- #1
Routaran
- 447
- 94
I wasnt sure which math forum to ask this in so I am putting it here, apologies if its supposed to be elsewhere.
Anyway, my question has to do with an infinite sum.
Suppose we have a series:
1+2+4+8+16+32+...
each term in the series is double the previous term starting with 1
if we multiply this by the number 1 it will remain the same
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = 1(1+2+4+8+16+32+...)
also (2-1) = 1
so we can say
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = (2-1)(1+2+4+8+16+32+...)
if we expand the RHS we get
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = (2+4+8+16+32+64+...) - (1+2+4+8+16+32+...)
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = (2+4+8+16+32+64+...) + (-1-2-4-8-16-32-...)
the first part of the RHS has a set of all positive even numbers and the 2nd part of the set has a set of all negative even numbers
all the even numbers will subtract to 0 and I'm left with
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = -1
what have I done wrong? I can't figure what and where the error is.
Anyway, my question has to do with an infinite sum.
Suppose we have a series:
1+2+4+8+16+32+...
each term in the series is double the previous term starting with 1
if we multiply this by the number 1 it will remain the same
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = 1(1+2+4+8+16+32+...)
also (2-1) = 1
so we can say
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = (2-1)(1+2+4+8+16+32+...)
if we expand the RHS we get
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = (2+4+8+16+32+64+...) - (1+2+4+8+16+32+...)
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = (2+4+8+16+32+64+...) + (-1-2-4-8-16-32-...)
the first part of the RHS has a set of all positive even numbers and the 2nd part of the set has a set of all negative even numbers
all the even numbers will subtract to 0 and I'm left with
1+2+4+8+16+32+... = -1
what have I done wrong? I can't figure what and where the error is.