Finding \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} (-1)^n/n - Homework Help

seanhbailey
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Homework Statement


What is \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} (-1)^n/n


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The Attempt at a Solution


I know that the alternating series \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} (-1)^{n-1}/n converges to ln(2), but I am not sure how to find this series.
 
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(-1)n-1 = (-1)n(-1)-1 = -1*(-1)n
then you can take the constant -1 outside the sum.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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