How do you find a power series representation for f(x)=(x / (x^(2)-3x+2) ) and what is the radius of convergence?

1 Answer
Jul 30, 2016

S(x) = sum_{n=0}^oo(1-1/2^n)x^n.
This serie is convergent to f(x) for abs(x) < 1

Explanation:

f(x) = x/(x^2 - 3 x + 2) = x/((x-1)(x-2)) = A/(x-1)+B/(x-2)

(A(x-2)+B(x-1))/((x-1)(x-2))=((A+B)x-(2A+B))/((x-1)(x-2))

Solving for A,B

{ (A+B=1), (2A+B=0) :}

we obtain A=-1,B=2 So

f(x) = -1/(x-1)+2/(x-2)

Now considering that (x^{n+1}-1)/(x-1)=1+x+x^2+cdots+x^n

if abs(x) < 1 we know

lim_{n->oo}(x^{n+1}-1)/(x-1) = -1/(x-1) = sum_{n=0}^oo x^n

Using those results and supposing that abs(x) < 1 we propose

S(x) = -1/(x-1)+2/(x-2) = sum_{n=0}^oo x^n-sum_{n=0}^oo (x/2)^n

so S(x) = sum_{n=0}^oo(1-1/2^n)x^n.

This serie is convergent to f(x) for abs(x) < 1

Supposing you need a series representation for f(x) in the surroundings of x=3 you can proceed as follows.

Making y = x-3 then
f(y) = -1/(y+2)+2/(y+1)

so with abs(y) < 1

f(y)=lim_{n->oo}{-(1-(-y/2)^n)/(2(1-(-y/2)))+2(1-(-y)^n)/(1-(-y))}

or

f(y) = -1/2 sum_{n=0}^oo(-y/2)^n+2sum_{n=0}^n(-y)^n

Finally

S(x) = sum_{n=0}^oo (-1)^n(2-1/2^{n+1})(x-3)^n

This series converges to f(x) for 2 < x < 4