page

1
M MA AC C

Summation Notation
________________________________________________________________________________
MAC worksheet 21/05/2007 page 1
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MAC Worksheet 9


Summation Notation

Quite often a sequence of numbers need to be added, this is called a series.
For example the sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
when added becomes the series 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + ..

Summation notation is used as a shorthand way of writing the series. (formula) which means to
add the terms formed by the formula.
For example
5 4 3 2 1
5
1
+ + + + =

= n
n
where the n is the formula, starting with n = 1 and
increases by 1 until it reaches n = 5

Thus
15 5 4 3 2 1
5
1
= + + + + =

= n
n


Example 1: Find
=

7
2
) 1 2 (
n
n

= 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 12 letting n = 2 up to 7 for each term
= 47

Example 2: Find
=
4
0
)
2
sin(
n
n

= sin(0) + sin(/2) + sin() + sin (3/2) + sin(2)
= 0 + 1 + 0 -1 + 0
= 0

Problems:
Evaluate the following

1)
) 3 (
4
1
2

= n
n
2)

=
|

\
|
4
1
5
n
n
3)
=
5
1
2
n
n
4)
=
(

+
3
1
) 1 (
1
n
n n


Write the following using summation notation

5) 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 +11 6) 18 + 15 + 12 + 9 to 10 terms


page

2
M MA AC C

Summation Notation
________________________________________________________________________________
MAC worksheet 21/05/2007 page 2
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Answers:

1) 18 2) 125/12 3) 62 4) 3/4

5)

= =
= +
7
1
6
0
) 1 2 ( ) 1 2 (
n n
n n 6)

10
1
) 3 21 (
n
n