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help finding sum of this series?

Hello,

I've been trying to find the sum of

S=1 + x^3/3! + x^6/6! +...

I've tried summing the Mclaurin's series for cos and sin and tried plugging in i here and there but I haven't been able to get anywhere. Some help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

3 Answers

Relevance
  • jibz
    Lv 6
    7 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    We are given S(x) = 1 + x^3/3! + x^6/6! + .... Observe that [ d^3/(dx)^3 ][ S ] = S, and also observe that if y = A⋅e^(Bx), then [ d^3/(dx)^3 ][ y ] = B^3⋅y. Consequently, if

    B = 1,

    C = (-1 + i√3) / 2,

    D = (-1 - i√3) / 2,

    i.e. A, B, C are the cube roots of unity and we let

    y(x) = (A_1)⋅e^(Bx) + (A_2)⋅e^(Cx) + (A_3)⋅e^(Dx),

    then

    [ d^3/(dx)^3 ][ y ]

    = (A_1)⋅B^3⋅e^(Bx) + (A_2)⋅C^3⋅e^(Cx) + (A_3)⋅D^3⋅e^(Dx)

    = (A_1)⋅1⋅e^(Bx) + (A_2)⋅1⋅e^(Cx) + (A_3)⋅1⋅e^(Dx)

    = y.

    Suppose the coefficients A_1, A_2, A_3 are such that S(x) = y(x). Then

    S(0) = y(0),

    S'(0) = y'(0),

    S"(0) = y"(0),

    which, respectively, are

    (1): 1 = A_1 + A_2 + A_3,

    (2): 0 = (A_1)⋅B + (A_2)⋅C + (A_3)⋅D,

    (3): 0 = (A_1)⋅B^2 + (A_2)⋅C^2 + (A_3)⋅D^2,

    where (2) and (3) can be rewritten, respectively, as

    (4): 0 = A_1 + (A_2)⋅C + (A_3)⋅D,

    (5): 0 = A_1 + (A_2)⋅D + (A_3)⋅C,

    because B^2 = B = 1, C^2 = D and D^2 = C. So (4) - (5) is 0 = (A_3 - A_2)(D - C). Thus

    A_2 = A_3,

    which turns (1), (4), respectively, into

    1 = A_1 + 2⋅(A_2),

    0 = A_1 + (D + C)(A_2).

    Taking the difference of these, 1 = (2 - (D+C))(A_2) = 3⋅(A_2). Therefore

    A_2 = 1/3,

    A_3 = 1/3,

    A_1 = 1/3.

    In conclusion,

    S(x)

    = (1/3)⋅e^x + (1/3)⋅e^((-½ + i√3/2)⋅x) + (1/3)⋅e^((-½ - i√3/2)⋅x)

    = (1/3)⋅e^x + (1/3)⋅e^(-x/2)⋅e^(x⋅i√3/2) + (1/3)⋅e^(-x/2)⋅e^(-x⋅i√3/2)

    = (1/3)⋅e^x + (1/3)⋅e^(-x/2)⋅( e^(x⋅i√3/2) + e^(-xi√3/2) )

    = (1/3)⋅e^x + (1/3)⋅e^(-x/2)⋅( cis(x⋅√3/2) + cis(-x⋅√3/2) )

    = (1/3)⋅e^x + (1/3)⋅e^(-x/2)⋅( 2⋅cos(x⋅√3/2) ),

    i.e.

    S(x) = (1/3)⋅e^x + (2/3)⋅cos(x⋅√3/2)⋅e^(-x/2).

  • 7 years ago

    The Maclaurin's series for cosx, sinx are

    cosx=1-(x^2)/2!+(x^4)/4!-...

    sinx=x-(x^3)/3!+(x^5)/5!-...

    cosx+isinx=

    1+(ix)^2/2!+(ix)^4/4!+..+

    ix+(ix)^3/3!+(ix)^5/5!+...

    =

    e^(ix).

    What is the general term of

    1+(x^3)/3!+(x^6)/6!+....?

    If it is known and the series is

    convergent, then its total sum

    could be found approximately

    for a given x.

  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    see this looks like e^x . You just put omega*x in place of x why as icube of omega is 1 and square of omega and itself is an imaginary number . so find e^(iwx/i) and compare real and imaginary parts

    . I think real part is cos(wx/i)

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