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In mathematics, the infinite series 1/2 − 1/4 + 1/8 − 1/16 + ⋯ is a simple example of an alternating series that converges absolutely.

It is a geometric series whose first term is ⁠1/2⁠ and whose common ratio is −⁠1/2⁠, so its sum is

${\displaystyle \sum _{n=1}^{\infty }{\frac {(-1)^{n+1}}{2^{n}}}={\frac {1}{2}}-{\frac {1}{4}}+{\frac {1}{8}}-{\frac {1}{16}}+\cdots ={\frac {\frac {1}{2}}{1-(-{\frac {1}{2}})}}={\frac {1}{3}}.}$

Hackenbush and the surreals

A slight rearrangement of the series reads

${\displaystyle 1-{\frac {1}{2}}-{\frac {1}{4}}+{\frac {1}{8}}-{\frac {1}{16}}+\cdots ={\frac {1}{3}}.}$

The series has the form of a positive integer plus a series containing every negative power of two with either a positive or negative sign, so it can be translated into the infinite blue-red Hackenbush string that represents the surreal number ⁠1/3⁠:

LRRLRLR... = ⁠1/3⁠.

A slightly simpler Hackenbush string eliminates the repeated R:

LRLRLRL... = ⁠2/3⁠.

In terms of the Hackenbush game structure, this equation means that the board depicted on the right has a value of 0; whichever player moves second has a winning strategy.

Related series

• The statement that ⁠1/2⁠ − ⁠1/4⁠ + ⁠1/8⁠ − ⁠1/16⁠ + ⋯ is absolutely convergent means that the series ⁠1/2⁠ + ⁠1/4⁠ + ⁠1/8⁠ + ⁠1/16⁠ + ⋯ is convergent. In fact, the latter series converges to 1, and it proves that one of the binary expansions of 1 is 0.111....
• Pairing up the terms of the series ⁠1/2⁠ − ⁠1/4⁠ + ⁠1/8⁠ − ⁠1/16⁠ + ⋯ results in another geometric series with the same sum, ⁠1/4⁠ + ⁠1/16⁠ + ⁠1/64⁠ + ⁠1/256⁠ + ⋯. This series is one of the first to be summed in the history of mathematics; it was used by Archimedes circa 250–200 BC.
• The Euler transform of the divergent series 1 − 2 + 4 − 8 + ⋯ is ⁠1/2⁠ − ⁠1/4⁠ + ⁠1/8⁠ − ⁠1/16⁠ + ⋯. Therefore, even though the former series does not have a sum in the usual sense, it is Euler summable to ⁠1/3⁠.

Notes

1. Berlekamp, Conway & Guy 1982, p. 79.
2. Berlekamp, Conway & Guy 1982, pp. 307–308.
3. Shawyer & Watson 1994, p. 3.
4. Korevaar 2004, p. 325.

References

• Berlekamp, E. R.; Conway, J. H.; Guy, R. K. (1982). Winning Ways for your Mathematical Plays. Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-091101-9.
• Korevaar, Jacob (2004). Tauberian Theory: A Century of Developments. Springer. ISBN 3-540-21058-X.
• Shawyer, Bruce; Watson, Bruce (1994). Borel's Methods of Summability: Theory and Applications. Oxford UP. ISBN 0-19-853585-6.

v t e Sequences and series
Integer sequences	Basic Arithmetic progression Geometric progression Harmonic progression Square number Cubic number Factorial Powers of two Powers of three Powers of 10 Advanced (list) Complete sequence Fibonacci sequence Figurate number Heptagonal number Hexagonal number Lucas number Pell number Pentagonal number Polygonal number Triangular number array
Properties of sequences	Cauchy sequence Monotonic function Periodic sequence
Properties of series	Series Alternating Convergent Divergent Telescoping Convergence Absolute Conditional Uniform
Explicit series	Convergent 1/2 − 1/4 + 1/8 − 1/16 + ⋯ 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + ⋯ 1/4 + 1/16 + 1/64 + 1/256 + ⋯ 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + ... (Riemann zeta function) Divergent 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + ⋯ 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + ⋯ (Grandi's series) 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ⋯ 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + ⋯ 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + ⋯ 1 − 2 + 4 − 8 + ⋯ Infinite arithmetic series 1 − 1 + 2 − 6 + 24 − 120 + ⋯ (alternating factorials) 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 + ⋯ (harmonic series) 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/5 + 1/7 + 1/11 + ⋯ (inverses of primes)
Kinds of series	Taylor series Power series Formal power series Laurent series Puiseux series Dirichlet series Trigonometric series Fourier series Generating series
Hypergeometric series	Generalized hypergeometric series Hypergeometric function of a matrix argument Lauricella hypergeometric series Modular hypergeometric series Riemann's differential equation Theta hypergeometric series
Category

• Geometric series