Inductively prove 1+1/2+1/4+⋯+1/(2^n)=2-1/(2^n)

sooxicyiy

sooxicyiy

Answered question

2022-09-04

Inductively prove 1 + 1 2 + 1 4 + + 1 2 n = 2 1 2 n
Inductively prove that the formula holds for all n N :
1 + 1 2 + 1 4 + + 1 2 n = 2 1 2 n .
What I have so far:
base: n = 1:
1 + 1 2 = 2 1 2 = 1.5
inductionstep: n = k:
1 + 1 2 + + 1 2 k = 2 1 2 k
inductionhypothesis: n = k + 1:
1 + 1 2 + + 1 2 k + 1 = 1 + 1 2 + + 1 2 k + 1 2 ( k + 1 ) = ( 2 1 2 ) + 1 2 k + 1
This is where I am stuck and not sure what to do next.

Answer & Explanation

nizkem0c

nizkem0c

Beginner2022-09-05Added 13 answers

Step 1
n = 0, means 1 = 2 1 2 0 = 2 1 = 1, which is true. We can proceed to induction step.
Step 2
Use simple induction: p ( n ) p ( n + 1 ). So, if:
1 + + 1 2 n = 2 1 2 n
We have:
1 + + 1 2 n + 1 2 n + 1 = 2 1 2 n + 1 2 n + 1 = 2 2 2 n + 1 + 1 2 n + 1 = 2 1 2 n + 1
This ends the proof. ■
Dwayne Small

Dwayne Small

Beginner2022-09-06Added 12 answers

Step 1
The formula
1 + + 1 2 n = 2 1 2 n
is true for n = 0 (in which case the LHS of the equation actually only has one term in it). Therefore, it is better to choose n = 0 as your base case. Now suppose it is true when n = k, that is
1 + + 1 2 k = 2 1 2 k .
Step 2
Then, for n = k + 1, we have
1 + + 1 2 k + 1 = ( 1 + + 1 2 k ) + 1 2 k + 1 = 2 1 2 k + 1 2 k + 1 = 2 2 2 k + 1 + 1 2 k + 1 = 2 1 2 k + 1 .
Hence, if the statement is true for n = k, it is true for n = k + 1. Since it is true for n = 0, by the principle of mathematical induction it must be true for all nonnegative integers n.

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