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Exercise 357Calculus › Single-variable calculus › SequencesL1Added 2 Nov 2026

A telescoping sum with factorials

#telescoping#factorials

Statement

Let Sn=∑k=1nk(k+1)!S_n=\displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^n\frac k{(k+1)!}. Compute SnS_n and its limit.

Hint

Write k=(k+1)−1k=(k+1)-1 and split the fraction.

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Solution

Splitting.
k(k+1)!=(k+1)−1(k+1)!=1k!−1(k+1)!.\frac k{(k+1)!}=\frac{(k+1)-1}{(k+1)!}=\frac1{k!}-\frac1{(k+1)!}.

Telescoping.
Sn=∑k=1n(1k!−1(k+1)!)=1−1(n+1)!⟶1.S_n=\sum_{k=1}^n\left(\frac1{k!}-\frac1{(k+1)!}\right)=1-\frac1{(n+1)!}\longrightarrow1.