2

Infinite Series and Continued Fraction for 3

Author: Tony Foster III

Consider the infinite series. We will find the infinite sum.

1
1
1
1
1
1
1

......

2
2
n
(
n

1)
1*4
4*9
9*16
16*25
25*36
36*49
n 1

We will apply partial fraction decomposition.

1
a
b

n 2 (n 1) 2
n2
(n 1) 2
1
a (n 1) 2
bn 2
2
2
2
2
2
n (n 1)
n (n 1)
n (n 1) 2
1
a ( n 1) 2 bn 2

n 2 (n 1) 2
n 2 (n 1) 2
a (n 1) 2 bn 2 1
Set b = 0 to solve for a

Set a = 0 to solve for b

a(0 1) 2 b(0) 2 1

a(1 1)2 b(1)2 1

a 1

b 1

The partial fraction decomposition is

1
1

2
(n 1) 2
n 1 n
Lets take a look at the infinite sum based on the decomposed fraction. S
will denote sum.

1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1

......
1 4 4 9 9 16 16 25 25 36 36

It jumps out at us that every odd term is Eulers infinite series,

2
6

So we can re-arrange the series to reflect this truth, yet a similar pattern
exists.

2
6

1
1
1
1
1
1

.........
4
9 16 25 36 49

We only need to add 1 to the infinite series to get another

2
6

, so we add 1

to both sides of the equation.

S1
S1
S1

2
6

2
6

1
1
1
1
1
1

.........
4
9 16 25 36 49

2
6

2
3

Consequently the sum of our infinite series is

2
3

1
2

2
2
3
n 1 n ( n 1)

Lets do a continued fraction for this infinite series based on Eulers

theorems.

2
3

1
1
1
1
1
1

......
1*4 4*9 9*16 16*25 25*36 36*49

Further manipulation of the C.F. results in a clearly defined pattern.

2
1 4
3

12 *42
42 *92
4(1 3 )
92 *162
2
2
9(2 4 )
162 * 252
2
2
16(3 5 )
252 * 362
2
2
25(4 6 )
36(52 7 2 )
......
2

......
Reduce fraction to lowest terms and we have this C.F.

2
1 4
3

12 *4
42 *9
1 3
92 *16
2
2
2 4
162 * 25
2
2
3 5
252 * 36
2
2
4 6 2
5 7 2
......
2

......

Further work provides:

2
1 4
3

14 *22
24 *32
2
2
1 3
34 *42
2
2
2 4
44 *52
2
2
3 5
54 *62
2
2
4 6 2
5 7 2
......
......

And the final continued fraction.

2
5
3

14 *22
24 *32
2
2
1 3
34 *42
2
2
2 4
44 *52
2
2
3 5
54 *62
2
2
4 6 2
5 72
......
......