Finite geometric series formula derivation? why r*S?

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Terrell
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what is the rationale of multiplying "r" to the second line of series? why does cancelling those terms give us a VALID, sound, logical answer? please help. here's a video of the procedure
 
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Terrell said:
what is the rationale of multiplying "r" to the second line of series? why does cancelling those terms give us a VALID, sound, logical answer? please help. here's a video of the procedure

The "rationale" is that it works.

Why wouldn't that operation be valid?
What he basically does is:

##a=b+c+d+e##
##f=\ \ \ \ \ \ c+d+e+g##
then, subtracting the second equation from the first gives ##a-f=b-g##

The other terms cancel each other.
 
Samy_A said:
The "rationale" is that it works.

Why wouldn't that operation be valid?
What he basically does is:

##a=b+c+d+e##
##f=\ \ \ \ \ \ c+d+e+g##
then, subtracting the second equation from the first gives ##a-f=b-g##

The other terms cancel each other.
Samy_A said:
The "rationale" is that it works.

Why wouldn't that operation be valid?
What he basically does is:

##a=b+c+d+e##
##f=\ \ \ \ \ \ c+d+e+g##
then, subtracting the second equation from the first gives ##a-f=b-g##

The other terms cancel each other.
i get that it works, but the closest logical explanation i have for myself is 1 - (r^n) divided by 1 - r is the polynomial 1 + r + r^2 + ... + r^(n-1) + r^n. which is identical to the finite geometric series. Thus, distributing (1 - r) to the polynomial gives us 1*S -r*S = S - rS.
 
Terrell said:
i get that it works, but the closest logical explanation i have for myself is 1 - (r^n) divided by 1 - r is the polynomial 1 + r + r^2 + ... + r^(n-1) + r^n. which is identical to the finite geometric series. Thus, distributing (1 - r) to the polynomial gives us 1*S -r*S = S - rS.
I see.
Yes, that is correct.