Why not integrate it !!

Calculus Level 4

lim n k = 1 n k 3 + 6 k 2 + 11 k + 5 ( k + 3 ) ! \lim_{n\to \infty} \large\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{k^{3}+6k^{2}+11k+5}{ (k+3 )!}

Now let the above sum be expressed in the form a b \frac{a}{b} , where a a and b b are integers which are co-prime. Then find a + b a+b .

If you think the summation may not converge to a finite limit then type 22 22 as your answer

This was a problem given in one of our tests.


The answer is 8.

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2 solutions

Rishabh Jain
Apr 6, 2016

T = k = 1 n ( k + 3 ) ( k + 2 ) ( k + 1 ) 1 ( k + 3 ) ! \large\mathfrak{T}=\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{(k+3)(k+2)(k+1)-1}{ \left (k+3 \right)!}

= k = 1 n ( 1 k ! 1 ( k + 3 ) ! ) ( ) \large =\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\dfrac{1}{k!}-\dfrac{1}{(k+3)!}\right)(**)

( A T e l e s c o p i c S e r i e s ) \mathbf{(A~Telescopic~ Series)}

lim n T = ( ( 1 1 4 ! ) + ( 1 2 ! 1 5 ! ) + ( 1 3 ! 1 6 ! ) + ( 1 4 ! 1 7 ! ) ) \therefore\large \small{\displaystyle\lim_{n\to \infty}\mathfrak{T}}=\left( \begin{aligned} & ~~~~~\left(1-\cancel{\color{#3D99F6}{\dfrac{1}{4!}}}\right)\\&+\left(\dfrac{1}{2!}-\cancel{\color{#D61F06}{\dfrac{1}{ 5!}}}\right)\\&+\left(\dfrac{1}{3!}-\cancel{\color{#456461}{\dfrac{1}{6!}}}\right) \\&+\left(\cancel{\color{#3D99F6}{\dfrac{1}{4!}}}- \cancel{\color{#EC7300}{\dfrac{1}{7!}}}\right)\\&\cdots\\&\cdots\end{aligned} \right)

= 1 + 1 2 + 1 6 = 5 3 \Large =1+\dfrac 12+\dfrac{1}{6}=\dfrac 53

5 + 3 = 8 \huge \therefore 5+3=\boxed{8}


** Alternatively we can use expansion of e e i.e e = 1 + n = 1 1 n ! e=1+\displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{1}{n!}

lim n T = k = 1 ( 1 k ! ) k = 4 ( 1 k ! ) \displaystyle\lim_{n\to \infty}\mathfrak{T}=\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\left(\dfrac{1}{k!}\right)- \sum_{k=4}^{\infty}\left(\dfrac{1}{k!}\right)

= ( e 1 ) ( e 1 1 1 2 1 6 ) = 5 3 =(e-1)-(e-1-1-\dfrac{1}{2}-\dfrac{1}{6})=\dfrac{5}{3}

Vignesh S
Apr 6, 2016

Thus we see that the limit converges and its nothing but e ! ! e !! . This was the method in which I solved, I want to know if people have any other solution. Thanks for the solution again

Yeah I was working on that and I have posted it... I posted a solution using Telescopic Series first because Telescopic series has fascinated me a lot... :-)

Rishabh Jain - 5 years, 2 months ago

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Yeah , thanks for uploading the solution. Since it is an infinite summation I think it would better to use series expansion of e because The convergence is assured .

Vignesh S - 5 years, 2 months ago

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Isn't it assured in Telescopic sums too?? ( Just asking)... as after calculating partial sums and then applying limit we get the same result..

Rishabh Jain - 5 years, 2 months ago

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@Rishabh Jain Yes to a large extent it is applicable, but I have till now not seen many infinite summations which are solved by telescopic. Anyway it was à thought that I shared, may be somebody like @Calvin Lin or ( @Otto Bretscher could help us.

Vignesh S - 5 years, 2 months ago

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@Vignesh S To solve this rigorously, we have to do telescoping partial sums and then take the limit: k = 1 n ( 1 k ! 1 ( k + 3 ) ! ) = 1 1 ! + 1 2 ! + 1 3 ! 1 ( n + 1 ) ! 1 ( n + 2 ) ! 1 ( n + 3 ) ! \sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\frac{1}{k!}-\frac{1}{(k+3)!}\right)=\frac{1}{1!}+\frac{1}{2!}+\frac{1}{3!}-\frac{1}{(n+1)!}-\frac{1}{(n+2)!}-\frac{1}{(n+3)!} , which approaches 5 3 \frac{5}{3} as n n goes to infinity.

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 2 months ago

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