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RealiseNothing

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Break it up into:



Now sum each series individually.

The first one is:



Second one:



Third one:



If we keep doing this, you notice that we form another GP?

So the sum of this GP is:

 

Trebla

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Another approach:

If -1 < x < 1 then

 

bleakarcher

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Another way could be this:

(1/5)+(2/5^2)+(3/5^3)+...
=[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]+(1/5)[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]+(1/5^2)[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]+...
=[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...][1+(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]
=[(1/5)/[1-(1/5)]][1+(1/4)]
=(5/4)(1/4)=5/16

Damn, I wish I knew latex..
 
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Another way could be this:

(1/5)+(2/5^2)+(3/5^3)+...
=[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]+(1/5)[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]+(1/5^2)[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]+...
=[(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...][1+(1/5)+(1/5^2)+(1/5^3)+...]
=[(1/5)/[1-(1/5)]][1+(1/4)]
=(5/4)(1/4)=5/16

Damn, I wish I knew latex..
That's basically what RealiseNothing did.

I think the method of writting out the limiting sum formula, differentiating and multiplying by x is by far the best method.

Also, if they were to change the question to 1/5 - 2/5^2 + 3/5^3 -4/5^4 +... (to have alternating + & - signs)

You can easily copy the method and just start with

1-x+x^2-x^3 +x^4 - ..... = 1/(1+x)
 
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