlet's test: *bounded partial sums times a monotone sequence tending to 00 gives a convergent series*. The series is not absolutely convergent (∑∣sin⁡n∣n=∞\sum\frac{|\sin n|}n=\infty).