TITLE: how to solve $\lim_{n\to\infty}{\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n}{\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2+k}}}\right)^{n}}$?
QUESTION [8 upvotes]: $\displaystyle\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^{2}+1}}\right)^{n}\ge\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^{2}+k}}\right)^{n}\ge\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^{2}+n}}\right)^{n}$
left=$\displaystyle\lim_{n\to\infty}{\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n}{\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2+1}}}\right)^{n}}=e^{\displaystyle n \ln{\frac{n}{\sqrt{n^2+1}}} }=e^{0}=1$
right=$\displaystyle\lim_{n\to\infty}{\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n}{\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2+n}}}\right)^{n}}=e^{\displaystyle n \ln{\frac{n}{\sqrt{n^2+n}}} }=e^{-\frac{1}{2}}$
left $\ne$ right ,what to do next?

$\displaystyle\lim_{n\to\infty}{\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n}{\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2+k}}}\right)^{n}}=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} e^{\displaystyle n \ln \sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^{2}+k}}(1)}$
$(1)=\displaystyle \lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} n\left(\ln \frac{1}{n} \sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{1+k/n^{2}}}\right)$$=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} n\left(\ln \frac{1}{n} \sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{1+k/n \cdot 1/n}}\right)$$=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} n \ln \int_{0}^{1} \frac{1}{\sqrt{1+x/n}} d x$$=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} n \ln \int_{0}^{1} \frac{nd(x/n+1)}{\sqrt{1+x/n}}$$= \lim_{n\to\infty}{n\ln{n \cdot2 \left.\sqrt{1+\frac{x}{n} }\right|_{0}^{1}}}$$= \lim_{n\to\infty}{n\ln{n \cdot2 (\sqrt{1+\frac{1}{n}}-1)}}$$=\lim_{n\to\infty}{n\ln{n \cdot2 (\frac{1}{2n} -\frac{1}{2n^2} +o(\frac{1}{n^2}))}}$$=\lim_{n\to\infty}{n\ln{n \cdot2 (\frac{1}{2n} +\left(\frac{1}{2!}\cdot \frac{1}{2} \cdot \left(\frac{1}{2}-1\right) \right)\frac{1}{n^2} +o(\frac{1}{n^2}))}}=\lim_{n\to\infty}{n \ln{\left(1-\frac{1}{4n}\right)}}=-\frac{1}{4} $
so that  $\displaystyle\lim_{n\to\infty}{\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n}{\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2+k}}}\right)^{n}}=\lim _{n \rightarrow \infty} e^{(1)}=e^{-\frac{1}{4}}$
this solution is right.

REPLY [2 votes]: We can use the sandwich theorem twice for solving the limit
$$\text { Observe that } 
    \frac{n}{\sqrt{n^2 +n}}\le\alpha_n=\sum_{k=1}^{n}\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2 +k}}\le\frac{n}{\sqrt{n^2+1}}, \text{ So, } \lim_{n\to\infty}\alpha_n=1.\space 
 \text { Proceeding as an usual case of } 1^{\infty}, $$
$$ \alpha=\lim_{n\to\infty}\left(\sum_{k=1}^{n}\frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2 +k}}\right) ^n=e^{\lim_{n\to\infty} n(\alpha_n -1)}=e^{\lim_{n\to\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\frac{n}{\sqrt{n^2+k}}  -1\right)}=e^{\lim_{n\to\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\frac{-k}{(n+\sqrt{n^2+k})\sqrt{n^2+k}}  \right)}$$
$$\text{ Now, use Sandwich theorem again and obtain that } \alpha=\frac{1}{\sqrt[4]{e}}$$