Sum of Reciprocals in Base 10 with Zeroes Removed
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Theorem
The infinite series
- $\ds \sum_{\map P n} \frac 1 n$
where $\map P n$ is the propositional function:
- $\forall n \in \Z_{>0}: \map P n \iff$ the decimal representation of $n$ contains no instances of the digit $0$
converges to the approximate limit $23 \cdotp 10345 \ldots$
Proof
For each $k \in \N$, there are $9^k$ $k$-digit numbers containing no instances of the digit $0$.
Each of these numbers is at least $10^{k - 1}$.
Hence the reciprocals of each of these numbers is at most $\dfrac 1 {10^{k - 1}}$.
Thus:
\(\ds \sum_{\map P n} \frac 1 n\) | \(<\) | \(\ds \sum_{k \mathop = 1}^\infty \frac {9^k} {10^{k - 1} }\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \frac 9 {1 - \frac 9 {10} }\) | Sum of Geometric Sequence | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 90\) |
showing that the sum converges.
![]() | This needs considerable tedious hard slog to complete it. In particular: Finer approximations can be obtained (e.g. in virtue of Closed Form for Triangular Numbers/Direct Proof), but due to the slow growth of the harmonic series, many numbers must to summed to obtain the approximation in the theorem. Case in point: $H_{5 \times 10^9} < 23$ To discuss this page in more detail, feel free to use the talk page. When this work has been completed, you may remove this instance of {{Finish}} from the code.If you would welcome a second opinion as to whether your work is correct, add a call to {{Proofread}} the page. |
Sources
- Oct. 1971: R.P. Boas, Jr. and J.W. Wrench, Jr.: Partial Sums of the Harmonic Series (Amer. Math. Monthly Vol. 78, no. 8: pp. 864 – 870) www.jstor.org/stable/2316476
- 1986: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers ... (previous) ... (next): $23 \cdotp 103 \, 45 \ldots$
- 1997: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $23 \cdotp 10345 \ldots$