今天儿子考我1+2+3+4+5+...等于多少,我不加思索地就说是无穷大。儿子说:错!应该是-1/12,还给出了下面的推导:
If x = 1-1+1-1+1-1+...
Then 1-x = 1-1+1-1+1-1+...
So 1-x = x, or x = 1/2
Let y = 1-2+3-4+5-6+....
Then 2y = 1-2+3-4+5-6+...
+ 1-2+3-4+5-6
= 1-1+1-1+1-1+...
= x
So y = x/2 = 1/4
Not let z = 1+2+3+4+5+...
Then z-y = 1+2+3+4+5+...
- (1-2+3-4+5-6+....)
= 4 + 8 + 12 + ...
= 4(1 + 2 + 3 + ...)
= 4z
So z = -y/3 = -1/12, or
1+2+3+4+5+... = -1/12
推导过程似乎没有破绽,但结论真让人犯晕。儿子说这在quantum mechanics and string theory 里很正常。如果不是糊弄我,那我只能感叹这个世界真奇妙了。