# Computation of formal power series

I'm trying to get a formal power series expansion in Mathematica, e.g. $$\frac{1}{{{x^\alpha } + {x^\beta }}} = \sum\limits_{k = 0}^{ + \infty } {{{( - 1)}^k}{x^{ - \alpha + k(\beta - \alpha )}}}$$ with $\beta > \alpha$, $0 < x < 1$ but Mathematica doesn't want to compute it. Moreover, mathematica doesn't compute it with certain values, e.g.

$Assumptions = 0 < x < 1 Series[1/(x^0.23 + x^0.55), {x, 0, 3}]  So, what should I do to compute these-like "power series"? • try Series[Rationalize[1/(x^0.23 + x^0.55)], {x, 0, 3}]? – kglr May 10 '18 at 6:53 • No, of course, it works with rational powers, but in real, I need to work with any real numbers, so this way does not fit – Afftar43 May 10 '18 at 7:33 • @Afftar43 Apply then to the result res proposed by @kglr this: Normal[res] /. Rational[$__] :> N@Rational[\$] – Andrew May 10 '18 at 8:19
• For an arbitrary real number you should specify a dx for Rationalize – Bob Hanlon May 10 '18 at 13:50
• (1) A floating point number is actually a rational number (with a power of 2 in the denominator). So those suggesting Rationalize do have a point. (2) Pose something like Series[1/(x^Sqrt[1/2] + x^Sqrt[2/3]), {x, 0, 3}] and folks will see that Rationalize has its limits. – Michael E2 May 18 '18 at 18:27

Try factoring and then taking the series. Your expression is equivalent to:

x^(-b)(1/(x^(a - b) + 1))


so

x^(-b) Series[1/(y + 1), {y, 0, 3}]//Normal
(*-(y^3 x^-b) + y^2 x^-b - y x^-b + x^-b*)

(% // Normal) /. y -> x^(a - b)
(*-x^(3*a - 4*b) + x^(2*a - 3*b) - x^(a - 2*b) + x^(-b)*)


The sub anything you want for a and b.

% /. {a -> .22, b -> .55}

(*1/x^1.2100000000000002 - 1/x^0.8800000000000001 - 1/x^1.54 + 1/x^0.55*)


Let me change and expand the answer of Bill Watts a little bit.

exp = 1/(x^a + x^b)

Numerator[exp] x^-a/(Denominator[exp]  x^-a // Simplify)

(*   x^-a/(1 + x^(-a + b))   *)


Substitute x^(-a + b) -> y and evaluate general series coefficients.

seriescoefficient[k_] =
x^-a SeriesCoefficient[1/(y + 1), {y, 0, k},
Assumptions -> k > 0 && Element[k, Integers]]

(*   (-1)^k x^-a   *)


For any analytic function you have

g[y] == Sum[seriescoefficient[k] y^k, {k, 0, Infinity}]


Therefore in this case

seriescoefficient[k] y^k /. y -> x^(-a + b) // PowerExpand

(*   (-1)^k x^(-a + (-a + b) k)   *)


Here the proof

1/(x^a + x^b) ==
Sum[seriescoefficient[k] y^k /. y -> x^(-a + b), {k, 0, Infinity}]

(*   True   *)