- #1
Lebombo
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Homework Statement
[tex]a_{1}r^{1} + a_{1}r^{2} + a_{1}r^{3} +... + a_{1}r^{n-3} + a_{1}r^{n-2} + a_{1}r^{n-1} = \sum_{n=1}^{?} a_{1}r^{n-1}[/tex]
What value would replace the "?"
2. The attempt at a solution
EDIT: I edited this post after receiving your reply Cepheid.
My gut would say it is possible, but in thinking about it, it seems there is no way to represent it.
Guess 1)
Perhaps it's not possible to write the general terms of geometric sequences in sigma notation.
If it's not possible to write this in sigma notation, is it because the general term of geometric sequence formula, [itex]a_{1}r^{n-1}[/itex], represents a "term" and not a "function?"
Guess 2)
It is possible to put the general term of geometric sequence formula, [itex]a_{1}r^{n-1}[/itex], into sigma notation. However instead of representing: [tex]a_{1}r^{1} + a_{1}r^{2} + a_{1}r^{3} +... + a_{1}r^{n-3} + a_{1}r^{n-2} + a_{1}r^{n-1} = \sum_{n=1}^{N} a_{1}r^{n-1}[/tex]
It will instead represent this: [itex]\sum_{n=1}^{N} a_{1}r^{n-1} = a_{1}r^{n-1} + a_{1}r^{n-1} + a_{1}r^{n-1} + ... + a_{1}r^{n-1}[/itex] Where [itex]a_{1}r^{n-1}[/itex] is simply repeated N times. Similar to [itex]\sum_{n=1}^{N} 5[/itex] = 5 + 5 + 5 +...+ 5.
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