Find the sum of first nn terms and the sum of first 5 terms of the geometric series 1+23+49+…1+\frac{2}{3}+\frac{4}{9}+\ldots

Answer: The sum of the first nn terms is Sn=3(1−(23)n)S_n = 3(1-(\frac{2}{3})^n) and the sum of the first 5 terms is S5=21181S_5 = \frac{211}{81}.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Identify the first term and common ratio

The given series is a geometric series. The first term, denoted by aa, is the first number in the series, which is 1. The common ratio, denoted by rr, is found by dividing any term by its preceding term. Here, we divide the second term by the first term: 2/31=23\frac{2/3}{1} = \frac{2}{3}.

Step 2: Formula for the sum of first n terms

The formula for the sum of the first nn terms of a geometric series is Sn=a(1−rn)1−rS_n = \frac{a(1-r^n)}{1-r}, provided that the absolute value of the common ratio rr is less than 1. In this case, ∣2/3∣<1|2/3| < 1, so this formula is applicable.

Step 3: Calculate the sum of first n terms

Substitute the values of a=1a=1 and r=23r=\frac{2}{3} into the formula for SnS_n. Simplify the expression by first calculating the denominator 1−23=131 - \frac{2}{3} = \frac{1}{3}, and then multiplying the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.

Step 4: Calculate the sum of first 5 terms

To find the sum of the first 5 terms, substitute n=5n=5 into the derived formula for SnS_n. Calculate (23)5=2535=32243(\frac{2}{3})^5 = \frac{2^5}{3^5} = \frac{32}{243}. Then, perform the subtraction inside the parenthesis and multiply by 3 to get the final sum.

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