Series, and Root Test and Limit:

calculusconvergence-divergencelimitssequences-and-series

I was given the following series to find out if it absolutely converges or conditionally converges, or if diverges.

$$\sum_\limits{n=1}^\infty \dfrac{2^{n^2}}{n!}$$

I decided to venture on this one with the Root Test to find out if it converges, or diverges. I got this point:

$$\displaystyle \lim_\limits{n \to \infty} (\vert \dfrac{2^{n^2}}{n!} \vert)^{\frac{1}n}$$
Which lead me to the following:
$$\lim_\limits{n \to \infty} \dfrac{2^n}{(n!)^\frac{1}n}$$

I went to wolfram alpha and it says the limit is $\infty$, meaning the series diverges which it does. How do I solve this limit?

Best Answer

You can do it using Stirling's formula. But it is more natural to prove that the series diverges using the ratio test:$$\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\frac{2^{(n+1)^2}}{(n+1)!}}{\frac{2^{n^2}}{n!}}=\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{2^{2n+1}}{n+1}=\infty.$$

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