Help with manipulating power series.

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around manipulating the power series for the expression (1+x)/(1-x)^2. Participants are exploring how to derive the power series representation and are encountering challenges in factoring and summing series correctly.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant starts with the known series for 1/(1-x) and differentiates it to find the series for 1/(1-x)^2, leading to the expression ∑(n+1)X^n.
  • Another participant suggests picking an exponent n and examining the terms from the two summations to derive the final answer, indicating a method of combining terms.
  • There is a question about finding a general formula for the partial sums, with a reference to telescoping series, indicating a search for patterns in the sums.
  • One participant emphasizes the need to make the exponents of x equal and add the corresponding terms from the two series.
  • Another response clarifies that the task is simply to find the terms with the same exponent and combine them, rejecting the idea of needing a more complex approach.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants appear to have differing views on the approach to take for combining the series, with some suggesting a more systematic method while others advocate for a straightforward combination of like terms. No consensus is reached on the best method to factor and sum the series.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the manipulation of summation notation and the specific steps to combine the series correctly. There are unresolved aspects regarding the transition from individual summations to a single expression.

MidgetDwarf
Messages
1,608
Reaction score
726
So i am given (1+x)/(1-x)^2 and I have to put it into a power series. I know that 1/(1-x)= 1+x+x^2+x^3+...=∑x^n from 0 to infinity. I am having problems factoring series.

I differentiate 1/(1-x).

I get, 1/(1-x)^2= 1+2x+3x^2+...= ∑nX^(n-1) the sum from 1 to infinity.

rewriting this equation.

1/(1-x)^2=∑(n+1)X^n. The sum from 0 to infinity.

multiply both sides by (1+x)

I get (x+1)/(1-x)^2 = (1+x)∑(n+1)X^(n) , from 0 to infinity.

Then I distribute 1+x.

∑(n+1)X^(n) + ∑(n+1)X^(n+1) both sums have an index of 0.

My problem is that I have having trouble factoring using summation notation and I am not sure how my book factored these 2 sums into 1 to get the answer

∑(2n+1)X^n with the index of 0.
When I factored my previous work I got. ∑(n+1)(X^(n)[1+X]

which I cannot seem to to put into the form the book has it.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Pick an exponent n and look at the terms with xn. From the first and second summation, respectively, they are (n+1)xn and nxn. Sum them to get the book answer.
 
FactChecker said:
Pick an exponent n and look at the terms with xn. From the first and second summation, respectively, they are (n+1)xn and nxn. Sum them to get the book answer.

hmm. Do you mean by finding a general formula for the partial sums? Ie. n=0 +n=1+n=3+...+n= whatever? from here look at a pattern and construct the formula?

What i am thinking: Is it kind of the way of how we play around with a telescopic series?
 
Make the exponents of the ##x## equal and add.
 
MidgetDwarf said:
hmm. Do you mean by finding a general formula for the partial sums? Ie. n=0 +n=1+n=3+...+n= whatever? from here look at a pattern and construct the formula?
No. Nothing fancy. Just find the term in each summation that has the same xn and add them together. Combine like terms.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K