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Have a Fibonacci Day!
Have a Fibonacci Day!

The Fibonacci numbers are defined as F0 = F1 = 1 and Fn+1 = Fn + Fn-1.

Calculate the following infinite sum:

 F0      3F1      32F2          3nFn 
---  +  ----  +  ----- + ... + ----- + ...
 1        5        52           5n


Problem Moderated by: Graeme
Problem Solution
Answer: 25

Solution:

Let A = F0 + (3/5)F1 + (32/52)F2 + ...

A = F0 + (3/5)F1 + (32/52)(F0+F1) + (33/53)(F1+F2) + ...

A = 1 + 3/5 + (32/52)F0 + (32/52)F1 + (33/53)F1 + (33/53)F2 + ...

Split A into two pieces, with A1 + A2 = A

A1 = 1 + (32/52)F0 + (33/53)F1 + ...
A2 = 3/5 + (32/52)F1 + (33/53)F2 + ...

You can see that

A1 = 1 + (9/25)A

Also, note that because 3/5 = (3/5)F0, it follows that

A2 = (3/5)A, and A1+A2=A, so
A1 = (2/5)A = (10/25)A, so from the two equations for A1,
(10/25)A = 1 + (9/25)A

So A = 25


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