Factorial over Superfactorial!

S = 1 1 ! + 1 × 2 1 ! × 2 ! + 1 × 2 × 3 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! + S=\frac { 1 }{ 1! } +\frac { 1\times 2 }{ 1!\times 2! } +\frac { 1\times 2\times 3 }{ 1!\times 2!\times 3! } +\dots

S 0 = 1 1 ! + 1 1 ! × 2 ! + 1 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! + { S }_{ 0 }=\frac { 1 }{ 1! } +\frac { 1 }{ 1!\times 2! } +\frac { 1 }{ 1!\times 2!\times 3! } +\dots

If S S 0 = A e B S-{ S }_{ 0 }=A{ e }^{ B } for integers A and B, find A + B A+B


Write 0.5 0.5 if S S diverges and S 0 { S }_{ 0 } converges.

Write 1.5 1.5 if S S converges and S 0 { S }_{ 0 } diverges.

Write 2.5 2.5 if S S and S 0 { S }_{ 0 } diverge.


The answer is 1.

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2 solutions

Note first that we can represent S S as

S = n = 1 n ! k = 0 n k ! = n = 1 1 k = 0 n 1 k ! = 1 0 ! + 1 1 ! + 1 1 ! × 2 ! + 1 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! + . . . . , S = \displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \dfrac{n!}{\prod_{k=0}^{n} k!} = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \dfrac{1}{\prod_{k=0}^{n-1} k!} = \dfrac{1}{0!} + \dfrac{1}{1!} + \dfrac{1}{1! \times 2!} + \dfrac{1}{1! \times 2! \times 3!} + ....,

since 0 ! = 1. 0! = 1. Thus S S and S 0 S_{0} are identical except for the term 1 0 ! = 1 , \dfrac{1}{0!} = 1, and so S S 0 = 1 = 1 e 0 . S - S_{0} = 1 = 1*e^{0}. Thus A + B = 1 + 0 = 1 . A + B = 1 + 0 = \boxed{1}.

For completeness, (at the suggestion of the Challenge Master), note that

n = 1 1 k = 1 n k ! < n = 1 1 k ! = e 1 , \displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \dfrac{1}{\prod_{k=1}^{n} k!} \lt \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \dfrac{1}{k!} = e - 1,

and that the series of partial sums n = 1 N 1 k = 1 n k ! \displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{N} \dfrac{1}{\prod_{k=1}^{n} k!} is monotonically increasing. Thus we can conclude that the series S 0 S_{0} converges, and since S = 1 + S 0 S = 1 + S_{0} we also know that S S converges.

Moderator note:

Great! For completeness, you should show that S S and S 0 S_0 converges. Else you would be performing arithmetic on infinities.

Do you know how to calculate n = 1 1 k = 1 n k ! \displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \dfrac{1}{\prod_{k=1}^{n} k!} ?

Pi Han Goh - 6 years, 1 month ago

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No, I don't, despite some (futile) attempts to do so. It converges quite quickly, but an exact value remains elusive .... Any ideas?

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 1 month ago

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I was thinking about Engel expansion but couldn't get anywhere. I'm curious whether it's transcendental as well.

Pi Han Goh - 6 years, 1 month ago

I think convergence can be shown by ratio test

Archit Boobna - 6 years, 1 month ago

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Or a simple comparison test on S 0 S_{0} with the Taylor series for e 1 e^{1} , which implies the convergence of S S .

Jake Lai - 6 years, 1 month ago

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Yes, that would be much simpler!

Archit Boobna - 6 years, 1 month ago
Chew-Seong Cheong
Apr 25, 2015

Won't this do?

S = 1 1 ! + 1 × 2 1 ! × 2 ! + 1 × 2 × 3 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! + 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! × 4 ! + . . . = 1 1 ! + 2 ! 1 ! × 2 ! + 3 ! 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! + 4 ! 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! × 4 ! + . . . = 1 1 ! + 1 1 ! + 1 1 ! × 2 ! + 1 1 ! × 2 ! × 3 ! + . . . = 1 + S 0 \begin{aligned} S & = \dfrac{1}{1!} + \dfrac{1\times 2}{1!\times2!} + \dfrac{1\times 2\times 3}{1!\times2!\times3!} + \dfrac{1\times 2\times 3\times 4}{1!\times2!\times3!\times4!} + ... \\ & = \dfrac{1}{1!} + \dfrac{2!}{1!\times2!} + \dfrac{3!}{1!\times2!\times3!} + \dfrac{4!}{1!\times2!\times3!\times4!} + ... \\ & = \dfrac{1}{1!} + \dfrac{1}{1!} + \dfrac{1}{1!\times2!} + \dfrac{1}{1!\times2!\times3!} + ... \\ & = 1 + S_0 \end{aligned}

S S 0 = 1 = 1 × e 0 A + B = 1 + 0 = 1 \Rightarrow S-S_0 = 1 = 1\times e^0\quad \Rightarrow A+B = 1+0 = \boxed{1}

Moderator note:

Nicely done on "pushing the terms". However, this solution is complete if the question had mentioned that S S and S 0 S_0 are finite numbers.

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