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1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9...to infinity equals -1/12

 Apr 28, 2014

Best Answer 

 #1
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It can never be equal -1/12, because all the terms you are adding up are positive.  Moreover, the sum of the series is divergent, so it cannot converge to a number.

 Apr 28, 2014
 #1
avatar+28 
+5
Best Answer

It can never be equal -1/12, because all the terms you are adding up are positive.  Moreover, the sum of the series is divergent, so it cannot converge to a number.

Anonymousperson Apr 28, 2014
 #2
avatar+33658 
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This "equality" was first developed by a famous Indian mathematician called Ramanjuan.  It arises from something called analytic continuation and the Riemann equation (very advanced mathematics - way over my head).

 Of course it doesn't hold in ordinary arithmetic where the normal rules of addition apply.  You can read more about it (in an understandable way) here: http://www.qedcat.com/archive/187.html 

 Apr 28, 2014

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