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Show that the conditional convergence of $\sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k $ does not necessarily imply that $\sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k^3$ converges conditionally.

Let $a_k = (-1)^k \frac{1}{\sqrt[3]{k}}$, then $$\sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k < \infty, \sum_{k=1}^\infty |a_k|= \infty.$$

That is $\sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k$ converges conditionally. However $$a_k^3 = (-1)^{3k} \frac{1}{k}$$ and $$\sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k^3 < \infty$$ by the alternating series test, but $$\sum_{k=1}^\infty |a_k^3| = \sum_{k=1}^\infty \frac{1}{k}$$ which is the harmonic series and thus divergent. Is what they were after with the question? That is to come up with a counterexample for the proposition?

Epilogue
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    This does not work as a counterexample because as you showed, $\sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k^3$ does converge conditionally. – Daniel Schepler Oct 31 '22 at 22:01
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    this question has been asked and answered before so try and do a search (the idea is to use a triple $-1/(3n+1)^{1/3},-1/(3n+2)^{1/3}, 2/(3n+3)^{1/3}$ which clearly converges conditionally because the $2$ cancels out the two minus ones so grouping in pairs each minus one with a one from the two gives a $O(n^{-4/3})$; cubing though gives an $8$ etc – Conrad Oct 31 '22 at 22:11
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    Oh damn. I'm tired and got the sequence mixed up. If $a_k = (-1)^k \frac{1}{k}$, then it should work. @DanielSchepler – Epilogue Oct 31 '22 at 22:12
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    @Conrad : any hints on how to search for this ? I have always found it hard, for example if I try to search on this I'll filtering on series or convergence and just browsing the hundreds and hundreds of results. Is there an easier way to search with mathjax? – jimjim Oct 31 '22 at 22:14
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    @jimjim I am bad at searching too (there are some users who are masters at it but not me); this one I know since I commented on it some time ago – Conrad Oct 31 '22 at 22:16
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    @Conrad Is there a reason to use $3n+1, 3n+2,3n+3$ and not just $n,n,n$? – Arthur Oct 31 '22 at 22:17
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    You can definitely use that $0=(1/1+1/1-2/1)+(1/2^{1/3}+1/2^{1/3}-2/2^{1/3})... $, but the sum of the corresponding cubes diverges; usually, one starts from the harmonic series and modifies it, so that's why the example above, but this one works just fine too – Conrad Oct 31 '22 at 22:21
  • @AnneBauval : what search did you use to find that ? – jimjim Oct 31 '22 at 23:27
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    @jimjim https://math.stackexchange.com/search?q=Series+cubes+diverges – Anne Bauval Oct 31 '22 at 23:29

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