Questions tagged [sequences-and-series]
For questions concerning sequences and series. Typical questions concern, but are not limited to: identifying sequences, identifying terms, recurrence relations, $\epsilon-N$ proofs of convergence, convergence tests, finding closed forms for sums. For questions on finite sums, use the (summation) tag instead.
65,956
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How to find a general sum formula for the series: 5+55+555+5555+.....?
I have a question about finding the sum formula of n-th terms.
Here's the series:
$5+55+555+5555$+......
What is the general formula to find the sum of n-th terms?
My attempts:
I think I need to ...
99
votes
6
answers
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Can the product of infinitely many elements from $\mathbb Q$ be irrational?
I know there are infinite sums of rational values, which are irrational (for example the Basel Problem). But I was wondering, whether the product of infinitely many rational numbers can be irrational. ...
97
votes
2
answers
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Predicting Real Numbers
Here is an astounding riddle that at first seems impossible to solve. I'm certain the axiom of choice is required in any solution, and I have an outline of one possible solution, but would like to ...
97
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2
answers
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When does a sequence of rotated-and-circumscribed rectangles converge to a square?
Recently I came up with an algebra problem with a nice geometric representation. Basically, I would like to know what happens if we repeatedly circumscribe a rectangle by another rectangle which is ...
95
votes
2
answers
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Prove elementarily that $\sqrt[n+1] {(n+1)!} - \sqrt[n] {n!}$ is strictly decreasing
Prove without calculus that the sequence
$$L_{n}=\sqrt[n+1] {(n+1)!} - \sqrt[n] {n!}, \space n\in \mathbb N$$
is strictly decreasing.
93
votes
6
answers
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Contest problem: Show $\sum_{n = 1}^\infty \frac{n^2a_n}{(a_1+\cdots+a_n)^2}<\infty$ s.t., $a_i>0$, $\sum_{n = 1}^\infty \frac{1}{a_n}<\infty$ [closed]
The following is probably a math contest problem. I have been unable to locate the original source.
Suppose that $\{a_i\}$ is a sequence of positive real numbers and the series $\displaystyle\sum_{n ...
92
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4
answers
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How to prove that $\frac{\zeta(2) }{2}+\frac{\zeta (4)}{2^3}+\frac{\zeta (6)}{2^5}+\frac{\zeta (8)}{2^7}+\cdots=1$?
How can one prove this identity?
$$\frac{\zeta(2) }{2}+\frac{\zeta (4)}{2^3}+\frac{\zeta (6)}{2^5}+\frac{\zeta (8)}{2^7}+\cdots=1$$
There is a formula for $\zeta$ values at even integers, but it ...
90
votes
8
answers
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Is there a size of rectangle that retains its ratio when it's folded in half?
A hypothetical (and maybe practical) question has been nagging at me.
If you had a piece of paper with dimensions 4 and 3 (4:3), folding it in half along the long side (once) would result in 2 inches ...
89
votes
4
answers
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Every subsequence of $x_n$ has a further subsequence which converges to $x$. Then the sequence $x_n$ converges to $x$.
Is the following true?
Let $x_n$ be a sequence with the following property: Every subsequence of $x_n$ has a
further subsequence which converges to $x$. Then the sequence $x_n$ converges to $x$.
I ...
88
votes
9
answers
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Generalized Euler sum $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{H_n}{n^q}$
I found the following formula
$$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{H_n}{n^q}= \left(1+\frac{q}{2} \right)\zeta(q+1)-\frac{1}{2}\sum_{k=1}^{q-2}\zeta(k+1)\zeta(q-k)$$
and it is cited that Euler proved the ...
86
votes
5
answers
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Limit of the nested radical $x_{n+1} = \sqrt{c+x_n}$
(Fitzpatrick Advanced Calculus 2e, Sec. 2.4 #12)
For $c \gt 0$, consider the quadratic equation
$x^2 - x - c = 0, x > 0$.
Define the sequence $\{x_n\}$ recursively by fixing $|x_1| \lt c$ and then, ...
86
votes
1
answer
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Conjectured formula for the Fabius function
The Fabius function is the unique function ${\bf F}:\mathbb R\to[-1, 1]$ satisfying the following conditions:
a functional–integral equation$\require{action}
\require{enclose}{^{\texttip{\dagger}{a ...
85
votes
0
answers
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Regular way to fill a $1\times1$ square with $\frac{1}{n}\times\frac{1}{n+1}$ rectangles?
The series $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{n(n+1)}=1$$ suggests it might be possible to tile a $1\times1$ square with nonrepeated rectangles of the form $\frac{1}{n}\times\frac{1}{n+1}$. Is there a ...
84
votes
3
answers
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Convergence of $\sqrt{n}x_{n}$ where $x_{n+1} = \sin(x_{n})$
Consider the sequence defined as
$x_1 = 1$
$x_{n+1} = \sin x_n$
I think I was able to show that the sequence $\sqrt{n} x_{n}$ converges to $\sqrt{3}$ by a tedious elementary method which I wasn't ...
82
votes
3
answers
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How to find this limit: $A=\lim_{n\to \infty}\sqrt{1+\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{1}{3}+\cdots+\sqrt{\frac{1}{n}}}}}$
Question:
Show that $$A=\lim_{n\to \infty}\sqrt{1+\sqrt{\dfrac{1}{2}+\sqrt{\dfrac{1}{3}+\cdots+\sqrt{\dfrac{1}{n}}}}}$$
exists, and find the best estimate limit $A$.
It is easy to show that
...