$\frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{99} + \frac{1}{999} + \frac{1}{9999} + \cdots ={} $?

Sum the following: \begin{align} S &= \frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{99} + \frac{1}{999} + \frac{1}{9999} + \cdots\\[0.1in] &= \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^n - 1} \end{align}

It's fairly straightforward to show that this sum converges: \begin{align} S &= \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^n - 1}\\ &= \frac{1}{9} + \sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^n - 1}\\ &< \frac{1}{9} + \sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^n - 10}\\ &= \frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{10}\sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^{n-1} - 1}\\ &= \frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{10}S\, , \end{align} which leads to $S < 10/81 = 0.\overline{123456790}$.

Numerically (Mathematica), we find that this sum is approximately $S \approx 0.122324$.

This sum can also be written as \begin{align} S &= \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^n - 1}\\ &= \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1/{10}^n}{1 - 1/{10}^n}\\ &= \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\sum_{m=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{{10}^{nm}} \end{align}

(The last expression above is itself quite amusing, since the coefficient of $1/{10}^k$ is the number of distinct ways of writing $k$ as a product of two positive integers.)

Analytically, Mathematica evaluates this sum as \begin{equation} S = \frac{\ln(10/9) - \psi_{1/10}(1)}{\ln(10)}\, , \end{equation} where $\psi_q(z)$ is the Q-Polygamma function. This is not really a nice, tidy, closed-form solution. Now, I can accept that this sum may not have such a nice, tidy sum, but something about it feels like it should have one. (Non-rigorous, I know!) Furthermore, I'm aware that Mathematica is by no means infallible, especially when it comes to simplification of certain expressions.

So I'm wondering if a neater solution exists.


The given series is an irrational number (probably a trascendental number, too) and for its numerical evaluation it is possible to exploit some tailor-made acceleration techniques (like the one outlined here for the base-$2$ analogue). Besides that, I am not aware of any nice closed form for $\sum_{n\geq 1}\frac{d(n)}{10^n}$.