Summation Notation

Summation Notation
 Shorthand way of expressing a sum

 Uses the Greek letter sigma: ∑

n is called the
n upper limit of the
a
k 1
k  a1  a2  a3    an summation

ak is the formula
k is called the
used to generate
index of
each term of the
summation
sum
Summation Notation
 Any letter can be used to index a
summation
n n n

a  a
i 1
i
j 1
j   ak
k 1
Summation Notation
 Ex: Evaluate the following sum:
4

 2i  3
i 1

 Sol:
4

 2i  3  2  1  3  2  2  3  2  3  3  2  4  3
i 1

 5  7  9  11
 32
Summation Notation
 Ex: Evaluate the following sum:
6

 2 j  3
j 3

 Sol:
6

 2 j  3  2  3  3  2  4  3  2  5  3  2  6  3
j 3

 9  11  13  15
 48
Summation Notation
 Properties
n n n

(i)  a
k 1
k  bk    ak   bk
k 1 k 1
n n
(ii) c  a
k 1
k  c  ak
k 1
n n n
Note: Not true  a
k 1
k  bk    ak   bk 
k 1 k 1
Summation Notation
 Properties (cont)
n m n
(iii)  a    a    a 
k 1
k
k 1
k
k  m 1
k 1 m  n
for
nc

 a    a 
n
(iv) i j c
i 1 j 1 c