# Math Help - Harmonic series

1. ## Harmonic series

$A=1-\frac 12+\frac 13-\frac 14+\ldots +\frac 1{2005}-\frac 1{2006}$
$B=\frac 1{1004}+\frac 1{1005}+\frac 1{1006}+\ldots +\frac 1{2005}+\frac 1{2006}$
Show that $\frac 12 . $A$ or $B$ is larger?

2. Originally Posted by james_bond
$A=1-\frac 12+\frac 13-\frac 14+\ldots +\frac 1{2005}-\frac 1{2006}$
$B=\frac 1{1004}+\frac 1{1005}+\frac 1{1006}+\ldots +\frac 1{2005}+\frac 1{2006}$
Show that $\frac 12 . $A$ or $B$ is larger?
The part about A and B lying between 1/2 and 1 is not too hard and ought not to need a hint.

For the last part (which of A and B is larger?), let $A_N = 1-\tfrac 12+\tfrac 13-\tfrac 14+\ldots +\tfrac 1{2N-1}-\tfrac 1{2N}$ and let $B_N = \tfrac1{N+1} + \tfrac1{N+2} + \ldots + \tfrac1{2N}$. Then $A_{N+1} - A_N = \tfrac1{2N+1} - \tfrac1{2N+2}$ and $B_{N+1} - B_N = \tfrac1{2N+1} + \tfrac1{2N+2} - \tfrac1{N+1}$. Check that these two expressions are equal. So $A_{N+1} - B_{N+1} = A_N - B_N$. By induction, $A_{1003} - B_{1003} = A_1 - B_1 = 0$.