Where Can I Find Help on Writing Series Expansion Formulas?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the evaluation of a limit involving series expansion formulas, specifically the limit of the expression x[(1 + 1/x)^x - e] as x approaches infinity. Participants explore various approaches to determine whether the limit exists and how to properly express the series expansion.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest applying L'Hôpital's rule to resolve the limit, proposing to transform it into an indeterminate form.
  • Others argue that the limit does not exist, citing misinterpretations of the expression and the forms involved.
  • A participant clarifies the expression in question and discusses the implications of the limit approaching an indeterminate form of "infinity * 0".
  • Another participant provides a detailed series expansion approach, leading to a limit of -e/2, while also noting the importance of careful notation with parentheses and braces.
  • There is a correction regarding the series expansion, with a participant acknowledging an oversight in their calculations that affected the final result.
  • Some participants express a desire for guidance on writing series expansion formulas, indicating a need for resources or tutorials on the forum.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the limit exists, with some asserting it does and others maintaining it does not. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing interpretations of the limit and series expansion.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the clarity of expressions due to notation issues, and some steps in the mathematical reasoning remain unresolved or are dependent on specific interpretations of the series expansion.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in advanced calculus, series expansions, and limit evaluations may find this discussion relevant, particularly those seeking to understand different approaches to mathematical problems.

kahlan
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how are u every one there
i am happy to be one of ur friends
just we have challenge because of this limit
so i hope that someone donate to solve it
thanx
 
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I would suggest changing this in a 0/0 or an [tex]\infty / \infty[/tex] and applying L' Hopital.
 
Last edited:
But it looks obvious that the limit does not exist !
 
Ow yes, you're right. It obviously doesn't exist. I read one of the parantheses wrong.
 
Kahlan, the "wrong parentheses" micromass was seeing was
[tex]\lim_{x\to\infty}x[(1+ 1/x)^x- e][/tex]

It is well known that [itex](1+ 1/x)^x[/itex] goes to e so that (1+ 1/x)^x- e would go to 0- the additional x outside the braces would give an indeterminant form of "infinity* 0".

However, you have the "x" inside the braces and -e outside. [itex]\lim_{x\to\infty}x(1+ 1/x)^x[/itex] is of the form "infinity*e" which does not converge.
 
[tex]\lim_{x\to\infty}x[(1+ 1/x)^x- e][/tex]
 
it sould be like [tex]\lim_{x\to\infty}x[(1+ 1/x)^x- e][/tex]
sorry guys
as well as answer will be 1
 


kahlan said:
how are u every one there
i am happy to be one of ur friends
just we have challenge because of this limit
so i hope that someone donate to solve it
thanx

sorry
 
The limit does exist.

You have:
x[(1 + 1/x)^x] - e = x[exp(x*ln(1+1/x))-e)
Then you use h=1/x, what gives:

1/h*[exp(ln(1+h)/h)-e)
=1/h*[exp(1/h*(h-h²/2+h^3/3+o(h))-e)]
=1/h*[exp(1-h/2+h²/3+o(h))-e)]
=1/h*[e(exp(-h/2+h²/3+o(h))-1)]
=1/h*[e(1-h/2+h²/3+o(h)-1)
=1/h*[e(-h/2+h²/3+o(h)]
=e/h*(-h/2+h²/3+o(h)]
=-e/2+h/3+o(h)

As x→∞, then h→0

Finally, you get:

lim x→∞ (x[(1 + 1/x)^x] - e) = lim h→0 (-e/2+h/3+o(h)) = -e/2
 
  • #10
scichem, you're being a bit sloppy with braces and parentheses, so it's hard to see where you went wrong. You should have obtained

[tex]x\bigl((1 + 1/x)^x - e\bigr) = -\frac e 2 + \frac{11 e}{24}\frac 1 x - O\bigl(1/x^2\bigr)[/tex]
or
[tex]\bigl((1 + h)^{1/h} - e\bigr)/h = -\frac e 2 + \frac{11 e}{24}h - O\bigl(h^2\bigr)[/tex]

In the limit x→∞ or h→0, these become -e/2.


Somehow you did obtain the right limit.
 
  • #11
D H said:
scichem, you're being a bit sloppy with braces and parentheses, so it's hard to see where you went wrong. You should have obtained

[tex]x\bigl((1 + 1/x)^x - e\bigr) = -\frac e 2 + \frac{11 e}{24}\frac 1 x - O\bigl(1/x^2\bigr)[/tex]
or
[tex]\bigl((1 + h)^{1/h} - e\bigr)/h = -\frac e 2 + \frac{11 e}{24}h - O\bigl(h^2\bigr)[/tex]

In the limit x→∞ or h→0, these become -e/2.Somehow you did obtain the right limit.

You're right, thanks for noticing, I've forgotten something in the series expansion of exp(u), actually the u²/2 part with u=-h/2+h²/3+o(h²), which actually gives the element h²/8:

1/h*[exp(ln(1+h)/h)-e)
=1/h*[exp(1/h*(h-h²/2+h^3/3+o(h²))-e)]
=1/h*[exp(1-h/2+h²/3+o(h²))-e)]
=1/h*[e(exp(-h/2+h²/3+o(h²))-1)]
=1/h*[e(1-h/2+h²/3+o(h²)-1)
=1/h*[e(-h/2+h²/3+o(h²)]
=e/h*(-h/2+h²/3+h²/8+o(h²)]
=e/h*(-h/2+11h²/24+o(h²)

=-e/2+11h/24+o(h)

And then you find the limit -e/2.

PS: Where can I find a tutorial/help section on this forum to know how to write series expansion formulas like what you've done?
 
  • #12
scichem said:
PS: Where can I find a tutorial/help section on this forum to know how to write series expansion formulas like what you've done?
This thread: [thread=546968]LaTeX Guide: Include mathematical symbols and equations in a post[/thread].Edit
One last comment about this thread:

Look at the dates when posting. This thread was last active over a year ago. In general it isn't a good idea to raise old threads from the dead. In this case it was OK because (a) there was no correct resolution, and (b) a year is old but not terribly old. On the other hand, if you come across a seven year old thread with no resolution, don't get the seven year itch to resurrect it. Just let it lie.
 
Last edited:

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