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Exercise 1508Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Series › Convergence testsL1Added 2 Nov 2026

A ratio test that fails, and how to conclude

#ratio test#central binomial coefficients#induction#Stirling

Statement

Let un=(2n)!(n!)2 4n=(2nn)4−nu_n=\dfrac{(2n)!}{(n!)^2\,4^n}=\binom{2n}n4^{-n}. Show that ∑un\sum u_n diverges.

Hint

The ratio tends to 11, so d'Alembert says nothing. Prove by induction that un≥12nu_n\ge\frac1{2\sqrt n}.

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Solution

The ratio test is inconclusive.
un+1un=(2n+2)(2n+1)4(n+1)2=2n+12n+2⟶1.\frac{u_{n+1}}{u_n}=\frac{(2n+2)(2n+1)}{4(n+1)^2}=\frac{2n+1}{2n+2}\longrightarrow1.

A lower bound. We prove un≥12nu_n\ge\frac1{2\sqrt n} by induction. For n=1n=1: u1=12u_1=\frac12. Assume it for nn. Then
un+1=2n+12n+2un≥2n+12n+2⋅12n≥12n+1,u_{n+1}=\frac{2n+1}{2n+2}u_n\ge\frac{2n+1}{2n+2}\cdot\frac1{2\sqrt n}\ge\frac1{2\sqrt{n+1}},
where the last inequality is equivalent (squaring) to (2n+1)2≥4n(n+1)(2n+1)^2\ge4n(n+1), i.e. 1≥01\ge0.

Conclusion. ∑12n\sum\frac1{2\sqrt n} diverges (p=12p=\frac12), so ∑un\sum u_n diverges by comparison.

With Stirling. un∼1πnu_n\sim\frac1{\sqrt{\pi n}}, and the series diverges for the same reason.

Remark. Note that un→0u_n\to0 yet ∑un=∞\sum u_n=\infty. The series of unu_n is the Taylor series of 11−x\frac1{\sqrt{1-x}} at x=1x=1.