Is n^n+1 a Valid Formula for the Sum of n^n Series?

In summary, mathematical induction is a proof technique used to prove statements about natural numbers or integers. It involves proving a statement for a base case, usually n=1 or n=0, and then proving that if the statement holds for a certain value of n, it also holds for the next value, n+1. This process is repeated until the statement is proven for all natural numbers or integers. To use mathematical induction to solve a problem, you first need to identify the statement you want to prove and the variable you will use, usually n. Then, you need to prove the base case, often n=1 or n=0, by showing that the statement holds true for that value. Next, you need to assume that the
  • #1
mxam
10
0
Can you help me with this exercise?

[itex]1^{1}[/itex]+[itex]2^{2}[/itex]+[itex]3^{3}[/itex]+[itex]4^{4}[/itex]+...+[itex]n^{n}[/itex] = [itex]n^{n+1}[/itex]

Thanks!

PD. I was trying to solve, and i have this:

[itex]1^{1}[/itex]=[itex]1^{1+1}[/itex] =
1 = 1

a) [itex]k^{k+1}[/itex]
b) [itex]k+1^{k+1}[/itex] = [itex]k+1^{(k+1)+1}[/itex]

a in b) [itex]k^{k+1}[/itex] + [itex]k+1^{k+1}[/itex] = [itex]k+1^{(k+1)+1}[/itex]

([itex]k)^{k}[/itex]([itex]k)^{1}[/itex]+([itex]k+1)^{k}[/itex]([itex]k+1)^{1}[/itex]=([itex]k+1)^{k}[/itex]([itex]k+1)^{1}[/itex]([itex]k+1)^{1}[/itex]

I´m lost in this step . . . Thanks again!
 
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  • #2
Where did you pick the exercise from? It looks wrong.
 
  • #3
The Algebra Teacher gives the exercise, but i don't know, maybe don´t have a solution . . . ?
 
  • #4
The series and its sum don't seem correct.

Can you check your book again?

1+2^2 =/= 2^(2+1)

1+4 = 5 but 2^(2+1) = 8
 
  • #5
There are many series that look vaguely similar like

1 + 2 + 3 + ... = (n*(n+1))/2
 
  • #6
jedishrfu said:
The series and its sum don't seem correct.

Can you check your book again?

1+2^2 =/= 2^(2+1)

1+4 = 5 but 2^(2+1) = 8

A attach the picture of the book. . .
 

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  • #7
Can you say there is no solution and prove that by example?
 
  • #8
jedishrfu said:
Can you say there is no solution and prove that by example?

The teacher said that exist a solution, but with the opinions and the examples i think that he´s lying. . . =o!
 
  • #9
mxam said:
The teacher said that exist a solution, but with the opinions and the examples i think that he´s lying. . . =o!

Maybe strategically misdirecting you in order to have you discover this alternative...

You could PM a PF Mentor to see if they can add some new insight...
 
  • #10
I am curious. What are the instructions for the exercise? You did not include them in the original post, and your picture does not show them either.
 
  • #11
gopher_p said:
I am curious. What are the instructions for the exercise? You did not include them in the original post, and your picture does not show them either.

Check the Attachment, the exercise says: "Demuestre por Induccion Matematica las siguientes preposiciones dadas" or in English, "Demonstrate by Mathematical Induction the following prepositions" . . . I think is a exercise that don't have a real solution, maybe the teacher´s proving us, . . . But I´ll need a good explanation for this, =)
 

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  • #12
The formula is obviously wrong.

Much more interesting is the question, how to figure out such sums. One clever trick is to use an easier sum to derive the one you want to know. Here the obvious idea is to use the generating function
[tex]g(x)=\sum_{k=0}^n \exp(k x).[/tex]
This is a geometric series. You should prove, e.g., by induction, that it gives
[tex]g(x)=\frac{\exp[(n+1) x)-1}{\exp x-1}.[/tex]
Then you can get other sums by taking derivatives of this, e.g.,
[tex]g'(x)=\sum_{k=0}^{n} k \exp(k x) \; \Rightarrow \; g'(0)=\sum_{k=0}^n k,[/tex]
and so on. There's, of course a subtlety with taking [itex]x=0[/itex], which you also should discuss.
 
