Final answer:
The equation that can be used to calculate the sum of a geometric series is S = a * (1 - r^n) / (1 - r), where S is the sum, a is the first term, r is the common ratio, and n is the number of terms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation that can be used to calculate the sum of a geometric series is:
S = a * (1 - r^n) / (1 - r)
Where:
- S is the sum of the geometric series
- a is the first term of the series
- r is the common ratio
- n is the number of terms in the series
For example, if we have a geometric series with a first term of 2, a common ratio of 3, and 4 terms, we can calculate the sum as:
S = 2 * (1 - 3^4) / (1 - 3)
S = 2 * (1 - 81) / (-2)
S = -79 / -2
S = 39.5