Is $\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{n!(x-n)!}$ equal to $0$

real-analysissequences-and-series

I would like to show that $\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{n!(x-n)!}=0$ for $x\in\mathbb{R}$, x>0. Proving this for odd numbers is easy, it should't be hard for even numbers too (However I managed to prove it only for odd numbers), becouse when $x$ is natural then the sum becomes finite $\sum_{n=0}^x \frac{(-1)^n}{n!(x-n)!}$. The real problem is to prove this for all real numbers (Assuming $n!=\Gamma(n+1)$.). I was thinking about using Euler's reflection formula to avoid factorials in the sum, but I didn't come to anything nice.

Thanks for all the help.

Best Answer

If $x=0$ the result is false since the sum is equal to $1$ (the term with $n=0$ remains). So assume that $x>0$. We have, by the Newton binomial theorem, that$$\frac{1}{x!}\sum_{n\geq0}\dbinom{x}{n}\left(-1\right)^{n}=\frac{\left(1-1\right)^{x}}{x!}=0$$ and so the thesis.

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