Evaluating an Expression with $k^{101}=1$ and $k\ne1$

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In summary, the expression $\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}$ yields a $-50$ when $k^{100}=\dfrac {1}{k}.$
  • #1
anemone
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If $k^{101}=1$ and $k\ne1$, evaluate $\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}+\dfrac{k^4}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{k^6}{k^3-1}+\cdots+\dfrac{k^{200}}{k^{100}-1}$.
 
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  • #2
anemone said:
If $k^{101}=1$ and $k\ne1$, evaluate $\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}+\dfrac{k^4}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{k^6}{k^3-1}+\cdots+\dfrac{k^{200}}{k^{100}-1}$.
$\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}+\dfrac{k^4}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{k^6}{k^3-1}+\cdots+\dfrac{k^{200}}{k^{100}-1}$
$=(k-1)+\dfrac{1}{k-1}+2+(k^2-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+2+--+(k^{100}-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}+2$
$=(k+k^2+k^3+---+k^{100})+100+(\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1})$
$=-1+100-50=49$
 
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  • #3
Albert said:
$\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}+\dfrac{k^4}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{k^6}{k^3-1}+\cdots+\dfrac{k^{200}}{k^{100}-1}$
$=(k-1)+\dfrac{1}{k-1}+2+(k^2-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+2+--+(k^{100}-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}+2$
$=(k+k^2+k^3+---+k^{100})+200+(\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1})$
$=-1+200-50=149$

Thanks for participating, Albert!

But I think there is a typo, where I think the 200 is actually a 100:

$\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}+\dfrac{k^4}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{k^6}{k^3-1}+\cdots+\dfrac{k^{200}}{k^{100}-1}$
$=(k-1)+\dfrac{1}{k-1}+2+(k^2-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+2+--+(k^{100}-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}+2$
$=(k+k^2+k^3+---+k^{100})+{\color{red}{100}}+(\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1})$
$=-1+{\color{red}{100}}-50=49$

Just to further elaborate, based on my solution, about how the expression $\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}$ yields a $-50$:

$\begin{align*}\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}&=\left(\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}\right)+\left(\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^{99}-1}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{1}{k^{50}-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^{51}-1}\right)\\&=\left(\dfrac{(k^{100}-1)+(k-1)}{(k-1)(k^{100}-1)}\right)+\left(\dfrac{(k^{99}-1)+(k^2-1)}{(k^2-1)(k^{99}-1)}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{(k^{51}-1)+(k^{50}-1)}{(k^{50}-1)(k^{51}-1)}\right)\\&=\left(\dfrac{k^{100}+k-2}{k^{101}-k-k^{100}-1}\right)+\left(\dfrac{k^{99}+k^2-2}{k^{101}-k^2-k^{99}+1}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{k^{51}+k^{50}-2}{k^{101}-k^{50}-k^{51}+1}\right)\\&=\left(\dfrac{k^{100}+k-2}{-(k^{100}+k-2)}\right)+\left(\dfrac{k^{99}+k^2-2}{-(k^{99}+k^2-2)}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{k^{51}+k^{50}-2}{-(k^{51}+k^{50}-2)}\right)\\&=-50\end{align*}$
 
  • #4
Thanks! yes it is " 100"
$\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac {1}{k^{100}-1}$
$=\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{k}{1-k}=\dfrac{k-1}{1-k}=-1$
for $k^{100}=\dfrac {1}{k},\,\,\, \, k^{99}=\dfrac {1}{k^2},------$
we have 50 paires ,it sums up to -50
 
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  • #5
anemone said:
Thanks for participating, Albert!

But I think there is a typo, where I think the 200 is actually a 100:

$\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}+\dfrac{k^4}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{k^6}{k^3-1}+\cdots+\dfrac{k^{200}}{k^{100}-1}$
$=(k-1)+\dfrac{1}{k-1}+2+(k^2-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+2+--+(k^{100}-1)+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}+2$
$=(k+k^2+k^3+---+k^{100})+{\color{red}{100}}+(\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1})$
$=-1+{\color{red}{100}}-50=49$

Just to further elaborate, based on my solution, about how the expression $\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}$ yields a $-50$:

$\begin{align*}\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+---+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}&=\left(\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^{100}-1}\right)+\left(\dfrac{1}{k^2-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^{99}-1}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{1}{k^{50}-1}+\dfrac{1}{k^{51}-1}\right)\\&=\left(\dfrac{(k^{100}-1)+(k-1)}{(k-1)(k^{100}-1)}\right)+\left(\dfrac{(k^{99}-1)+(k^2-1)}{(k^2-1)(k^{99}-1)}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{(k^{51}-1)+(k^{50}-1)}{(k^{50}-1)(k^{51}-1)}\right)\\&=\left(\dfrac{k^{100}+k-2}{k^{101}-k-k^{100}-1}\right)+\left(\dfrac{k^{99}+k^2-2}{k^{101}-k^2-k^{99}+1}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{k^{51}+k^{50}-2}{k^{101}-k^{50}-k^{51}+1}\right)\\&=\left(\dfrac{k^{100}+k-2}{-(k^{100}+k-2)}\right)+\left(\dfrac{k^{99}+k^2-2}{-(k^{99}+k^2-2)}\right)+\cdots+\left(\dfrac{k^{51}+k^{50}-2}{-(k^{51}+k^{50}-2)}\right)\\&=-50\end{align*}$

we have
$\dfrac{k^2}{k-1}$
= $\dfrac{k^2-1+1}{k-1}$
= $k+1 + \dfrac{1}{k-1}$

which is straight forward

why $k-1 + \dfrac{1}{k-1}+ 2$
 
  • #6
Albert said:
Thanks! yes it is " 100"

See, I told you so...hehehe...:p but I know that was purely an honest mistake.

Albert said:
$\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac {1}{k^{100}-1}$
$=\dfrac{1}{k-1}+\dfrac{k}{1-k}=\dfrac{k-1}{1-k}=-1$
for $k^{100}=\dfrac {1}{k},\,\,\, \, k^{99}=\dfrac {1}{k^2},------$
we have 50 paires ,it sums up to -50

Argh! How could I miss out something so "obvious" like that? Shame on me!:mad:
 

FAQ: Evaluating an Expression with $k^{101}=1$ and $k\ne1$

What does it mean for a variable to be raised to the power of 101?

When a variable is raised to a power, it means that the variable is multiplied by itself multiple times. In this case, the variable k is being multiplied by itself 101 times.

How does the equation k101 = 1 relate to evaluating an expression?

The equation k101 = 1 is an expression that can be evaluated by substituting a value for k. This allows us to solve for the value of k that makes the equation true.

Why is it important that k is not equal to 1 in this problem?

If k were equal to 1, then the equation k101 = 1 would be true for all values of k. This would make the equation unsolvable and the expression unable to be evaluated.

What are the steps for evaluating an expression with the given equation?

The steps for evaluating an expression with the equation k101 = 1 are as follows:
1. Start by substituting a value for k, such as 2.
2. Simplify the expression by raising 2 to the power of 101, which is a very large number.
3. Check if the simplified expression is equal to 1. If it is, then the value of k you chose is a solution to the equation.

What are the possible solutions for the equation k101 = 1?

There are two possible solutions for this equation, which are k = 1 and k = -1. These are the only values of k that, when raised to the power of 101, will result in 1. However, since the problem specifies that k cannot be equal to 1, the only solution for this equation is k = -1.

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