Series

Is there a quicker way to add 1 + 2 + 3 +

4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 without actually
adding each number?
Yes, there is.
In this lesson, we will find the sum of the
terms of the sequence. The sum is called
a series.
 Series
A series is the indicated sum of the terms of the sequence. A series can be
denoted by Sn, where n refers to the numbers of terms. If a sequence is finite, its
corresponding series is a finite series.
The series
S1 = 0 (1 Term)
7
S2 = 0 + (2 Terms)
2
7 26
S3 = 0 + + (3 Terms)
2 3
7 26 63
S4 = 0 + + + (4 Terms)
2 3 4
7 26 63 124
S5 = 0 + + + + (5 Terms)
2 3 4 5
are finite series, The value of n for finite series restricts the number of terms.
With no restrictions are imposed on such as
7 26 63 124
Sn = 0 + + + + +…
2 3 4 5
The series is said to be infinite. The ellipsis (…) indicates that other terms of
the series follow but are omitted for convenience of writing. The simplified
sum of a series for a specific value of n is called the value of the series.
Example 1. Find the indicated value of each series.
a. 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + …S9
1 1 1
b. (- ) + (- ) + (- ) + (-1) +…S7
8 4 2
Solution
a. S9 = 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + 17 = 81
1 1 1 127
b. S7 = (- ) + (- ) + (- ) + (-1) + (-2) + (-3) + (-4) + (-8) = -
8 4 2 8
Summation Notation
The inconvenience of writing so many terms can be minimized using
the summation notation. It makes use of the symbol ∑, a Greek
alphabet equivalent to S, the first letter of the word sum.
If f(i) denotes some functional expression involving variable i, then
𝑛

෍ 𝑓 𝑖 = 𝑓 1 + 𝑓 2 + 𝑓 3 + ⋯ + 𝑓(𝑛)
𝑖=1
The lower limit i=1 indicates which number is to be substituted first
into the given expression, the upper limit n indicates which number is
to be substituted last.
 the series 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 can be written as,
3

෍(2𝑖 + 1)
𝑖=0
This expression is read as ‘’ the summation of 2i + 1 from i=0 to i=3’’ The variable i is called
the index of summation. The expression 2i + 1is the general rule, which indicates that each
term of the series is of this form.
Some Useful Formulas 𝑛
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
෍𝑖 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ⋯+ 𝑛 =
2
𝑛 𝑖=1
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(2𝑛 + 1)
෍ 𝑖2 = 12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + ⋯ + 𝑛2 =
6
𝑖=1 𝑛
𝑛(𝑛 + 1) 2
෍ 𝑖3 = 13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + ⋯+ 𝑛3 =[ ]
2
𝑛 𝑖=1
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(6𝑛 3 + 9𝑛2 + 𝑛 − 1)
෍ 𝑖 4 = 14 + 24 + 34 + 44 + ⋯ + 𝑛 4 =
30
𝑖=1
Example 2. Write each expanded form. Then, find its value.
a. σ5𝑖=1(−1)𝑖 2𝑖
b. σ5𝑖=3(1 − 2𝑖)2

Solution: Replace i consecutively with the integers starting with the value of the lower index up to
the value of the upper index.

a) σ5𝑖=1(−1)𝑖 2𝑖 = (-1)12(1) + (-1)22(2) + (-1)32(3) + (-1)42(4) + (-1)52(5)

= -2 + 4 + (-6) + 8 + (-10)
= -6

b) σ5𝑖=3(1 − 2𝑖)2 = [1 - 2(3)]2 + [1 - 2(4)]2 + [1 - 2(5)]2

= (1 - 6)2 + (1 - 8)2 + (1 - 10)2
= (-5)2 + (-7)2 + (-9)2
= 25 + 49 + 81
= 155
Example 3. Express each series in summation notation
a) 7 + 14 + 21 + 28 + 35

Solution: Note that the given series can be expressed as

= 7(1) + 7(2) + 7(3) + 7(4) + 7(5)
This indicates that each term of the series can be written in the𝟓form 7𝑖.The index i
starts from 1 to 5. Hence, the series, written in summation, is σ𝒊=𝟏 𝟕𝒊

b) 6 + 3 + 0 + (-3) + (-6) + (-9)

