Monday, June 18, 2018

calculus - Can this definite integral involving series be solved without a calculator?



I got this question today but I can't see if there is any good way to solve it by hand.




Evaluate the definite integral




$$\int_2^{12}\frac{\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+...}}}}{\sqrt{x\sqrt{x\sqrt{x}...}}}\,\mathrm{d}x$$



where the series in the numerator and denominator continue infinitely.




If you let $y=\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+...}}}=\sqrt{x+y}$, solving for $y$ we get $y=\frac{1\pm\sqrt{1+4x}}{2}$. And similarly for the denominator we have $z=\sqrt{xz}$. So $z=x$. So the integral simplifies to



$$\int_2^{12}\frac{1\pm\sqrt{1+4x}}{2x}\,\mathrm{d}x\,.$$




Now my problems are




  1. I don't know what to with the $\pm$.


  2. I tried to solve the integral by separating it as a sum of two fractions. But I can't solve $$\int_2^{12}\frac{\sqrt{1+4x}}{2x}\,\mathrm{d}x\,.$$



Answer



As you did, let $y=\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+...}}}=\sqrt{x+y}$. Clearly $y\ge0$ and $y$ satisfies
$$ y^2-y-x=0 $$
from which you have

$$ y=\frac{1\pm\sqrt{4x+1}}{2}. $$
Since $x\in[2,12]$ and $y\ge0$, you must choose "$+$". Since if you choose "$-$", then
$$ y=\frac{1-\sqrt{4x+1}}{2}<0. $$
Now, under $t=\sqrt{1+4x}$
\begin{eqnarray}
&&\int_2^{12}\frac{\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+...}}}}{\sqrt{x\sqrt{x\sqrt{x}...}}}dx\\
&=&\int_2^{12}\frac{1+\sqrt{1+4x}}{2x}dx\\
&=&\int_2^{12}\frac{1}{2x}dx+\int_2^{12}\frac{\sqrt{1+4x}}{2x}dx\\
&=&\frac12\ln x\bigg|_2^{12}+\int_3^7\frac{t^2}{t^2-1}dt\\
&=&\frac12\ln6+\bigg(t+\frac12\ln\frac{t-1}{t+1}\bigg)\bigg|_3^7\\

&=&\frac12\ln6+4+\frac12\ln\frac32\\
&=&\ln3+4.
\end{eqnarray}


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