Discrete Structures

Lecture-18

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 Today’s Agenda

Series

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 Series
• The sum of the terms of a sequence
forms a series.
• If a1, a2, a3, … represent a sequence of
numbers, then the corresponding series is

a1 + a 2 + a 3 + … =
a
k =1
k

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 Summation Notation
The capital Greek letter sigma  is used to write a
sum in a short hand notation. Here k varies from 1
to n represents the sum given in expanded form by
n

a
k =1
k = a1 + a2 + a3 + … + a n

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 Summation Notation CONTD.
More generally if m and n are integers and m  n,
then the summation from k equal m to n of ak is
n

a
k =m
k = am + am+1 + am+ 2 +  + an

Here, k is called the index of the summation; m

the lower limit of the summation and n the
upper limit of the summation.

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 Example
• Let a0 = 2, a1 = 3, a2 = -2, a3 = 1 and a4 = 0.
Compute each of the summations:
2

a
1

2j a
k =1
k
j =0

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 Solution
• Given that a0 = 2, a1 = 3, a2 = -2, a3 = 1, a4 = 0
= a0 + a1 + a2 + a3 + a4
= 2 + 3 + (-2) + 1 + 0 = 4
2

a
j =0
2j = a0 + a2 + a4 = 2 + (-2) + 0 = 0

a
k =1
k = a1 = 3

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 Example
• Compute the summations

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 Solution
3
1.  (2i − 1)
i =1
= [2(1) − 1] + [2(2) − 1] + [2(3) − 1]

= 1 + 3 +5
= 9
1
2.  + 2)
( k 3

k = −1
= [(−1)3 + 2] + [(0)3 + 2] + [(1)3 + 2]

= [−1 + 2] + [0 + 2] + [1 + 2]
= 1 +2 +3
= 6
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 Example
• Write the given summation in expanded form:

n
(−1) i


i =0 i + 1

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 Solution

1 (−1) 1 (−1) (−1) n

= + + + + +
1 2 3 4 n +1
1 1 1 (−1) n
= 1− + − + +
2 3 4 n +1
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• The index of a summation can be replaced by
any other symbol. The index of a summation
is therefore called a dummy variable.

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 Properties Of Summations

n n n
1.  (a + b ) =  a +  b ;
k =m
k k
k =m
k
k =m
k ak , bk  R
n n
2.  ca
k =m
k = c  ak
k =m
cR

b −i b
3.  (k + i) =  k
k = a −i k =a
iN

b +i b
4.  (k − i) =  k
k = a +i k =a
iN

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 Example
• Express the following summation more simply

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 Solution

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 Sum Of n Terms Of An Arithmetic
Series
Let a be the first term and d be the
common difference of an arithmetic series.
Then its nth term is:
an = a + (n - 1)d; n  1
If Sn denotes the sum of first n terms of the
A.S, then Sn= n/2 [2 a + (n - 1) d]
• Proof in slides coming up next →
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 Proof
Sn = a + (a + d) + (a + 2d) + … + [a + (n-1) d]
= a + (a+d) + (a + 2d) + … + an
= a + (a+d) + (a + 2d) + … + (an - d) + an ……(1)
• Rewriting the terms in the series in reverse order,
Sn = an + (an - d) + (an - 2d) + … + (a + d) + a …….(2)
• Adding (1) and (2) term by term, gives
2 Sn = (a + an) + (a + an) + (a + an) + … + (a + an) (n terms)
2 Sn = n (a + an)
Sn = n(a + an)/2
Sn= n/2 [a + a + (n - 1) d]
Sn= n/2 [2 a + (n - 1) d]……….(3)

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 Example
• Find the sum of first n natural numbers.

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 Solution
• Let Sn = 1 + 2 + 3 + … + n
Clearly the right hand side forms an arithmetic series
with a = 1, d = 2 - 1 = 1 and n = n
 Sn =
n
2a + (n − 1)d 
2
=
n
2(1) + (n − 1)(1)
2
=
n
2 + n − 1
2
n(n + 1)
=
2
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 Geometric Series
The sum of the terms of a geometric sequence
forms a geometric series (G.S.).
For example 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, … is geometric
sequence. And 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + … is geometric
series.
In general, if a is the first term and r the common
ratio of a geometric series, then the series is given
as:
a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + …

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Sum Of n Terms Of A Geometric Series
• The nth term is:
an = arn-1; n1
• If Sn denotes the sum of first n terms of the G.S. then
Sn = a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + … + arn-2 + arn-1
a(1 − r n )
 Sn = (r  1)
1− r

Proof on next slide

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 Proof
Sn = a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + … + arn-2 + arn-1……………(1)
• Multiplying both sides by r we get.
r Sn = ar + ar2 + ar3 + … + arn-1 + arn………………(2)
• Subtracting (2) from (1) we get
Sn - rSn = a – arn
(1 - r) Sn = a (1 - rn)
a(1 − r n )
 Sn = (r  1)
1− r
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 Example
• Find the sum of the geometric series
2 2
6 − 2 + − +  + to 10 terms
3 9

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 Solution
• → a = 6, r = −2 = − 1 and n = 10
6 3
a(1 − r n )
 Sn =
1− r
  1 10 
6 1 −  −   6 1 + 1 
  3   
S10 =   =  310 
 1  4
1−  −   
 3  3
 1 
9 1 + 10 
= 
3 
2

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 Note
Note that when |r| < 1 and n is infinite, So we
can use the formula.
S= a__
1-r

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 Example
• Find the sum of the infinite geometric series:
9 3 2
+ +1+ +
4 2 3

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 Solution

9 3/ 2 2
a= , r= =
4 9/ 4 3
a
 S =
1− r
9/4
=
1− 2 / 3
9 / 4 9 3 27
= =  =
1/ 3 4 1 4
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 Important Sums

n
n(n + 1)
1. 1+ 2 + 3 ++ n =  k =
k =1 2
n(n + 1)(2n + 1)
n
2. 1 + 2 + 3 ++ n =  k =
2 2 2 2 2

k =1 6
n 2 (n + 1)
n
3. 1 + 2 + 3 ++ n =  k =
3 3 3 3 3

k =1 4
 n(n + 1) 
2

=
 2 

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 References
• Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications,
Kenneth H. Rosen, 7th Ed, McGraw Hill, 2012.
• Discrete Mathematics with Applications,
Susanna S. Epp, 4th Ed.

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