So far I know that $\frac{1}{5} = 0.2$ in base 10. However, I'm not really sure how to convert it into another base. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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do you know how to write a repeating decimal as a sum? – qwr Jul 02 '19 at 04:09
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$0.171717..._x=\dfrac{17_x}{x^2}+\dfrac{17_x}{x^4}+\dfrac{17_x}{x^6}+...$
$=\dfrac{17_x/x^2}{1-1/x^2}=\dfrac{17_x}{x^2-1}=\dfrac{x+7}{x^2-1}=\dfrac15$
J. W. Tanner
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Not OP but do you solve the final quadratic in base $10$? If not, how do you multiply $7$ and $5$ – Anvit Jul 02 '19 at 04:39
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yes, $5(x+7)=x^2-1\iff x^2-5x-36=0 \iff (x-9)(x+4)=0 \iff x=9 $ or $x=-4$, and take the positive solution – J. W. Tanner Jul 02 '19 at 04:44
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$$(x^2-1)\cdot\dfrac15=(17.17\cdots)_x-(.17\cdots)_x=(17)_x=1\cdot x^1+7$$
lab bhattacharjee
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$$\begin{align} (0.1717...)_b =& \left(\frac{1}{b}+\frac{7}{b^2}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{b^3}+\frac{7}{b^4}\right) + \cdots \\ =& \frac{b+7}{b^2}+\frac{b+7}{b^4} +\cdots \\ =& \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{b+7}{b^{2n}} \\ =& (b+7)\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(b^{-2})^n \\ =& \frac{b+7}{b^2-1} \end{align}$$ and this is equal to $1/5$, so $b=9$.
azif00
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But, not your request is find $x$ such that $(0.2)_{10}=(0.1717...)_x$? – azif00 Jul 02 '19 at 16:18
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