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The geometric series is an infinite series derived from a special type of sequence called a geometric progression.This means that it is the sum of infinitely many terms of geometric progression: starting from the initial term , and the next one being the initial term multiplied by a constant number known as the common ratio .
The geometric series on the real line. In mathematics, the infinite series 1 / 2 + 1 / 4 + 1 / 8 + 1 / 16 + ··· is an elementary example of a geometric series that converges absolutely. The sum of the series is 1. In summation notation, this may be expressed as
Examples of a geometric sequence are powers r k of a fixed non-zero number r, such as 2 k and 3 k. The general form of a geometric sequence is , , , , , … where r is the common ratio and a is the initial value. The sum of a geometric progression's terms is called a geometric series.
An infinite series of any rational function of can be reduced to a finite series of polygamma functions, by use of partial fraction decomposition, [8] as explained here. This fact can also be applied to finite series of rational functions, allowing the result to be computed in constant time even when the series contains a large number of terms.
In mathematics, the infinite series 1 / 4 + 1 / 16 + 1 / 64 + 1 / 256 + ⋯ is an example of one of the first infinite series to be summed in the history of mathematics; it was used by Archimedes circa 250–200 BC. [1]
In mathematics, 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + ⋯ is the infinite series whose terms are the successive powers of two. As a geometric series, it is characterized by its first term, 1, and its common ratio, 2. As a series of real numbers it diverges to infinity, so the sum of this series is infinity.
The sum of the series is approximately equal to 1.644934. [3] The Basel problem asks for the exact sum of this series (in closed form ), as well as a proof that this sum is correct. Euler found the exact sum to be π 2 / 6 {\displaystyle \pi ^{2}/6} and announced this discovery in 1735.
The infinite sequence of additions expressed by a series cannot be explicitly performed in sequence in a finite amount of time. However, if the terms and their finite sums belong to a set that has limits, it may be possible to assign a value to a series, called the sum of the series.