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Question

The sum of the following infinite series is:
$ \frac{1}{1!} + \frac{1}{2!} + \frac{1}{3!} + \frac{1}{4!} + \frac{1}{5!} + ... $

The correct answer is
$ e - 1 $

Infinite Series Sum Calculation

The question asks for the sum of the infinite series:

$ S = \frac{1}{1!} + \frac{1}{2!} + \frac{1}{3!} + \frac{1}{4!} + \frac{1}{5!} + ... $

Using Taylor Expansion of '$e^x$'

Recall the Taylor series expansion for the exponential function '$e^x$' around $x=0$:

$ e^x = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{x^n}{n!} = \frac{x^0}{0!} + \frac{x^1}{1!} + \frac{x^2}{2!} + \frac{x^3}{3!} + ... $

Evaluating for '$e$'

Let $x=1$. The series becomes:

$ e^1 = e = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{1^n}{n!} $

Since $1^n = 1$ for all $n$ and $0! = 1$, we have:

$ e = \frac{1}{0!} + \frac{1}{1!} + \frac{1}{2!} + \frac{1}{3!} + ... $

$ e = 1 + \frac{1}{1!} + \frac{1}{2!} + \frac{1}{3!} + ... $

Determining the Series Sum

The given series $ S $ is:

$ S = \frac{1}{1!} + \frac{1}{2!} + \frac{1}{3!} + \frac{1}{4!} + ... $

Comparing the expansion of '$e$' with the series '$S$', we see:

$ e = 1 + S $

Rearranging the equation to solve for $S$:

$ S = e - 1 $

Therefore, the sum of the infinite series is $ e - 1 $.

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Important Questions from Infinite Series

  1. Consider the following series:
    (i) $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}$
    (ii) $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n(n+1)}$
    (iii) $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n!}$
  2. The series
    $\sum_{n=0}^{r} q^n = 1 + q + q^2 + \dots$ has the sum:
  3. The value of the series $1+ \sin x + \cos^2 x + \sin^3 x + \dots$ at $x = \frac{ \pi}{4}$ is __________.

  4. The sum of the infinite geometric series $1+\frac{1}{3}+\frac{1}{3^2} + \frac{1}{3^3} + ...$ (rounded off to one decimal place) is____.

  5. An infinite series S is given as:
    $S = 1 + 2/3 + 3/9 + 4/27 + 5/81 + \dots$ (to infinity)
    The value of S is ________________ (round off to 2 decimal places).
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