That is a one complicated denominator

Algebra Level 3

81 ( 1 1 2 3 4 + 1 2 3 4 5 + 1 3 4 5 6 + 1 4 5 6 7 + ) 81\left(\dfrac{1}{1\cdot2\cdot3\cdot4}+\dfrac{1}{2\cdot3\cdot4\cdot5}+\dfrac{1}{3\cdot4\cdot5\cdot6}+\dfrac{1}{4\cdot5\cdot6\cdot7} + \cdots\right)

Find the value of the expression above.


The answer is 4.5.

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3 solutions

Boi (보이)
Jun 7, 2017

Relevant wiki: Telescoping Series - Sum

Note that

( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) k ( k + 3 ) = 2 1 k ( k + 3 ) 1 ( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) = 2 k ( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) ( k + 3 ) 1 2 ( 1 k ( k + 3 ) 1 ( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) ) = 1 k ( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) ( k + 3 ) (k+1)(k+2)-k(k+3)=2 \\ \frac{1}{k(k+3)}-\frac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)}=\frac{2}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} \\ \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{k(k+3)}-\frac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)}\right)=\frac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)}

Given expression divided by 81 81 is equivalent to

lim n k = 1 n 1 k ( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) ( k + 3 ) = lim n k = 1 n 1 2 ( 1 k ( k + 3 ) 1 ( k + 1 ) ( k + 2 ) ) = lim n k = 1 n 1 2 { 1 3 ( 1 k 1 k + 3 ) ( 1 k + 1 1 k + 2 ) } = 1 6 lim n k = 1 n ( 1 k 1 k + 3 ) 1 2 lim n k = 1 n ( 1 k + 1 1 k + 2 ) = 1 6 ( 1 1 + 1 2 + 1 3 ) 1 2 × 1 2 = 11 36 1 4 = 1 18 \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} \\ =\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{k(k+3)}-\frac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)}\right) \\ =\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{2}\left\{\frac{1}{3}\left(\frac{1}{k}-\frac{1}{k+3}\right)-\left(\frac{1}{k+1}-\frac{1}{k+2}\right)\right\} \\ =\frac{1}{6}\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n} \left(\frac{1}{k}-\frac{1}{k+3}\right)- \frac{1}{2}\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n} \left(\frac{1}{k+1}-\frac{1}{k+2}\right) \\ =\frac{1}{6}\left(\frac{1}{1}+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{3}\right)-\frac{1}{2}\times\frac{1}{2} \\ =\frac{11}{36}-\frac{1}{4} \\ =\frac{1}{18}

Since we divided the original expression by 81 81 , it's time we multiplied it back.

81 × 1 18 = 9 2 = 4.5 81\times\frac{1}{18}=\frac{9}{2}=\boxed{4.5}

Another way is 1 n ( n + 1 ) ( n + 2 ) ( n + 3 ) = 1 3 ( 1 n ( n + 1 ) ( n + 2 ) 1 ( n + 1 ) ( n + 2 ) ( n + 3 ) ) \frac {1}{n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)} = \frac {1}{3}(\frac {1}{n(n+1)(n+2)} - \frac {1}{(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)})

John Frank - 3 years, 9 months ago
H K
Jun 7, 2017

Just a description of how to solve: 1) Partial fraction decomposition 2) Make use of telescoping property of resulting series

Dhiraj Kushwaha
Mar 15, 2018

I solve in this way Let the kth term of the series be 1/((k)(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)) Here the trick is following So we have to apply partial fraction for the two factors only taking the largest and smallest factors . First Do the partial fraction of 1/((k)(k+3)) Note take the lower and Highest factors from the given factors.Here I took k and k+3. So we have 3/((k)(k+3)) =1/k - 1/(k+3) Hence 1/((k)(k+3) = (1/3){1/k -1/(k+3)} And Hence By Multiplying the above equation by 1/((k+1)(k+2 ) ) we have 1/((k)(k+3)(k+1)(k+2) =(1/3){1/((k)(k+1)(k+2)) - 1/((k+3)(k+1)(k+2))} Now Put k=1 ,2 ,3 ....and add telescopically We will get the Following Sum to infinity of the given Series will be = 81* (1/3){1/((1)(2)(3) - 1/((k+3)(k+1)(k+2))} Where k tends to infinity. As Here rest of the term gets cancelled out. =(81/3){1/((1)(2)(3) - 0} As the second term is Zero when k tends to infinity. So Sum to the infinity of the given Series is =81/((1)(2)(3)(3))=9/2=4.5 Hence Answer is 4.5

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