# Uses of Sequences and Series

1. Oct 8, 2005

### chound

Does anyone know what are the uses of Sequences and Series in real life

2. Oct 8, 2005

### Tide

Have you come up with any examples yet?

3. Oct 8, 2005

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
What do you mean by "real life"? I use them all the time but then, I'm a mathematician so my "real life" might be different from yours! In other words, what we consider "uses" might be very different. I consider the fact that infinite decimal numbers, like the repeating decimal 0.33333... or $\pi$ are defined in terms of infinite series to be an important use. An engineer might think of the fact that most linear differential equations with variable coefficients have to be solved using infinites series to be the most important use.

I think anyone who has taken enough calculus to work with power series (Taylor's or MacLaurin's series) would consider that to be an important application.

4. Oct 9, 2005

### chound

I need to prepare a term report i.e. a page on the applications of sequences and series

5. Oct 9, 2005

### arildno

Actually, I heard that seamstresses are very fond of the Arctan series, because it resonates with the way they are stitching together clothes.

I'm not sure if it is really true, though.

6. Oct 9, 2005

### heman

Most of the functions can be written in Series like analytic ones in Power series,discontinuous ones in Fourier Series,As per according to Halls ,I found Power series method to very important.
And even in case of Complex Algebra ,Laurent series are helpful in finding real integrals making use of Residue theorem quite easily.
I believe they are very important tools of an Mathematician.