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If a1,a2….a_{1}, a_{2} \ldots .. are in A.P., then, 1a1+a2+1a2+a3+….+1an+an+1\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_{1}}+\sqrt{a_{2}}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_{2}}+\sqrt{a_{3}}}+\ldots .+\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_{n}}+\sqrt{a_{n+1}}} is equal to

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 4

What we know: a1,a2,a3,…a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots are in Arithmetic Progression (A.P.)

This means: a2−a1=a3−a2=a4−a3=…=da_2 - a_1 = a_3 - a_2 = a_4 - a_3 = \ldots = d (common difference)


The key technique is rationalization. For any general term 1ar+ar+1\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_r} + \sqrt{a_{r+1}}}, multiply by the conjugate:

1ar+ar+1×ar+1−arar+1−ar\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_r} + \sqrt{a_{r+1}}} \times \frac{\sqrt{a_{r+1}} - \sqrt{a_r}}{\sqrt{a_{r+1}} - \sqrt{a_r}}


Using the identity (x+y)(x−y)=x2−y2(x+y)(x-y) = x^2 - y^2:

(ar+ar+1)(ar+1−ar)=ar+1−ar=d(\sqrt{a_r} + \sqrt{a_{r+1}})(\sqrt{a_{r+1}} - \sqrt{a_r}) = a_{r+1} - a_r = d

So each term becomes:

1ar+ar+1=ar+1−ard\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_r} + \sqrt{a_{r+1}}} = \frac{\sqrt{a_{r+1}} - \sqrt{a_r}}{d}


Now we add all terms:

∑r=1n1ar+ar+1=1d∑r=1n(ar+1−ar)\sum_{r=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{a_r} + \sqrt{a_{r+1}}} = \frac{1}{d} \sum_{r=1}^{n} (\sqrt{a_{r+1}} - \sqrt{a_r})


This becomes a telescoping series:

1d[(a2−a1)+(a3−a2)+(a4−a3)+…+(an+1−an)]\frac{1}{d}[(\sqrt{a_2} - \sqrt{a_1}) + (\sqrt{a_3} - \sqrt{a_2}) + (\sqrt{a_4} - \sqrt{a_3}) + \ldots + (\sqrt{a_{n+1}} - \sqrt{a_n})]

Most terms cancel out, leaving:

1d(an+1−a1)\frac{1}{d}(\sqrt{a_{n+1}} - \sqrt{a_1})


For an A.P., we have an+1−a1=nda_{n+1} - a_1 = nd and using the identity:

an+1−a1=(an+1−a1)(an+1+a1)a_{n+1} - a_1 = (\sqrt{a_{n+1}} - \sqrt{a_1})(\sqrt{a_{n+1}} + \sqrt{a_1})

Therefore:

nd=(an+1−a1)(an+1+a1)nd = (\sqrt{a_{n+1}} - \sqrt{a_1})(\sqrt{a_{n+1}} + \sqrt{a_1})

So:

an+1−a1d=na1+an+1\frac{\sqrt{a_{n+1}} - \sqrt{a_1}}{d} = \frac{n}{\sqrt{a_1} + \sqrt{a_{n+1}}}


Final Answer:

na1+an+1\frac{n}{\sqrt{a_1} + \sqrt{a_{n+1}}}

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