MHB Is it possible to evaluate the summation of arctangents in this problem?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Saitama
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Summation
Click For Summary
The discussion centers on evaluating the limit of the summation of arctangents as n approaches infinity. The original problem involves the expression $$\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \left(\sum_{r=1}^n (\arctan(2r^2))-\frac{n\pi}{2}\right)$$, which participants found challenging. A key insight shared is the use of the identity $$\arctan (x) + \arctan \left( \frac{1}{x}\right) =\frac{\pi}{2}$$ to transform the series into a more manageable form. Ultimately, the series can be evaluated by recognizing it as $$-\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \tan^{-1} \frac{1}{2k^2}$$, leading to a solution involving $$\frac{\pi}{4}$$. The discussion highlights the importance of mathematical identities in simplifying complex summations.
Saitama
Messages
4,244
Reaction score
93
Problem:
Evaluate
$$\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \left(\sum_{r=1}^n (\arctan(2r^2))-\frac{n\pi}{2}\right)$$

Attempt:
I tried evaluating the summation but couldn't. Had the problem involved $\arctan(1/(2r^2))$, I could rewrite it as
$$\arctan\left(\frac{2r+1-(2r-1)}{1+(2r+1)(2r-1)}\right)$$
and evaluating the sum would be quite easy but honestly, I have no idea for the given problem.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Pranav said:
I tried evaluating the summation but couldn't. Had the problem involved $\arctan(1/(2r^2))$, I could rewrite it as
$$\arctan\left(\frac{2r+1-(2r-1)}{1+(2r+1)(2r-1)}\right)$$
and evaluating the sum would be quite easy but honestly, I have no idea for the given problem.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Maybe you could use that $$\arctan (x) + \arctan \left( \frac{1}{x}\right) =\frac{\pi}{2}$$ for $$x>0$$.
 
Pranav said:
Problem:
Evaluate
$$\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty} \left(\sum_{r=1}^n (\arctan(2r^2))-\frac{n\pi}{2}\right)$$

Attempt:
I tried evaluating the summation but couldn't. Had the problem involved $\arctan(1/(2r^2))$, I could rewrite it as
$$\arctan\left(\frac{2r+1-(2r-1)}{1+(2r+1)(2r-1)}\right)$$
and evaluating the sum would be quite easy but honestly, I have no idea for the given problem.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Using the identity...

$\displaystyle \sum_{k=1}^{n} \tan^{-1} (2\ k^{2}) - n\ \frac{\pi}{2} = - \sum_{k=1}^{n} \tan^{-1} \frac{1}{2\ k^{2}}\ (1)$

... the series becomes $\displaystyle - \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \tan^{-1} \frac{1}{2\ k^{2}}$. Following the procedure described in...

http://mathhelpboards.com/math-notes-49/series-inverse-functions-8530.html

... we have $\displaystyle G(u,v) = \frac{u - v}{1 + u\ v}$ and choosing the sequence $c_{k}= \frac{k}{k+1}$ which is stricktly increasing and tends to 1, we obtain $\displaystyle G(c_{k},c_{k-1}) = \frac{1}{2\ k^{2}}$ and finally... $\displaystyle \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \tan^{-1} \frac{1}{2\ k^{2}} = \tan^{-1} 1 - \tan^{-1} 0 = \frac{\pi}{4}\ (2)$ Kind regards $\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Last edited:
chisigma said:
Using the identity...

$\displaystyle \sum_{k=1}^{n} \tan^{-1} (2\ k^{2}) - n\ \frac{\pi}{2} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} \tan^{-1} \frac{1}{2\ k^{2}}\ (1)$
Ah, that was quite silly on my part, I was so much involved in evaluating the summation, I did not think of the above identity, thanks a lot chisigma! :)

BTW, you have a sign error. :p
... the series becomes $\displaystyle \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \tan^{-1} \frac{1}{2\ k^{2}}$. Following the procedure described in...
That's the same series I mentioned in my attempt, it's easy to evaluate this. :)
 
There are probably loads of proofs of this online, but I do not want to cheat. Here is my attempt: Convexity says that $$f(\lambda a + (1-\lambda)b) \leq \lambda f(a) + (1-\lambda) f(b)$$ $$f(b + \lambda(a-b)) \leq f(b) + \lambda (f(a) - f(b))$$ We know from the intermediate value theorem that there exists a ##c \in (b,a)## such that $$\frac{f(a) - f(b)}{a-b} = f'(c).$$ Hence $$f(b + \lambda(a-b)) \leq f(b) + \lambda (a - b) f'(c))$$ $$\frac{f(b + \lambda(a-b)) - f(b)}{\lambda(a-b)}...

Similar threads

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