The great Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler sometimes reached incorrect conclusions in his pioneering work on infinite series. For example, Euler deduced that 1 =1 – 1+1-1+1-1+·.. 2 and -1 = 1+2+ 4+ 8+ • ·· by substituting x = –1 and x = 2 in the formula 1 = 1+ x + x² + x³ +... 1 What was the problem with his reasoning?

Algebra & Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry
13th Edition
ISBN:9781133382119
Author:Swokowski
Publisher:Swokowski
Chapter10: Sequences, Series, And Probability
Section10.3: Geometric Sequences
Problem 44E
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The great Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler sometimes reached incorrect conclusions
in his pioneering work on infinite series. For example, Euler deduced that
1
=1 – 1+1-1+1-1+·..
2
and
-1 = 1+2+ 4+ 8+ • ··
by substituting x = –1 and x = 2 in the formula
1
= 1+ x + x² + x³
+...
1
What was the problem with his reasoning?
Transcribed Image Text:The great Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler sometimes reached incorrect conclusions in his pioneering work on infinite series. For example, Euler deduced that 1 =1 – 1+1-1+1-1+·.. 2 and -1 = 1+2+ 4+ 8+ • ·· by substituting x = –1 and x = 2 in the formula 1 = 1+ x + x² + x³ +... 1 What was the problem with his reasoning?
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