Re: Fun with zero sums
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg77175] Re: Fun with zero sums
- From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
- Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 06:42:34 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- References: <f40hfg$6km$1@smc.vnet.net>
David W.Cantrell wrote:
> I'm using Mathematica 5.2; if Mathematica 6 behaves differently, I'd be
> interested to know it.
>
> In[1]:= Sum[0, {n, 1, Infinity}]
>
> Out[1]= 0
>
> which is as, I think, it should be. But then we have the following sums,
> which all disappoint, in different ways.
>
> In[2]:= Sum[0^n, {n, 1, Infinity}]
>
> Out[2]= Sum[0^n, {n, 1, Infinity}]
>
> In[3]:= Sum[0^(2*n - 1), {n, 1, Infinity}]
>
> Warning about "Infinite expression encountered."
>
> Out[3]= ComplexInfinity
>
> In[4]:= Sum[0^(2*n + 1), {n, 1, Infinity}]
>
> Warning about "Indeterminate expression encountered."
>
> Out[4]= Indeterminate
>
> Of course, Out[2..4] should have been 0, just like Out[1].
>
> David W. Cantrell
Hi David,
Here is the results from version 6.
In[1]:= Sum[0, {n, 1, Infinity}]
Out[1]= 0
In[2]:= Sum[0^n, {n, 1, Infinity}]
Out[2]= 0
In[3]:= Sum[0^(2*n - 1), {n, 1, Infinity}]
During evaluation of In[3]:= Power::infy:Infinite expression 1/0 \
encountered. >>
Out[3]= ComplexInfinity
In[4]:= Sum[0^(2*n + 1), {n, 1, Infinity}]
During evaluation of In[4]:= \[Infinity]::indet:Indeterminate \
expression 0 SymbolicSum`var$202^2 $Failed^2 \[Infinity] encountered. \
>>
Out[4]= Indeterminate
Cheers,
Jean-Marc