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In mathematics, Leibniz' formula for π, due to Gottfried Leibniz, states that

Proof

Consider the infinite geometric series

It is the limit of the truncated geometric series

Splitting the integrand as

and integrating both sides from 0 to 1, we have

Integrating the first integral (over the truncated geometric series ) termwise one obtains in the limit the required sum. The contribution from the second integral vanishes in the limit as

The full integral

on the left-hand side evaluates to arctan(1) −  arctan(0) = π/4, which then yields

Q.E.D.

Remark: An alternative proof of the Leibniz formula can be given with the aid of Abel's theorem applied to the power series (convergent for )

which is obtained integrating the geometric series ( absolutely convergent for )

termwise.