Logarithms are easy

Algebra Level 2

log 3 ( 1 + 1 3 ) + log 3 ( 1 + 1 4 ) + log 3 ( 1 + 1 5 ) + . . . + log 3 ( 1 + 1 80 ) \log_{3} \left (1 + \dfrac13 \right ) + \log_{3} \left (1 + \dfrac14 \right ) + \log_{3} \left (1 + \dfrac15 \right ) + ... + \log_{3} \left (1 + \dfrac{1}{80} \right )

Find the value of the expression above.


The answer is 3.

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2 solutions

Jordan Cahn
Sep 28, 2018

log 3 ( 1 + 1 3 ) + log 3 ( 1 + 1 4 ) + log 3 ( 1 + 1 5 ) + + log 3 ( 1 + 1 80 ) = log 3 ( 4 3 ) + log 3 ( 5 4 ) + log 3 ( 6 5 ) + + log 3 ( 81 80 ) = log 3 ( 4 3 × 5 4 × 6 5 × × 81 80 ) = log 3 ( 81 3 ) = log 3 27 = 3 \begin{aligned} \log_3\left(1+\frac{1}{3}\right) + \log_3\left(1+\frac{1}{4}\right) + \log_3\left(1+\frac{1}{5}\right) + \cdots + \log_3\left(1+\frac{1}{80}\right) &= \log_3\left(\frac{4}{3}\right) + \log_3\left(\frac{5}{4}\right) + \log_3\left(\frac{6}{5}\right) + \cdots + \log_3\left(\frac{81}{80}\right) \\ &= \log_3\left(\frac{4}{3}\times\frac{5}{4}\times\frac{6}{5}\times\cdots\times\frac{81}{80}\right) \\ &= \log_3\left(\frac{81}{3}\right) = \log_3 27 = \boxed{3} \end{aligned}

Chew-Seong Cheong
Sep 28, 2018

The given sum can be written as:

S = k = 3 80 log 3 ( 1 + 1 k ) = k = 3 80 log 3 ( k + 1 k ) = k = 3 80 ( log 3 ( k + 1 ) log 3 k ) = log 3 81 log 3 3 = 4 1 = 3 \begin{aligned} S & = \sum_{k=3}^{80} \log_3 \left(1+\frac 1k\right) \\ & = \sum_{k=3}^{80} \log_3 \left(\frac {k+1}k \right) \\ & = \sum_{k=3}^{80} \big(\log_3(k+1)-\log_3 k \big) \\ & = \log_3 81 - \log_3 3 \\ & = 4-1= \boxed 3 \end{aligned}

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