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Chapter 4: Power Series

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    128872
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    A power series (in one variable) is an infinite series. Any polynomial can be easily expressed as a power series around any center c, although most of the coefficients will be zero since a power series has infinitely many terms by definition. One can view power series as being like "polynomials of infinite degree," although power series are not polynomials. The content in this Textmap's chapter is complemented by Guichard's Calculus Textmap.

    • 4.1: Power Series and Functions
      This section introduces power series, expressing functions as infinite series in terms of powers of \(x\). It covers convergence intervals, techniques to find these intervals, and how to represent functions using power series. Examples illustrate how to build power series representations for various functions, setting the stage for using series in calculus applications like function approximation and solving differential equations.
    • 4.2: Properties of Power Series
      This section explores properties of power series, including convergence, manipulation, and term-by-term differentiation and integration. It explains radius and interval of convergence and provides examples to illustrate how these properties allow functions to be expressed and manipulated as series within their intervals of convergence.
    • 4.3: Taylor and Maclaurin Series
      This section introduces Taylor and Maclaurin series, which are specific types of power series that represent functions as infinite sums of terms based on derivatives at a single point. It covers how to construct these series, understand their convergence, and apply them to approximate functions. Examples illustrate finding Taylor and Maclaurin series for common functions.
    • 4.4: The Binomial Theorem and Applications of Taylor Series
      This section explores the Binomial Theorem in the context of Taylor series and applies Taylor series to expand binomial expressions with non-integer exponents. It covers the use of Taylor series in approximating functions and calculating complex expressions. Examples demonstrate how to apply these techniques to various functions, illustrating the practical applications of Taylor series in calculus.
    • 4.5: Chapter 10 Review Exercises

    Thumbnail: The graph shows the function \(\displaystyle y=sinx\) and the Maclaurin polynomials \(\displaystyle p_1,p_3\) and \(\displaystyle p_5\). (CC BY-SA 3.0; OpenStax).


    This page titled Chapter 4: Power Series is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Roy Simpson.

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