Solution: Note that the series can be expressed as

= - [-6 + (-3) + 0 + 3 + 6 + 9]
= - [3(-2) + 3(-1) + 3(0) + 3(1) + 3(2) + 3(3)]
Each term inside the grouping can be written in the form
𝟑
−3𝑖, where i starts from -2 to
3. Hence, the series written in summation notation, is σ−𝟐(−𝟑𝒊)
Example 4. Write the sum of numbers using
the sigma notation.
1 1 1 1 1
a. 1+ + + + +
2 4 8 16 32
1 1 1 1 1 1
= 0+ 1+ 2+ 3+ 4 +
2 2 2 2 2 25
5 1
= σ𝑖=0
2𝑖

3 5 7 9
b. 1+ + + +
4 9 16 25
1 1 1 1 1
= + 2+ 2+ 2+ 2
1 2 3 4 5
2𝑖−1
= σ5𝑖=1 2
𝑖
mcuer.blogspot.com
Example 5. Evaluate the indicated sums using
the properties of the summation notation.
a. σ10
𝑖=1 25 = (10) (25) = 250
b. σ5𝑖=1 −7𝑖 3 = -7[13 + 23 + 33 + 43 + 53]
= -7(1 + 8 + 27 + 64 + 125)
= -7(225)
= -1,575
c. σ7𝑗=1(4𝑗 + 3) = σ7𝑗=1 4𝑗 + σ7𝑗=1(3)
= 4(1) + 4(2) + 4(3) + 4(5) + 4(6) + 4(7) + 7(3)
= 4 + 8 + 12 + 20 + 24 + 28 + 21
= 133
Example 6. Write without summation notation:
5 𝑘−1
σ𝑘=1
𝑘

Solution

5 𝑘−1 𝟏−𝟏 𝟐−𝟏 𝟑−𝟏 𝟒−𝟏 𝟓−𝟏

σ𝑘=1 = + + + +
𝑘 𝟏 𝟐 𝟑 𝟒 𝟓

1 2 3 4
= 0+ + + +
2 3 4 5
SUM OF AN ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE

We recall the nth term of a finite arithmetic sequence

an = a1 + (n – 1)d for n ≥ 𝟏

The Sum of a finite Arithmetic Sequence is

𝒏
𝑺𝒏 = σ𝒏𝒊=𝟏 𝒂𝟏 = [𝒂𝟏 + 𝒏 − 𝟏 𝒅]
𝟐

𝒏
𝑺𝒏 = (𝒂𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏 )
𝟐
Example 7. Find the sum 1 + 2 + 3 +…+ 9 + 10
Solution
Note that 1, 2, 3, …9, 10 is an arithmetic sequence where the common
difference d = 1. Therefore , 10th partial sum is
a1 = 1 a10 = 10 n = 10
𝒏
𝑺𝒏 = (𝒂𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏 )
𝟐
10
S10 = (1 + 10)
2
S10 = 5(11)
S10 = 55
Example 8. Given the arithmetic series 3 + 7 + 11 + …
a. Write the first 12 terms of the series in summation notation.
b. Find S12
Solution
a. We can see the common difference is d = 4. Since the nth term of the
arithmetic sequence is an = a1 + (n – 1)d
an = 3 + (n – 1)4
an = 3 + 4n – 4
an = 4n – 1
The first 12 terms of the series in summation notation is Sn = σ12
1 (4𝑛 − 1)
𝒏
b. We use the formula for Sn to find S12, 𝑺𝒏 = (𝒂𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏 )
𝟐
12
𝑆12 = [3+(4n-1)] = 6 [3 + 4(12) – 1] = 6(3 + 48 – 1) = 6(50)
2
S12 = 300
Sources:
Next Century Mathematics PRECALCULUS by
Fernando B. Orines
Math Activated: Engage Yourself and Our
World, PRECALCULUS
Precalculus, Soaring 21st Century Mathematics