Series
Arithmetic series
Geometric series
Method of difference
Arithmetic series
An arithmetic progression (AP) is a
sequence which proceeds with a constant
difference.
If the first term of an AP is a and its
common difference is d, then the AP is
a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d,
The rth term is ur = a + (n 1)d.
The sum of
the first n terms of an AP
Consider the first n terms of an AP:
The sum of the first n terms is
Sn = a + (a+d) + (a+2d) + + [a+(n-2)d] + [a+(n-1)d]
Rewriting this in reverse order:
Sn = [a+(n-1)d] + [a+(n-2)d] + + (a+2d) + (a+d) + a
Adding these equations:
2Sn = [2a+(n-1)d] + [2a+(n-1)d] + [2a+(n-1)d] + +
[2a+(n-1)d] + [2a+(n-1)d]
The sum of
the first n terms of an AP
2Sn = [2a+(n-1)d] + [2a+(n-1)d] + [2a+(n-1)d] + + [2a+(n-1)d]
+ [2a+(n-1)d]
There are n identical terms on the right hand side.
n
2Sn = n[2a+(n-1)d]
n
[a (n 1)d
S
Thus, n 2 [2a (n 1)d ] or,
n 1
Note that u1 = a, and un = a + (n-1)d,
n
So S n 2 (u1 u n )
n
or S n ( a l ) , where a = u1 and l = un
2
Arithmetic mean
If x, y, z are three consecutive terms of an
AP, then
y x = z y,
or, y = (x + z).
y is called the arithmetic mean between x
and z.
Geometric progression
A geometric progression (GP) is a
sequence which proceeds with constant
ratio.
If the first term of a GP is a and its
common ratio is r, then the GP is
a, ar, ar2, ar3,
The general term, un = arn - 1
The sum of
the first n terms of a GP
Let the sum of the first n terms of a GP be Sn.
Then,
Multiply throughout by r:
rSn = ar + ar2 + + arn-2 + arn-1 + arn
Subtracting:
Sn = a + ar + ar2 + + arn-2 + arn-1
rSn Sn = arn a
n
a(1 r )
Sn
1 r
or
a( r n 1)
Sn
r 1
Geometric mean
If x, y, z are consecutive terms of a GP,
y
z
then
x
y
y2 = xz
or,
y xz
y is called the geometric mean between x and z.
Given two unequal positive
numbers, which is bigger:
the geometric mean or the
arithmetic mean?
Sum to infinity for a GP
a (1 r n )
Sn
1 r
For a GP,
For | r | < 1, then rn 0 as n .
So, for an infinite GP with | r | < 1,
a
lim S n
n
1 r
We write:
a
S
1 r
Series involving
the natural numbers
What is the sum of the first n natural numbers?
n
r 1 2 3 ... n
r1
This is an AP
with first term a =1 and common difference d =1.
n
n(n 1)
n
r 2 [2(1) (n 1)(1)] 2
r1
Series involving
the natural numbers
How about the sum of the squares of the first n
natural numbers?
n
2
2
2
2
2
2
r
...
(n
1)
r1
This series is summed by using the identity
(n + 1)3 = n3 + 3n2 + 3n + 1
or
(n + 1)3 - n3 = 3n2 + 3n + 1
Series involving
the natural numbers
This method
is called
the method of difference.
We have
(n + 1)3 n3
= 3n2
+ 3n
+1
Replacing n by (n - 1):
n3
(n - 1)3 = 3(n - 1)2 + 3(n - 1) + 1
Similarly:
(n - 1)3 (n - 2)3 = 3(n - 2)2 + 3(n - 2) + 1
33
- 23
= 3(2)2
+ 3(2)
+1
23
- 13
= 3(1)2
+ 3(1)
+1
n
n
n
Adding,
(n 1) 3 13 3 r 2 3 r 1
Series involving
the natural numbers
n
(n 1) 1 3 r 3 r 1
3
n(n 1)
(n 1) 1 3 r 2 3
n
2
1
3
n(n 1)
3 r n 3n 3n 1 1 3
n
2
1
n
3 2 3
2
3
2
3 r n 3n 2n n n
2
2
1
n
3 2 1
3 r n n n
2
2
1
n
3 r 2 (2n 2 3n 1)
2
1
1
r 6 n(n 1)(2n 1)
1
2
Series involving
the natural numbers
To sum the cubes of the natural numbers, we use
the identity
(n + 1)4 = n4 + 4n3 + 6n2 + 4n2 + 1
or, (n + 1)4 - n4 = 4n3 + 6n2 + 4n2 + 1
Replacing n with (n - 1):
n4 - (n - 1)4 = 4(n - 1)3 + 6(n - 1)2 + 4(n - 1)2 + 1
Continue with this process until we reach n = 1.
Series involving
the natural numbers
We have:
(n + 1)4 - n4 = 4n3
+ 6n2
+ 4n
+1
n4 - (n - 1)4 = 4(n - 1)3 + 6(n - 1)2 + 4(n - 1) + 1
34 - 24 = 4(2)3
+ 6(2)2
+ 4(2)
+1
24 - 14 = 4(1)3
+ 6(1)2
+ 4(1) + 1
Adding these equations:
n
(n 1) 4 14 4 r 3 6 r 2 4 r n
Series involving
the natural numbers
n
(n 1) 4 14 4 r 3 6 r 2 4 r n
4 r 3 = n4
+4n3 +6n2 +4n - 2n3 - 3n2 - n - 2n2 - 2n - n
=n4 + 2n3 + n2
= n2(n2 + 2n + 1)
= n2(n + 1)2
r
i
n 2
r
1
The above results can be used to sum any
series in the form ur = ar3 + br2 + cr + d
Example 1: Find the sum
12 + 32 + 52 + + 292
Method 1:
Sum = 12 + 22 + 32 + + 282 + 292
(22 + 42 + + 282)
Method 2:
Express the general term as ur = (2n -1)2
Answer: 4495
The above results can be used to sum any
series in the form ur = ar3 + br2 + cr + d
Example 2:
Find the sum of the first n terms of the
series
11 + 23 + 35 +
Express the general term ur = r(2r - 1)
Answer
1
n(n 1)(4n 1)
6
The Method of Difference
Express ur as f(r + 1) - f(r)
= un + un - 1 + + u2 + u1
= f(n + 1) - f(n) + f(n) - f(n - 1) + +
f(3) - f(2) + f(2) - f(1)
= f(n + 1) - f(1)
The Method of Difference
Example: Find the sum of the series
1
1
1
1
...
2 3 3 4 4 5
(n 1)(n 2)
Use partial fractions to express the general term as
1
1
1
ur
(r 1)(r 2) r 1 r 2
Answer
n
2(n 2)