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From: bs@faron.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Newsgroups: comp.theory
Subject: Re: expression for F(n) = a**0 + a**1 + ... + a**(n-1) + a**n
Message-ID: <1991Jun18.130042.14554@linus.mitre.org>
Date: 18 Jun 91 13:00:42 GMT
References: <1991Jun18.022651.16732@bnlux1.bnl.gov>
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In article <1991Jun18.022651.16732@bnlux1.bnl.gov> ping@bnlux1.bnl.gov  writes:
>I'm wondering if there is an expression for F(n) = a**0 + a**1 + ... + a**n
>in term of both a and n. Here a is a constant. I know the expression for
>a = 2, which is 2**(n+1) -1.  But now I want to know the expression for
>any constant a.  Thanks for any help.
 
I hate to be insulting but.....

You're joking right???

This is a simple problem in high school level mathematics.

I won't answer it, but I'll give a hint:

Geometric Series.

Enough said????

I wouldn't expect John Doe off the street to know this, but 
the fact that someone where you work does not know high school math
is scary.

--
Bob Silverman
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Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA 01730
"You can lead a horse's ass to knowledge, but you can't make him think"