In your Limits?

Calculus Level 4

lim n k = 1 n k n 2 + k = ? \large \lim_{n\to\infty} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac k{n^2+k} = \ ?


The answer is 0.5.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

3 solutions

Chew-Seong Cheong
Sep 13, 2015

lim n k = 1 n k n 2 + k = lim n k = 1 n k n 2 1 + k n 2 Taylor’s expansion on 1 1 + k n 2 = lim n k = 1 n k n 2 ( 1 k n 2 + k 2 n 4 k 3 n 6 + . . . ) As n , ( 1 k n 2 + k 2 n 4 . . . ) 1 = lim n 1 n 2 k = 1 n k = lim n 1 n 2 ( n ( n + 1 ) 2 ) = lim n 1 + 1 n 2 = 1 2 = 0.5 \begin{aligned} \lim_{n \to \infty} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2+k} & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{\frac{k}{n^2}}{\color{#3D99F6}{1+\frac{k}{n^2}}} & \quad \quad \small \color{#3D99F6}{\text{Taylor's expansion on } \frac{1}{1+\frac{k}{n^2}}} \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2} \color{#3D99F6} {\left(1-\frac{k}{n^2} + \frac{k^2}{n^4} - \frac{k^3}{n^6} + ... \right)} & \quad \quad \small \color{#3D99F6}{\text{As } n \to \infty, \left(1-\frac{k}{n^2} + \frac{k^2}{n^4} - ... \right) \to 1} \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{k=1}^n k \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{1}{n^2} \left(\frac{n(n+1)}{2}\right) \\ & = \lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{1+\frac{1}{n}}{2} \\ & = \frac{1}{2} = \boxed{0.5} \end{aligned}

Moderator note:

The second to third line needs some justification. You have to be careful with the number of terms that you are summing up, and ensuring that lim n 0 k = 1 n k n 2 × k n 2 = 0 \lim_{n \rightarrow 0 } \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2} \times \frac{k}{n^2} = 0 .

Can you please solve this question by converting s u m m a t i o n summation into i n t e g r a l integral ?

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 9 months ago

Log in to reply

Sorry, I didn't notice it is a calculus problem.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years, 9 months ago

You don't have to convert it to an integral. It's in calculus, because it has the concept of infinity. In this case, it's just a convergent geometric series. Plus, it's not possible to convert to Riemann Sum, so integration is out of the question.

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 9 months ago

Log in to reply

But mostly in these type of questions,
We convert our question in the form of integral,but i am not able to do so in this question..

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 9 months ago

I got the way to solve this question using integration.... 😊

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 9 months ago

Log in to reply

@Akhil Bansal Why don't you show it?

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years, 9 months ago
Ivan Koswara
Sep 15, 2015

We use the squeeze theorem to compute this limit.

As a lower bound, since k n k \le n , we have:

k = 1 n k n 2 + k k = 1 n k n 2 + n = k = 1 n k n ( n + 1 ) = n ( n + 1 ) 2 n ( n + 1 ) = 1 2 \displaystyle\begin{aligned} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2+k} &\ge \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2+n} \\ &= \frac{\sum_{k=1}^n k}{n(n+1)} \\ &= \frac{\frac{n(n+1)}{2}}{n(n+1)} \\ &= \frac{1}{2} \end{aligned}

As an upper bound, since k 0 k \ge 0 , we have: k = 1 n k n 2 + k k = 1 n k n 2 = k = 1 n k n 2 = n ( n + 1 ) 2 n 2 = n + 1 2 n = 1 2 + 1 2 n \displaystyle\begin{aligned} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2+k} &\le \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2} \\ &= \frac{\sum_{k=1}^n k}{n^2} \\ &= \frac{\frac{n(n+1)}{2}}{n^2} \\ &= \frac{n+1}{2n} \\ &= \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2n} \end{aligned}

The lower bound is constant at 1 2 \frac{1}{2} . The upper bound tends to 1 2 \frac{1}{2} as n n goes to infinity. By the squeeze theorem, the number between them, k = 1 n k n 2 + k \displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^n \frac{k}{n^2+k} , also tends to 1 2 = 0.5 \frac{1}{2} = \boxed{0.5} .

Akhil Bansal
Sep 14, 2015

lim n k = 1 n k n 2 + k = lim n k = 1 n 1 n ( k n 1 + k n 2 ) \displaystyle\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^n \dfrac{k}{n^2 + k} = \displaystyle\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^n \dfrac{1}{n} \left(\dfrac{\dfrac{k}{n}}{1 + \dfrac{k}{n^2}}\right)
We will put k n = x \dfrac{k}{n} = x and 1 n dx \dfrac{1}{n} \rightarrow \text{dx} as ( n \rightarrow \infty ).
Therefore,given sum will convert into integral with limits 0 to 1.
0 1 x dx ( k n 2 0 ) \displaystyle\int_{0}^{1} x\text{dx} \quad \quad (\dfrac{k}{n^2} \rightarrow 0) .


x 2 2 0 1 = 0.5 \Rightarrow \dfrac{x^2}{2} | _0^1 = \color{#3D99F6}{\boxed{0.5}}

Moderator note:

Can you explain the first line? I do not understand how the limit of a summation ends up being dependent on some (random?) value of k k .

Wrong. There's k/n and k/n^2. Your whole Riemann Sum working is not justified.

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 9 months ago

Reply to Challenge Master note : I have edited the solution l'll bit,Now is it right??

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 9 months ago

Log in to reply

Can you explain the integration? Right now it looks like

0 1 x dx \displaystyle\int_{0}^{1} x\text{dx} &&& ( k n 2 0 ) (\dfrac{k}{n^2} \rightarrow 0) .

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 8 months ago

Log in to reply

I have added "&&&" just to add spaces..

As n n \rightarrow \infty , then k n 2 0 \dfrac{k}{n^2} \rightarrow 0

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 8 months ago

Log in to reply

@Akhil Bansal To add space, just use \quad in Latex.

I have absolutely no idea what you mean in that Integration Latex expression. Note that you cannot randomly interchange the integration and limit signs, which is what you seem to be doing in order to conclude that lim x 1 + x n d x = x d x \lim \int \frac{ x } { 1 + \frac{x}{n} } \, dx = \int x \, dx .

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 8 months ago

Log in to reply

@Calvin Lin I also think there's flow on my solution.
But how do i am getting right answer,from this?

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 8 months ago

@Calvin Lin Sir,Please tell me why latex is not appearing correctly in my solution,Please help!!

Akhil Bansal - 5 years, 8 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...