4
$\begingroup$

We know the following theorem:

Theorem (Hardy-Littlewood). Let $(b_n)$ be a real sequence such that

(i) $(nb_n)$ is bounded,

(ii) $\displaystyle\lim_{x\to 1^-} \sum_{n=0}^\infty b_n x^n=\ell$.

Then $\sum b_n$ converges and $\displaystyle\sum_{n=0}^\infty b_n=\ell$.


The question : I would like to know some examples of applications of this theorem, and some counter-examples when you change the hypothesis.


What I did.

  • So far I have found that if you omit hypothesis (i), then $b_n=(-1)^n$ is a counter-example, because

$$\lim_{x\to 1^-} \sum_{n=0}^\infty (-x)^n=\lim_{x\to 1^-}\frac1{1+x}=\frac 12$$

but

$$\sum (-1)^n$$

does not converges.

  • I also found an application with $b_n=(-1)^{n+1}/n$ which verifies (i) trivially, and (ii) also because

$$\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^{n+1}}n x^n=\log(1+x)\xrightarrow[x\to 1^-]{}\log 2$$

and you can deduce from that the sum of the altering harmonic series:

$$\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^{n+1}}n=\log(2).$$

Edit

I just found out that this theorem is still true when you replace (i) by :

$$(i')\quad \exists m,\quad\forall n,\quad nb_n\geqslant m.$$

Is there an example of an interesting application when $(b_n)$ verifies (i') but not (i)?

  • 0
    I see that you have created ([tag:tauberian-theory]) tag. It might be useful to create also [tag-wiki or at least tag-excerpt](http://math.stackexchange.com/tags/tauberian-theory/info). It might help other users to use the tag correctly. (This is probably not a problem here, since the tag name seems to be descriptive enough.) Another reason is that the tags used on only one question are [automatically deleted](http://meta.stackexchange.com/tags/tag-pruning/info) after certain time [unless they have tag-wiki](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/127700).2017-01-15
  • 0
    @MartinSleziak You are right, but I wouldn't know how to describe it... Like you said, the tag-name is quite descriptive.2017-01-15

0 Answers 0