Question

find the Taylor Series for tan−1(x) based at 0. Give your answer using summation notation and give the largest open interval on which the series converges. (If you need to enter [infinity] , use the [infinity] button in CalcPad or type "infinity" in all lower-case.)

Answer 1

Let $f(x)=\tan^{-1}x$. Then $f'(x)=\frac1{1+x^2}$. Note that $f(0)=0$.

Recall that for $|x|$, we have

$\displaystyle\frac1{1-x}=\sum_{n\ge0}x^n$

This means that for $|-x^2|=|x|^2$, or $-1$, we have

$\displaystyle f'(x)=\frac1{1+x^2}=\frac1{1-(-x^2)}=\sum_{n\ge0}(-x^2)^n=\sum_{n\ge0}(-1)^nx^{2n}$

Integrate the series to get

$f(x)=f(0)+\displaystyle\sum_{n\ge0}\frac{(-1)^n}{2n+1}x^{2n+1}$

$\implies\tan^{-1}x=\displaystyle\sum_{n\ge0}\frac{(-1)^n}{2n+1}x^{2n+1}$