Re: binomial sum bug
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg82594] Re: binomial sum bug
- From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 05:11:06 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- References: <ffpq7m$lf7$1@smc.vnet.net>
Jack Kennedy wrote:
> In: Sum[Binomial[5,2k],{k,0,5}]
> Out: 16
>
> In: Sum[Binomial[n,2k],{k,0,n}] /. n->5
> Out: -16
>
> What the?
>
> This has been addressed before
> about a year ago and a work around was posted
> but I have two questions:
>
> 1. Was it declared a bug by Wolfrram, and
> 2. In general does Wolfram issue bug fixes, and specifically is there
> a patch for this problem?
>
> $Version = 5.1 for Microsoft Windows (October 25, 2004)
Apparently, this bug has not been fixed in version 5.2. Version 6.0.1
works as expected, however.
In[1]:= Sum[Binomial[5, 2 k], {k, 0, 5}]
Out[1]= 16
In[2]:= Sum[Binomial[n, 2 k], {k, 0, n}] /. n -> 5
Out[2]= 16
In[3]:= $Version
Out[3]= "6.0 for Microsoft Windows (32-bit) (June 19, 2007)"
(* Version 5.2 *)
In[1]:=
Sum[Binomial[5,2k],{k,0,5}]
Out[1]=
16
In[2]:=
Sum[Binomial[n,2k],{k,0,n}]/.n\[Rule]5
Out[2]=
-16
In[3]:=
$Version
Out[3]=
5.2 for Microsoft Windows (June 20, 2005)
Regards,
--
Jean-Marc