document.write( "Question 1104186: Find the sum of 1/2(4) +1/3(5) + 1/4(6) + ..... + 1/13(15)\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #718957 by greenestamps(13200)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \n" ); document.write( "Each of the fractions is of the form \n" ); document.write( "Whenever you see a problem like this, where you are adding several terms of the same form, it is almost certain that you can write each term in such a way that, when all the terms are added, most of the terms cancel, leaving you with a relatively simple answer. \n" ); document.write( "So let's find a way to \"decompose\" the general term into the sum of two terms. Since the denominator is n(n+2), we want to write the term as the sum of two fractions, one with denominator n and the other with denominator (n+2). \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "This equation must be true for all values of n; that means \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "Solving that system of equations gives us \n" ); document.write( "A = 1/2; B = -1/2 \n" ); document.write( "So the general term of the sequence can be written as \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "Now rewrite each term as the sum of two terms, using this pattern: \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "... \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "Now looking at the terms in parentheses, you see that there is a 1/4 and a -1/4, a 1/5 and a -1/5, ..., and a 1/13 and a -1/13. \n" ); document.write( "So all those terms cancel; all that is left is the first fractions from the original first two terms and the second fractions from the original last two terms: \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "So, using a common denominator, the sum we are looking for is \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |