Sequence sum question: $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}nk^n$ [duplicate]

I am very confused about how to compute $$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}nk^n.$$

Can anybody help me?

A bit more generality gives $$ \begin{align} \sum_{n=k}^\infty\binom{n}{k}x^n &=\sum_{n=k}^\infty\binom{n}{n-k}x^n\\ &=\sum_{n=k}^\infty(-1)^{n-k}\binom{-k-1}{n-k}x^n\\ &=\sum_{n=0}^\infty(-1)^n\binom{-k-1}{n}x^{n+k}\\ &=x^k\sum_{n=0}^\infty(-1)^n\binom{-k-1}{n}x^n\\ &=x^k(1-x)^{-k-1} \end{align} $$ Using this with $k=1$ yields your formula with names changed. Therefore, $$ \sum_{n=1}^\infty nk^n=\frac{k}{(1-k)^2} $$ for $|k|<1$. If $|k|\ge1$, the series diverges.

I assume k is some constant (presumably less than 1 in absolute value).

Then we calculate this as a derivative of the series $f(x) = \dfrac{1}{1-x} = \displaystyle \sum x^n$. Then $\displaystyle f'(x) = \dfrac{1}{(1-x)^2} = \sum nx^{n-1}$. So we can note that $xf'(x) = \displaystyle \sum nx^n$. Depending on how you want your indices, you may or may not need to add or take away a few terms. Also, this clearly only works for when the geometric series converges.

That's the idea. Is that what you wanted?

If you know the value of the geometric series $\sum\limits_{n=0}^{+\infty}x^n$ at every $x$ such that $|x|<1$ and if you know that for every nonnegative integer $n$, the derivative of the polynomial function $x\mapsto x^n$ is $x\mapsto nx^{n-1}$, you might get an idea (and a proof) of the value of the series $\sum\limits_{n=0}^{+\infty}nx^{n-1}$, which is $x^{-1}$ times what you are looking for.