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Exercise 785Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Series › Convergence testsL1Added 2 Nov 2026

The integral test and Bertrand series

#integral test#Bertrand series#logarithm

Statement

Determine, for each real pp, whether ∑n≥21n(ln⁡n)p\displaystyle\sum_{n\ge2}\frac1{n(\ln n)^p} converges.

Hint

The function x↦1x(ln⁡x)px\mapsto\frac1{x(\ln x)^p} is positive and decreasing for p≥0p\ge0. Compare the series with an integral, using the substitution u=ln⁡xu=\ln x.

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Solution

The test. If f≥0f\ge0 is decreasing on [2,∞)[2,\infty), then ∑f(n)\sum f(n) and ∫2∞f\int_2^\infty f have the same nature.

Case p>0p>0. With u=ln⁡xu=\ln x, du=dxxdu=\frac{dx}x:
∫2Rdxx(ln⁡x)p=∫ln⁡2ln⁡Rduup.\int_2^R\frac{dx}{x(\ln x)^p}=\int_{\ln2}^{\ln R}\frac{du}{u^p}.
As R→∞R\to\infty this converges iff p>1p>1 (the pp-test for integrals).

Case p=0p=0. ∑1n\sum\frac1n diverges.

Case p<0p<0. 1n(ln⁡n)p=(ln⁡n)∣p∣n≥1n\frac1{n(\ln n)^p}=\frac{(\ln n)^{|p|}}n\ge\frac1n for n≥3n\ge3: diverges.

Answer. The series converges iff p>1p>1.

Remark. ∑1nln⁡n\sum\frac1{n\ln n} diverges, yet so slowly that the partial sum up to 1010010^{100} is only about 5.45.4: ln⁡ln⁡10100≈5.4\ln\ln10^{100}\approx5.4. By contrast ∑1n(ln⁡n)2\sum\frac1{n(\ln n)^2} converges.