Re: Fun with zero sums
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg77390] Re: [mg77133] Fun with zero sums
- From: Devendra Kapadia <dkapadia at wolfram.com>
- Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 04:08:46 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <200706040756.DAA06337@smc.vnet.net>
On Mon, 4 Jun 2007, 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
>
Hello David,
Thank you for these examples showing problems with sums involving
powers of 0.
The incorrect answers in Out[3] and Out[4] are due to a missing check
for 0 while trying to simplify the summand in each case. As noted by
others, In[2] returns 0 in Mathematica 6. We will continue to work
on improved handling of important special cases such as the ones
given by you.
I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the incorrect behavior.
Sincerely,
Devendra Kapadia,
Wolfram Research, Inc.
- References:
- Fun with zero sums
- From: "David W.Cantrell" <DWCantrell@sigmaxi.net>
- Fun with zero sums