Note that xe−x=xex1 decreases as x
increases. Hence, for every n≥1,
xe−xSo,∫n−1nxe−x dx≥nen≥∫n−1nne−n dx=[ne−nx]x=n−1x=n=ne−nfor x in the interval [n−1,n]
Then, for every N≥1,
EN=n=N+1∑∞ne−n≤n=N+1∑∞∫n−1nxe−x dx=∫NN+1xe−x dx+∫N+1N+2xe−x dx+⋯=∫N∞xe−x dx
Substituting y=x, dy=21xdx,
∫N∞xe−x dx=2∫N∞e−y dy=−2e−yN∞=2e−N
This shows that ∑n=N+1∞ne−n
converges and is between 0 and 2e−N. Since
E14=2e−14=0.047, we may truncate the series at n=14.
n=1∑∞ne−n=n=1∑14ne−n+E14=+0.3679+0.1719+0.1021+0.0677+0.0478=+0.0352+0.0268+0.0209+0.0166+0.0134=+0.0109+0.0090+0.0075+0.0063+E14=0.9042+E14
The sum is between 0.9035 and 0.9535. (This even allows for
a roundoff error of 0.00005 in each term as we were calculating the partial sum.)