Telescoping Series

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Telescoping Series

## Definition / Concept

A telescoping series is a series in which consecutive terms cancel when expanded.

## Formula

If:

$$S_n=\sum_{k=1}^{n}(a_k-a_{k+1})$$

then:

$$S_n=a_1-a_{n+1}$$

More generally:

$$\sum_{k=m}^{n}(a_k-a_{k+1})=a_m-a_{n+1}$$

## Usage

- Used to evaluate complicated-looking sums by cancellation.

Question 1

$$\left(\dfrac{1}{3}+\dfrac{4}{7}\right)+\left( \dfrac{1}{3^{2}}+\dfrac{1}{3}\times\dfrac{4}{7}+\dfrac{4^{2}}{7^{2}} \right)+\left(\dfrac{1}{3^{3}}+\dfrac{1}{3^{2}}\times\dfrac{4}{7}+\dfrac{1}{3}\times\dfrac{4^{2}}{7^{2}}+\dfrac{4^{3}}{7^{3}} \right)+......$$ upto infinite term, is equal to

Question 2

If $$a_n = \frac{-2}{4n^2 - 16n + 15}$$, then $$a_1 + a_2 + \ldots + a_{25}$$ is equal to:

Question 3

If the sum of the first 10 terms of the series $$\frac{4 \cdot 1}{1 + 4 \cdot 1^4} + \frac{4 \cdot 2}{1 + 4 \cdot 2^4} + \frac{4 \cdot 3}{1 + 4 \cdot 3^4} + \ldots$$ is $$\frac{m}{n}$$, where $$\gcd(m, n) = 1$$, then $$m + n$$ is equal to __________.

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