<s>[INST] Power series of $\ln(x+\sqrt{1+x^2})$ without Taylor The answer is $$x-\frac{ 1}{2}\frac{ x^3}{3}+\frac{ 1\cdot 3}{2\cdot 4}\frac{ x^5}{5}-\frac{ 1\cdot 3\cdot 5}{2\cdot 4\cdot 6}\frac{ x^7}{7}+\cdots$$ But I can't see how. Unfortunately, "how" can't be using Taylor's formula, because that isn't introduced until the next section. (Simmons' Calculus)
The hint given with the problem is to integrate another series. This series must be $$1-\frac{ 1}{2} x^2+\frac{ 1\cdot 3}{2\cdot 4} x^4-\frac{ 1\cdot 3\cdot 5}{2\cdot 4\cdot 6} x^6+\cdots$$
But where does it come from? [How would I know to integrate that series, if it weren't for the hint?] 
The derivative of $\ln(x+\sqrt{1+x^2})$ is $\displaystyle \frac{ 1}{\sqrt{1+x^2}}$, 
but I can't see how to get from $\displaystyle \frac{ 1}{\sqrt{1+x^2}}$ to that series.
The derivative can be written as $\displaystyle \frac{ 1}{x+\sqrt{1+x^2}}\left(1+\frac{x}{\sqrt{1+x^2}}\right)$, but that looks even worse.
 [/INST] Do you know how to expand $1/\sqrt{1+x^2}$? See for instance this Wikipedia article.
Updated to add: You don't need calculus to derive this series: $$\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-y}} = 1+\frac{ 1}{2} y+\frac{ 1\cdot 3}{2\cdot 4} y^2+\frac{ 1\cdot 3\cdot 5}{2\cdot 4\cdot 6} y^3+\cdots$$ Just square the right-hand side, and you will get (miraculously) $$1 + y + y^2 + y^3 +\cdots$$ which you recognise as $1/(1-y)$ (right?). Now put $y = -x^2$ to obtain your expression for $1/\sqrt{1+x^2}$.
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