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  • #13
mxam said:
Can you help me with this exercise?

[itex]1^{1}[/itex]+[itex]2^{2}[/itex]+[itex]3^{3}[/itex]+[itex]4^{4}[/itex]+...+[itex]n^{n}[/itex] = [itex]n^{n+1}[/itex]

Thanks!

PD. I was trying to solve, and i have this:

[itex]1^{1}[/itex]=[itex]1^{1+1}[/itex] =
1 = 1
Yes, this is true for n= 1. But surely you saw that when n= 2, the left side is [itex]1^1+ 2^2= 1+ 4= 5[/itex] while the right side is [itex]2^3= 8[/itex].


a) [itex]k^{k+1}[/itex]
b) [itex]k+1^{k+1}[/itex] = [itex]k+1^{(k+1)+1}[/itex]

a in b) [itex]k^{k+1}[/itex] + [itex]k+1^{k+1}[/itex] = [itex]k+1^{(k+1)+1}[/itex]

([itex]k)^{k}[/itex]([itex]k)^{1}[/itex]+([itex]k+1)^{k}[/itex]([itex]k+1)^{1}[/itex]=([itex]k+1)^{k}[/itex]([itex]k+1)^{1}[/itex]([itex]k+1)^{1}[/itex]

I´m lost in this step . . . Thanks again!
 
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  • #14
I´ve 1 curious question:

If i want to know what´s the correct serie for [itex]n^{n+1}[/itex], what´s the the procedure to follow?
 
  • #15
Use a Taylor series.
 
  • #16
Doing the first nine iterations:

Code:
n=1:	1		        sum/psum = 1
n=2:	5		        sum/psum = 5
n=3:	32		        sum/psum = 6
n=4:	288		        sum/psum = 9
n=5:	3413		        sum/psum = 11
n=6:	50069		        sum/psum = 14
n=7:	873612		        sum/psum = 17
n=8:	17650828		sum/psum = 20
n=9:	405071317		sum/psum = 22

Processing IDE code used:

Code:
void setup() {
  
 int nterms = 10;
 int psum=1, sum=0;
 
 for(int n=1; n<nterms; n++) {
    sum+=Math.pow(n,n);
    int iratio = sum/psum;
    println("n="+n+":\t"+sum+"\t\tsum/psum = "+iratio);
    psum=sum;
 }
 
}
 

1. What is mathematical induction?

Mathematical induction is a proof technique used to prove statements about natural numbers or integers. It involves proving a statement for a base case, usually n=1 or n=0, and then proving that if the statement holds for a certain value of n, it also holds for the next value, n+1. This process is repeated until the statement is proven for all natural numbers or integers.

2. How do you use mathematical induction to solve a problem?

To use mathematical induction to solve a problem, you first need to identify the statement you want to prove and the variable you will use, usually n. Then, you need to prove the base case, often n=1 or n=0, by showing that the statement holds true for that value. Next, you need to assume that the statement is true for a certain value of n, and use that assumption to prove that it is also true for the next value, n+1. Finally, you need to conclude that the statement must be true for all natural numbers or integers based on the previous steps.

3. What are the common mistakes made in mathematical induction?

One common mistake in mathematical induction is assuming that the statement is true for a certain value of n, but not proving it. Another mistake is using circular reasoning, where the statement is simply restated in different words without actually proving it. Additionally, not properly identifying the base case or not following the correct steps of the induction process can also lead to errors.

4. Can mathematical induction be used to prove any statement?

No, mathematical induction can only be used to prove statements about natural numbers or integers. It cannot be used to prove statements about real numbers or other types of mathematical objects. Additionally, some statements may require a different proof technique and cannot be proven using mathematical induction.

5. How is mathematical induction used in real-world applications?

Mathematical induction is used in many real-world applications, particularly in computer science and engineering. It can be used to prove the correctness of algorithms, to analyze the performance of programs, and to prove properties of mathematical models. It is also used in various fields of mathematics, such as number theory and combinatorics, to prove theorems and solve problems.

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