How can I use the Weierstrass M-test to show uniform convergence of $\sum_{n=1}^\infty e^{-nx}x^n$ on $[0,\infty )$?
I can't find any bounding sequences. I've tried to analyse the convergence on a smaller interval, but this didn't turn out too.
How can I use the Weierstrass M-test to show uniform convergence of $\sum_{n=1}^\infty e^{-nx}x^n$ on $[0,\infty )$?
I can't find any bounding sequences. I've tried to analyse the convergence on a smaller interval, but this didn't turn out too.
Note that $e^{-nx}x^n=(xe^{-x})^n$. Denote $f(x)=xe^{-x}$. For nonegative $x$, $f(x)$ is nonnegative, and $f$ has a global maximum when f'(x)=x(-e^{-x})+(1)e^{-x}=0, or $x=1$. (You can see this graphically, but if you need to establish it rigorously you also need to look at $f(0)=0$, $\lim_{x\to\infty}f(x)=0$, and f''(1)<0 to formally demonstrate a global maximum.) Then, given $f(1)=e^{-1}$, we have
$ e^{-nx}x^n = (xe^{-x})^n \le e^{-n}.$
Since $\sum_{n=1}^\infty e^{-n}$ converges, as $|e^{-1}|<1$ and it's a geometric series, the M test shows that the original series converges uniformly.