Taylor Series Worksheet with Answers and Error Practice
Twenty problems on known series, transformations, coefficients, intervals, approximations, and error.
What is included
Practice Maclaurin and Taylor series with complete solutions, interval checks, and error estimates.
Skills assessed
- series construction
- known-series transformations
- intervals of convergence
- remainder estimates
Prerequisites
- derivatives
- infinite series
Long description
Read the diagram from top to bottom. Each numbered box names one decision or mathematical operation. Arrows show the required order; the text labels remain the complete interpretation in print, dark mode, and nonvisual reading.
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Printable preview
- Find the degree-3 Maclaurin polynomial for e^x.
- Find the degree-5 Maclaurin polynomial for sin x.
- Find the degree-4 Maclaurin polynomial for cos x.
- Write the first four nonzero terms of ln(1+x).
- Expand 1/(1-x) as a power series.
- Expand 1/(1+x^2) as a power series.
- Expand 1/(1-3x) as a power series.
- Find a power series for 1/(1-x)^2.
- Find a power series for arctan x by integrating 1/(1+x²).
- Find the degree-2 Taylor polynomial for ln x centered at 1.
- Write the Taylor series for e^x centered at a.
- If f^(n)(0)=2^n, find the Maclaurin series.
- Use T_3 for e^x to approximate e^{0.1}.
- Use x-x³/6 to approximate sin(0.2).
- Find the radius of .
- Find the interval of convergence of .
- Find the interval of convergence of .
- Find R for .
- Bound the error of the degree-3 Maclaurin approximation to e^{0.2}.
- How many terms of the alternating arctan series ensure error below 0.001 at x=1/2?
Complete worked solutions
Every problem has a source-matched answer and independently reviewed derivation.
Problem 1: Find the degree-3 Maclaurin polynomial for e^x.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 2: Find the degree-5 Maclaurin polynomial for sin x.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 3: Find the degree-4 Maclaurin polynomial for cos x.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 4: Write the first four nonzero terms of ln(1+x).
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 5: Expand 1/(1-x) as a power series.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 6: Expand 1/(1+x^2) as a power series.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 7: Expand 1/(1-3x) as a power series.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 8: Find a power series for 1/(1-x)^2.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 9: Find a power series for arctan x by integrating 1/(1+x²).
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 10: Find the degree-2 Taylor polynomial for ln x centered at 1.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 11: Write the Taylor series for e^x centered at a.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 12: If f^(n)(0)=2^n, find the Maclaurin series.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 13: Use T_3 for e^x to approximate e^{0.1}.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 14: Use x-x³/6 to approximate sin(0.2).
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 15: Find the radius of .
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 16: Find the interval of convergence of .
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 17: Find the interval of convergence of .
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 18: Find R for .
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 19: Bound the error of the degree-3 Maclaurin approximation to e^{0.2}.
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Problem 20: How many terms of the alternating arctan series ensure error below 0.001 at x=1/2?
Answer:
Why this method: Taylor or power-series construction matches the mathematical structure before any algebraic cleanup.
- Start from derivatives at the center or a known convergent power series.
- Apply substitution, differentiation, integration, or the ratio test while preserving the convergence condition.
- The resulting expression is .
Common errors
- Dropping factorials in coefficient formulas.
- Transforming a series without its convergence interval.
- Using an error estimate without checking its hypotheses.