SOLUTION: please help me solve this sum on summation of series: {{{1/(1*2*3) + 3/(2*3*4) + 5/(3*4*5) + 7/(4*5*6)}}} + ···

Algebra ->  Sequences-and-series -> SOLUTION: please help me solve this sum on summation of series: {{{1/(1*2*3) + 3/(2*3*4) + 5/(3*4*5) + 7/(4*5*6)}}} + ···      Log On


   



Question 146982This question is from textbook engineering mathematics
: please help me solve this sum on summation of series:
1%2F%281%2A2%2A3%29+%2B+3%2F%282%2A3%2A4%29+%2B+5%2F%283%2A4%2A5%29+%2B+7%2F%284%2A5%2A6%29 + ···
This question is from textbook engineering mathematics

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20056) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
please help me solve this sum on summation of series:

1%2F%281%2A2%2A3%29+%2B+3%2F%282%2A3%2A4%29+%2B+5%2F%283%2A4%2A5%29+%2B+7%2F%284%2A5%2A6%29 + ···
 
The numerators are the odd numbers, and the nth odd integer
is 2n-1, so that will go on top in the nth term formula.  The 
denominator of the nth term formula is the product of n and 
the next two integers, (n+1) and (n+2), so the nth term is
 
%282n-1%29%2F%28n%28n%2B1%29%28n%2B2%29%29 

1%2F%281%2A2%2A3%29+%2B+3%2F%282%2A3%2A4%29+%2B+5%2F%283%2A4%2A5%29+%2B+7%2F%284%2A5%2A6%29 + ··· = sum%28%282n-1%29%2F%28n%28n%2B1%29%28n%2B2%29%29%2Cn=1%2C+infinity%29 

Do you understand partial fractions?  If not post again
asking how.  But I'll assume you already know how.

We break the summand into partial fractions:



Now suppose we sum this just to some large positive integer K,
and then take the limit as K approaches infinity:

lim   
K->oo

Make three sums:

lim   
K->oo

Put the constant multipliers in front of the summations:

lim   
K->oo

Make the denominators in the second and third summands all be single
letters, by setting them equal to another letter:

In the second summation, let n%2B1=M or n=M-1 and
in the third summation, let n%2B2=P or n=P-2

lim   
K->oo

lim   
K->oo

Now no change will result if we replace M and P by n:

lim   
K->oo

In the first summation we write out the first two terms, and
write the summation from n=3 to n=K



In the second summation we write out the first term and the last
term and write the summation from n=3 to n=K



In the third summation we write out the last two
terms and write the summation from n=3 to n=K



Now we let sum%28%281%2Fn%29%2Cn=3%2Cn=K%29=S

So, now the sums become:

sum%28%281%2Fn%29%2Cn=1%2Cn=K%29=3%2F2%2BS

sum%28%281%2Fn%29%2Cn=2%2Cn=K%2B1%29=1%2F2%2BS%2B1%2F%28K%2B1%29

sum%28%281%2Fn%29%2Cn=3%2Cn=K%2B2%29=S%2B1%2F%28K%2B1%29%2B1%2F%28K%2B2%29%29

So,

lim   
K->oo

becomes:

lim   
K->oo

or:

lim   
K->oo

Write the 3S as 6S%2F2 and 3%2F2 as 6%2F4

lim   
K->oo

Ths terms in S all cancel out, and we have

lim   %283%2F4%2B3%2F%28K%2B2%29-5%2F%282%28K%2B1%29%29-5%2F%282%28K%2B3%29%29%29%29
K->oo

The last three terms approach 0 as K approaches infinity.

Therefore the answer is 3%2F4

Edwin