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Find the sum of the harmonic sequence: 1/12 + 1/24 + 1/36 + 1/48 + 1/60 + ...

Mathematics

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Answer

The sum diverges\text{The sum diverges}

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Here is the solution for question 2b:

2b) Find the sum of the harmonic sequence: 1/12+1/24+1/36+1/48+1/60+…1/12 + 1/24 + 1/36 + 1/48 + 1/60 + \dots

  1. Identify the type of sequence.

    The given sequence is 112,124,136,148,160,…\frac{1}{12}, \frac{1}{24}, \frac{1}{36}, \frac{1}{48}, \frac{1}{60}, \dots.
    Consider the reciprocals of these terms: 12,24,36,48,60,…12, 24, 36, 48, 60, \dots.
    This sequence of reciprocals is an arithmetic progression with a first term a1=12a_1 = 12 and a common difference d=24−12=12d = 24 - 12 = 12.
    Therefore, the original sequence is a harmonic progression.

  2. Write the general term of the sequence.

    The nn-th term of the arithmetic progression is An=a1+(n−1)d=12+(n−1)12=12+12n−12=12nA_n = a_1 + (n-1)d = 12 + (n-1)12 = 12 + 12n - 12 = 12n.
    The nn-th term of the harmonic progression is Hn=1An=112nH_n = \frac{1}{A_n} = \frac{1}{12n}.

  3. Formulate the sum as an infinite series.

    The sum of the harmonic sequence is given by the infinite series:

    S=∑n=1∞Hn=∑n=1∞112nS = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} H_n = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{12n}
  4. Evaluate the sum.

    Factor out the constant 112\frac{1}{12}:

    S=112∑n=1∞1nS = \frac{1}{12} \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n}

    The series ∑n=1∞1n\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n} is the harmonic series. The harmonic series is known to diverge, meaning its sum does not approach a finite value.
    Since the harmonic series diverges, multiplying it by a non-zero constant (112\frac{1}{12}) also results in a divergent series.

    The sum of the sequence is divergent.

    The sum diverges\text{The sum diverges}
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