<s>[INST] Why ${ \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n} }$ is divergent , but ${ \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2} }$ is convergent? I don't understand why ${ \displaystyle \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n} }$ is divergent, but ${ \displaystyle \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2} }$ is convergent and its limit is equal to ${ \displaystyle\frac{\pi^2}{6} }$. In both cases, ${n^{th}}$ term tends to zero, so what makes these series different?
${ \displaystyle \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n} = 1 + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{5} + \frac{1}{6} +  }$ ...
${ \displaystyle \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2} =1 + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{16} + \frac{1}{25} + \frac{1}{36} + }$ ...
 [/INST] We can see that the harmonic series, $\displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^\infty\frac1k$, diverges using the classical observation:
$$
\frac11+\frac12+\underbrace{\frac13+\frac14}_{\mbox{$2$ terms}}+\underbrace{\frac15+\frac16+\frac17+\frac18}_{\mbox{$4$ terms}}+\dots+\underbrace{\frac1{2^n+1}+\dots+\frac1{2^{n+1}}}_{\mbox{$2^n$ terms}}+\dots
$$
where each grouping of terms totals at least $\frac12$.

The series $\displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^\infty\frac1{k^2}$ converges to a value $\le2$ by comparison:
$$
\frac1{1^2}+\underbrace{\frac1{2^2}}_{\Large\lt\frac1{1\cdot2}}+\underbrace{\frac1{3^2}}_{\Large\lt\frac1{2\cdot3}}+\underbrace{\frac1{4^2}}_{\Large\lt\frac1{3\cdot4}}+\dots+\underbrace{\frac1{n^2}}_{\Large\lt\frac1{(n-1)n}}+\dots
$$
and
$$
\begin{align}
&\frac1{1\cdot2}+\frac1{2\cdot3}+\frac1{3\cdot4}+\dots+\frac1{(n-1)n}+\dots\\
&=\left(\frac11-\frac12\right)+\left(\frac12-\frac13\right)+\left(\frac13-\frac14\right)+\dots+\left(\frac1{(n-1)}-\frac1n\right)+\dots\\
&=1
\end{align}
$$
This last series is called a "telescoping sum" since the last part of each term is cancelled by the first part of the next term, leaving only the first part of the first term and the last part of the last term. Since the last part of the last term vanishes, this series converges to the first part of the first term.
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