Monday, April 13, 2009

`1/(2*3) , 1/(3*4), 1/(4*5), 1/(5*6).... 1/((n + 1)(n + 2))...` Use mathematical induction to find a formula for the sum of the first n terms...

`1/(2*3),1/(3*4),1/(4*5),1/(5*6),..........1/((n+1)(n+2))`


Let's write down the first few sums of the sequence,


`S_1=1/(2*3)=1/6=1/(2(1+2))`


`S_2=1/(2*3)+1/(3*4)=1/6+1/12=(2+1)/12=3/12=1/4=2/(2(2+2))`


`S_3=1/(2*3)+1/(3*4)+1/(4*5)=1/4+1/20=(5+1)/20=3/10=3/(2(3+2))`


`S_4=1/(2*3)+1/(3*4)+1/(4*5)+1/(5*6)=3/10+1/30=(9+1)/30=1/3=4/(2(4+2))`


From the above, it appears that the formula for the k terms of the sequence is,


`S_k=k/(2(k+2))`


The formula is already verified for n=1,


Now let's assume that the formula is valid for n=k and we have to show that it is valid for n=k+1


`S_(k+1)=1/(2*3)+1/(3*4)+.........1/((k+1)(k+2))+1/((k+2)(k+3))`  


`S_(k+1)=k/(2(k+2))+1/((k+2)(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=(k(k+3)+2)/(2(k+2)(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=(k^2+3k+2)/(2(k+2)(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=(k^2+2k+k+2)/(2(k+2)(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=(k(k+2)+1(k+2))/(2(k+2)(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=((k+2)(k+1))/(2(k+2)(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=(k+1)/(2(k+3))`


`S_(k+1)=(k+1)/(2(k+1+2))`


So the formula is true for n=k+1 also,


Hence the formula for the sum of the n terms of the sequence is,


`S_n=n/(2(n+2))`

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