a) 1/1.2 + 1/2.3 + 1/3.4 + .... + 1/x.(x+1) = 499/500
1 - 1/2 + 1/2 - 1/3 + 1/3 - 1/4 + .... + 1/x - 1/x+1 = 499/500
1 - 1/x+1 = 499/500
1/x+1 = 1 - 499/500
1/x+1 = 1/500
x + 1 = 500
x = 500 - 1
x = 499
b) 1/1.3 + 1/3.5 + 1/5.7 + .... + 1/x.(x+2) = 20/41
1/2 . [ 2/1.3 + 2/3.5 + 2/5.7 + ... + 2/x.(x+2) ] = 20/41
1/2 . [ 1 - 1/3 + 1/3 - 1/5 + 1/5 - 1/7 + ... + 1/x - 1/x+2 ] = 20/41
1/2 . [ 1 - 1/x+2 ) = 20/41
1 - 1/x+2 = 20/41 : 1/2
1 - 1/x+2 = 40/41
1/x+2 = 1 - 40/41
1/x+2 = 1/41
x + 2 = 41
x = 41 - 2
x = 39