Nested Radicals

Algebra Level 2

Find the value of the expression above.

1 2 3 4 5

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3 solutions

Let's start with forming a nested radical expression for x x : x = x 2 = 1 + ( x 1 ) ( x + 1 ) = 1 + ( x 1 ) 1 + x ( x + 2 ) = 1 + ( x 1 ) 1 + x 1 + ( x + 1 ) ( x + 3 ) |x|=\sqrt{x^2}\\=\sqrt{1+(x-1)(x+1)}\\=\sqrt{1+(x-1)\sqrt{1+x(x+2)}}\\=\sqrt{1+(x-1)\sqrt{1+x\sqrt{1+(x+1)(x+3)}}} In the same way if we continue indefinitely,we get the following nested radical expression for x x : x = 1 + ( x 1 ) 1 + x 1 + ( x + 1 ) 1 + ( x + 2 ) 1 + ( x + 3 ) |x|=\sqrt{1+(x-1)\sqrt{1+x\sqrt{1+(x+1)\sqrt{1+(x+2)\sqrt{1+(x+3)\sqrt{\cdots}}}}}} By observation this expression fits the form of the question,so simply put x = 3 x=3 to get: 3 = 1 + 2 1 + 3 1 + 4 \boxed{3=\sqrt{1+2\sqrt{1+3\sqrt{1+4\sqrt{\cdots}}}}}

@Michael Ng isn't this a great generalisation of one of the special cases for ramanujan's formula for infinite nested radicals?

Kunal Jadhav - 6 years, 3 months ago

I didn't understood that why u put 3 in the last.

Tushar Malik - 6 years, 3 months ago

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It's so that the right side would match the expression in the question.

Thomas James Bautista - 5 years, 4 months ago

Ramanujan 's formula

as seen in image
putting x=2 and n=1 ,
=x+n
=2+1
= 3


Mayank Chaturvedi
Feb 21, 2015

Let f(x) be 1 + x 1 + ( x + 1 ) 1 + . . . . . . . . . \sqrt { 1+x\sqrt { 1+(x+1)\sqrt { 1+......... } } } .Note that f ( x ) 2 = x f ( x + 1 ) + 1 { f\left( x \right) }^{ 2 }=x*f(x+1)\quad +\quad 1 . Through observation, f(x)=x+1. Question is nothing else but f(2) i.e 2+1=3

Why f(x)^2=x.f(x+1)+1?

Mr Yovan - 5 years, 1 month ago

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Hello, The one who posted solution was me (now my previous account is deleted) .

What I did was considering f(x) to be the expression as written in solution ,then f(x+1) is what inside the second square root.

I thought the f(x) particularly what is written above because if we can find the f(x), then f(2), would be easy to find and that is what is required.

f ( x ) = 1 + x f ( x + 1 ) f(x)=\sqrt { 1+xf(x+1) } This was the result i got, and to my surprise the solution to this functional equation was apparent and easy x+1.

Though after one year ,unknowingly today when i solved this problem, i too used Ramanujan's way. BTW is the solution clear?

Mayank Chaturvedi - 5 years, 1 month ago

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It was a easy guess that the solution of the functional equation is x+1 but can you provide a proper proof so as to find the the solution of the functional equation without hit and trial??? @Mayank Chaturvedi

ritik agrawal - 3 years, 7 months ago

Through observation? How ? The function you found is vague, you have f(x)^2 and f(x+1), how did you connect these two?

Thanh Nguyen - 5 years, 1 month ago

It's Impossible\

Jazel Libaton - 2 years, 8 months ago

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