Telescoping Series

Rarely Tested

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

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