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Forums - General Discussion - Tengo otra pregunta de la matematicás

Yes, it's "matemática". Also, for the record, I'm a native spanish speaker I usually know very well these things.




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Hey guys, here's one of the 50 best young mathematicians of the Ecuador and I'm sure I can answer that question...

...

Whoever told you it's equal to 1/2 is right for one possible answer. The "formula" if you'll call it that of an arithmetic series is determined by the following equation:

 

 ((a1+an)d)/2 where n represents the number of the last element in the series (the seventh and last, for example) and d represents the difference between one term and another.

Since the series +1, -1, +1, -1, +1...+-1 could very well be rounded up like +1, +1-1, +1, +1-1,...0 then replacing this in the equation would mean (1+0)+-1/2 which is equal to +-1/2. I'm not too sure of this since I've not received classes about cyclical progressions yet (and that is what this is), but I believe this is how it goes.

But if you count it like +1, -1, +1,...+1 the answer would be 1. If it's +1, -1, +1, ...-1 it'd be 0.

That's it hope it helps.

EDIT: Forgot to add, that all the formulas used are for the additions of all the terms in the series. There will never actually be a 1/2 in the series...



1-1+1-1+1.... does NOT go to 1/2 you msut have misunderstood. That series is divergent. Alternating series only converge if the numbers go closer and closer to 0 as the series goes on and on. You must have been lied to, or misunderstood something.



Tag(thx fkusumot) - "Yet again I completely fail to see your point..."

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dtewi said:

It concerns the properties of infinity.

The series of 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+1...... is equal to 1/2, or so I've been told.

My question is this: Why?

Why exactly does alternating between 0 and 1 for infinity cause it to end at 1/2?

Why?

Schrödinger's cat.

 

Oh shit, is that Stephen Hawking with a shotgun?