Summation of an infinite series

In summary: This means that:$$\text{arg}\cos(\pi z)=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{2xy}{(2n+1)^{2}-x^{2}+y^{2}}\right)$$$$\text{arg}\cos(\pi z)=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{2(2n+1)^{2}}\right)$$And since $$z=1/2+1/2i$$, we have:$$\text{arg}\cos(\pi z)=\tan^{-1}\left(\tanh(\pi
  • #1
polygamma
229
0
Show that $\displaystyle \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} (-1)^{n} \arctan \left( \frac{1}{2n+1} \right) = \arctan \Bigg( \text{tanh} \Big( \frac{\pi}{4} \Big) \Bigg)$.I'm tempted to give a hint (or two) right off the bat. But I'll wait.
 
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  • #2
Random Variable said:
Show that $\displaystyle \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} (-1)^{n} \arctan \left( \frac{1}{2n+1} \right) = \arctan \Bigg( \text{tanh} \Big( \frac{\pi}{4} \Big) \Bigg)$.I'm tempted to give a hint (or two) right off the bat. But I'll wait.

Would the hınt dırect one ın the towards of the exponentıal representatıon of tan and the use of logs by any chance?

CB
 
  • #3
CaptainBlack said:
Would the hınt dırect one ın the towards of the exponentıal representation of tan and the use of logs by any chance?

CB
Yes, I was going to suggest representing the inverse tangent using the complex logarithm, but in a simpler way than it's usually represented. But I was also going to suggest using a trig identity to first write the series in a different form so that's it's not an alternating series.
 
  • #4
Hi RV. Cool problem.$$\frac{\pi}{4}-\tan^{-1}(1/3)+tan^{-1}(1/5)-\tan^{-1}(1/7)+\cdot\cdot\cdot$$

$$\left(\frac{\pi}{4}+\tan^{-1}(1/5)+\tan^{-1}(1/9)+\cdot\cdot\cdot\right) -\left(\tan^{-1}(1/3)+tan^{-1}(1/7)+\tan^{-1}(1/11)+\cdot\cdot\cdot \right)$$

This can now be written as:

$$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\left[\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{4n+1}\right)-\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{4n+3}\right)\right]$$
$$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\left[\tan^{-1}(4n+3)-\tan^{-1}(4n+1)\right]$$

$$=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{8n^{2}+8n+2}\right)$$

$$=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{2(2n+1)^{2}}\right)$$

Now, we can use the formula:

$$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{2xy}{(2n+1)^{2}-x^{2}+y^{2}}\right)=\tan^{-1}\left(\tan(\frac{{\pi}x}{2})\tanh(\frac{{\pi}y}{2})\right)$$

Now, let $$x=y=1/2$$ in the formula and we arrive at:

$$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{2(2n+1)^{2}}\right)=\tan^{-1}\left(\tanh(\frac{\pi}{4})\right)$$

The formula above is derived by using the argument of

$$\cos(\pi z)=\prod_{k=0}^{\infty}\left(1-\frac{4z^{2}}{(2k+1)^{2}}\right)$$

$$\cos(\pi z)=\cos(\pi x)\cosh(\pi y)+\sin(\pi x)\sinh(\pi y)i$$.

and by noting that $$\text{arg}\prod(a+bi)=\sum \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)$$
 
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  • #5


I would first clarify the concept of an infinite series for those who may not be familiar with it. An infinite series is a sum of an infinite number of terms, each of which follows a specific pattern. In this case, the series starts at n=0 and continues indefinitely, with each term being the arctan of 1 divided by an odd number (2n+1) raised to the power of (-1)^n.

To show that this infinite series is equal to the arctan of the hyperbolic tangent of pi/4, we can use the identity for the arctan of a hyperbolic function:

arctan(tanh(x)) = x

Therefore, we can rewrite the right side of the equation as:

arctan(tanh(pi/4)) = pi/4

Now, we need to show that the left side of the equation, the infinite series, also equals pi/4. To do this, we can use the formula for the arctan of a fraction:

arctan(x) = 1/2 * ln((1+x)/(1-x))

Substituting in the terms in our infinite series, we get:

arctan(1/(2n+1)) = 1/2 * ln((2n+2)/(2n))

Using the properties of logarithms, we can simplify this to:

arctan(1/(2n+1)) = ln(sqrt((2n+2)/(2n)))

Now, we can rewrite our infinite series as:

ln(sqrt((2*1)/(2*0))) - ln(sqrt((2*3)/(2*2))) + ln(sqrt((2*5)/(2*4))) - ln(sqrt((2*7)/(2*6))) + ...

= ln(sqrt((2n+2)/(2n)))

= ln(sqrt((2(n+1))/(2n)))

= ln(sqrt(1+1/n))

As n approaches infinity, the value of this expression approaches ln(sqrt(1)) = 0.

Therefore, the left side of our equation, the infinite series, is equal to 0.

This confirms that:

arctan(tanh(pi/4)) = pi/4

and thus,

$\displaystyle \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} (-1)^{n} \
 

FAQ: Summation of an infinite series

What is the definition of summation of an infinite series?

The summation of an infinite series is the process of adding up an infinite number of terms in a sequence. It is represented by the sigma notation (∑) and can be written as ∑n=1 an where n is the index of summation and an is the nth term in the sequence.

How do you determine the convergence or divergence of an infinite series?

The convergence or divergence of an infinite series can be determined by evaluating its limit as the number of terms approaches infinity. If the limit exists and is a finite number, the series is said to be convergent. If the limit does not exist or is infinite, the series is said to be divergent.

What is the difference between a convergent and a divergent infinite series?

A convergent infinite series has a finite sum, meaning that the series will eventually reach a stable value as more terms are added. On the other hand, a divergent infinite series does not have a finite sum and will continue to increase or decrease without reaching a stable value.

How do you find the sum of a convergent infinite series?

The sum of a convergent infinite series can be found by plugging in the values of n and an into the formula for the sum of a geometric series or a telescoping series. Alternatively, you can use a mathematical software or calculator to find the sum.

Can an infinite series have multiple sums?

No, an infinite series can only have one sum. This is because the sum of an infinite series is defined as the limit of its partial sums, which can only have one value. However, depending on the method used to calculate the sum, there may be different ways to express the sum of an infinite series.

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