We all know that the following harmonic series
∞∑n=11n=11+12+13+⋯
diverges and grows very slowly!! I have seen many proofs of the result but recently found the following: S=11+12+13+14+15+16+⋯ >12+12+14+14+16+16+⋯=11+12+13+⋯=S.
In this way we see that S>S.Can we conclude from this that S is divergent??
Answer
The proof can be made a bit more rigorous by setting
an=1n:1,12,13,14,15,16,…bn=12⌊(n+1)/2⌋:12,12,14,14,16,16,…
Note that an≥bn, an>bn when n is odd, and an=b2n−1+b2n.
Assuming that
∞∑n=1an
converges, then
∞∑n=1bn=∞∑n=1(b2n−1+b2n)=∞∑n=1an
also converges. However,
∞∑n=1(an−bn)>0
Since an≥bn and an>bn when n is odd.
Now, (3) says that
∞∑n=1bn=∞∑n=1an
and (4) says that
∞∑n=1bn<∞∑n=1an
These last two statements are contradictory, so the assumption that (2) converges must be false.
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : User8976 , Answer Author : robjohn