algebra precalculus - Find the sum to n terms of the series $frac{1} {1cdot2cdot3cdot4} + frac{1} {2cdot3cdot4cdot5} + frac{1} {3cdot4cdot5cdot6}ldots $

Find the sum to n terms of the series $\frac{1} {1\cdot2\cdot3\cdot4} + \frac{1} {2\cdot3\cdot4\cdot5} + \frac{1} {3\cdot4\cdot5\cdot6}\ldots $

Please suggest an approach for this task.

Answer

$\dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} = \dfrac{1}{3} (\dfrac{k+3}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} - \dfrac{k}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)})$
$ = \dfrac{1}{3}(\dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)} - \dfrac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)})$

$\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} = \dfrac{1}{3} \dfrac{1}{2*3} = \dfrac{1}{18}$

@moron Yes, you are right. For the first n terms:

$\sum_{k=1}^{n}\dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} = \dfrac{1}{3} (\dfrac{1}{1*2*3} - \dfrac{1}{(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)})$

[edit] more details

$\sum_{k=1}^{n}\dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} \dfrac{1}{3} (\dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)} - \dfrac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)})$
$= \dfrac{1}{3} [\sum_{k=1}^{n} \dfrac{1}{k(k+1)(k+2)} - \sum_{k=1}^{n} \dfrac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)}]$
$= \dfrac{1}{3} [\sum_{k=0}^{n-1} \dfrac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)} - \sum_{k=1}^{n} \dfrac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)(k+3)}]$
$= \dfrac{1}{3} (\dfrac{1}{1*2*3} - \dfrac{1}{(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)})$