TAOCP 1.2.3 Exercise 3

The first sum is $\sum_{0 \le n \le 5} \frac{1}{2n+1}.$ The integers satisfying $0 \le n \le 5$ are $n=0,1,2,3,4,5.$ Hence

Section 1.2.3: Sums and Products

Exercise 3. ▶ [13] Without using the $\sum$-notation, write out the equivalent of

$$\sum_{0 \le n \le 5} \frac{1}{2n + 1},$$

and also the equivalent of

$$\sum_{0 \le n^2 \le 5} \frac{1}{2n^2 + 1}.$$

Explain why the two results are different, in spite of rule (b).

Verified: yes
Solve time: 44s


Solution

The first sum is

$\sum_{0 \le n \le 5} \frac{1}{2n+1}.$

The integers satisfying $0 \le n \le 5$ are

$n=0,1,2,3,4,5.$

Hence

$$ \sum_{0 \le n \le 5} \frac{1}{2n+1} = \frac11+\frac13+\frac15+\frac17+\frac19+\frac1{11}. $$

The second sum is

$\sum_{0 \le n^2 \le 5} \frac{1}{2n^2+1}.$

The condition $0 \le n^2 \le 5$ means that $n^2$ can equal only $0,1,4$, since $2^2=4$ and $3^2=9>5$. Therefore the integers satisfying the condition are

$n=-2,-1,0,1,2.$

Thus

$$ \sum_{0 \le n^2 \le 5} \frac{1}{2n^2+1} = \frac19+\frac13+1+\frac13+\frac19. $$

The two results are different because rule (b) applies only when the change of variable is a permutation of the relevant values. The transformation $n \mapsto n^2$ is not a permutation on the integers satisfying $0 \le n \le 5$, since

$$$$

Different values of $n$ produce the same value of $n^2$, so terms are repeated in the second sum. Therefore rule (b) does not justify replacing $n$ by $n^2$ in this case.

The answers are

$$ \boxed{ \sum_{0 \le n \le 5} \frac{1}{2n+1} = 1+\frac13+\frac15+\frac17+\frac19+\frac1{11} } $$

and

$$ \boxed{ \sum_{0 \le n^2 \le 5} \frac{1}{2n^2+1} = \frac19+\frac13+1+\frac13+\frac19 }. $$