# Thread: Does a series converge if it's absolutely convergent?

1. ## Does a series converge if it's absolutely convergent?

A stupid one... (just to be sure)

If I have a series that is converge absolutely so the series is converges?

(it is implies from Cauchy criterion?)

Thanks!

2. Originally Posted by Also sprach Zarathustra
A stupid one... (just to be sure)

If I have a series that is converge absolutely so the series is converges?

(it is implies from Cauchy criterion?)

Thanks!
If a series is absolutely convergent, then it is convergent.

This is easily proven using the comparison test.

3. Originally Posted by Prove It
If a series is absolutely convergent, then it is convergent.

This is easily proven using the comparison test.

I think you wrong by saying "This is easily proven using the comparison test."

I know what you mean, but it's not so true....

ehmmm...

4. Actually it is.

Note that for any infinite series $\sum{a}$, it can never be any greater than the sum of its absolute values.

So $\sum{a} \leq \sum{|a|}$.

Now simply apply the comparison test.

Note though that this only half proves the theorem, however you can also bound the series below...

$\sum{(-|a|)} \leq \sum{a}$

$-\sum{|a|} \leq \sum{a}$.

So we can say

$-\sum{|a|} \leq \sum{a} \leq \sum{|a|}$

and since the series is bounded by the sum of the absolute values, that means if the sum of the absolute values converges, then the series is also convergent.