Sigma Notation

Study Guide
By: Veron,Olvis,Domingo and Ortiz

Writing and Evaluating Sums in Sigma Notation

SERIES
- sum of the terms of a sequence
can be expressed in sigma notation (aka summation notation)
○ represented by Σ (Greek letter Sigma)

PARTS OF THE SIGMA NOTATION

1. Upper limit
- located above Sigma
2. Index of summation
- located below Sigma on the left
- usually denoted by (x)but any variable will do
3. Lower limit
- paired with the index and is located below Sigma rightward
4. General term
- located at the right of Sigma

How to read a sigma notation

-The sum of (General Term) as (Index of Summation) goes from (Lower Limit) to (Upper Limit)

Solving Sigma Notation

=2(1)+2(2)+2(3)+2(4)
=2+4+6+8
=20

Other Examples:

=[2(1)+3]+[2(2)+3]=[2(3)=3]=[2(4)+3]
=(2+3)+(4+3)+(6+3)+(8+3)
=5+7+9+11
=32

=[1+13(1)]+[2+13(2)]+[3+13(3)]+[4+13(4)]
=13+12+49+512
=24+18+16+1536
=6736

=[3(1)2]+[3(2)2]+[3(3)2]+[3(4)2]+[3(5)2]
=3+12+27+48+75
=165
100

Σ (-1)ᵏ= -1+1-1+....+1 => 0

n=1
● - the sum of the sequence aₖ = (-1)ᵏ where k is an even number is always equal to zero

To write the sums in sigma notation, we need to identify the lower and upper limits and the
general
term from the given series.

Writing Arithmetic/Geometric Series to Sigma

4+7+10+13+16+19+22
 ● We know that 7 - 4 = 3 and 10 - 7 = 3 , which means the variable used in this sequence
is 3 but we have to add it by 1 in order to achieve the exact sequence shown

(-81)+(-76)+(-71)+(-66)+(-61)
● The variable is multiplied by 5, but will also have to be subtracted by 86 in order to obtain
the first term (-81)

4+(-8)+12+(-16)+20
● This is a geometric sequence, which means we are going to apply the geometric formula
a₁rⁿ⁻¹ to our general term.

2+8+18+32+50+72

2 3 4 5
3
+4+5+6
● For this sequence we are going to separate the numerator and denominator and add 1 to the
variable of the numerator and 2 to the variable of the denominator.

Properties of Sigma Notation

Sum of 1

● The sum of 1 is equal to the upper limit

● Example: The sum of 1 as goes from 1 to 8
● Answer:8
Sum of a Constant c
 ● The sum of a constant is equal to the product of itself and the upper limit
● Example: The sum of 3 as goes from 1 to 10
● Answer: cn = 3(10) => 30
Sum of k

● You can use cancellation methods as there is always at least one factor in the numerator that is
divisible by 2
● Example: The sum of as goes from 1 to 8
● Answer: ⁿ⁽ⁿ⁺¹⁾⁄₂ =>⁸⁽⁸⁺¹⁾⁄₂ =>4(9)=>36
Sum of k²

● Similar to Property 3, you can use cancellation methods as there is always at least one factor in
the numerator that is divisible either directly by 6 or by 2 or 3 separately
● Example: The sum of as goes from 1 to 6
● Answer:
⁶⁽⁶⁺¹⁾⁽¹²⁺¹⁾⁄₆ =>⁶⁽⁷⁾⁽¹³⁾⁄₆=>(7)(13)=>91
Sum of k³

=>(Σ )² k
k=1
● The sum of is equal to the square of the sum of
● Example: The sum of as goes from 1 to 6
● Answer:
● Σk=⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾⁄₂=(5)(3)=15
● Σk³=15³=>225

Constant Property
 ● The sum of caₖ is equal to the product of c and the sum of aₖ
● Example: The sum of as goes from 1 to 4
● Answer:
▪ Σk=7
4(7)=28
Addition and Subtraction Property

● The sum of can be treated as the sum of the separate summations of and ;
● the vice versa is also the case for the difference
● Example 1: The sum of 2+k as k goes from 1 to 3
● Answer:
Σ(2)=2(3)=>6
Σk=³⁽⁴⁾⁄₂=>3(2)=>6
6+6=12
● Example 2: The sum of k - 2 as k goes from 1 to 4
Σ(1)=4
Σk=⁴⁽⁵⁾⁄₂=> 2(5)=> 10
10 - 4 = 6

Evaluate sigma notation using applicable properties.

1.)

2.)
3.)

4.)
=2(3)
=6

5.)
=5(5)
=25

6.)
=25(30)
=750

7.)
5(5+1)
= 2
5(6)
= 2
30
= 2
=15

8.)
9(9+1)
= 2
9(10)
= 2
90
= 2
=45
9.)
20(20+1)
= 2
20(21)
= 2
420
= 2
=210

10.)
3(3+1)[2(3)+1]
= 6
3(4)(7)
= 6
84
= 6
=14

11.)
7(7+1)[2(7)+1]
= 6
7(8)(15)
= 6
840
= 6
=140

12.)
13(13+1)[2(13)+1]
= 6
13(14)(27)
= 6
4914
= 6
=819

13.)
5(5+1) 2
=[ 2
]
 5(6) 2
=[ 2
]
30 2
=[ 2
]
2
=15
=225

14.)
5(5+1) 2
=[ 2
]
5(6) 2
=[ 2
]
30 2
=[ 2
]
2
=15
=225

15.)
30(30+1) 2
=[ 2
]
30(31) 2
=[ 2
]
930 2
=[ 2
]
2
=465
=216225

16.)
6(6+1)
=6⎡ 2 ⎤
⎣ ⎦
6(7)
=6⎡ 2 ⎤
⎣ ⎦
42
=6⎡ 2 ⎤
⎣ ⎦
=6(21)
=126

17.)
10(10+1)[2(10)+1]
=2⎡ ⎤
⎣ 6 ⎦
 10(11)(21)
=2⎡ ⎤
⎣ 6 ⎦
2310
=2⎡ 6 ⎤
⎣ ⎦
=2(385)
=770

18.)
3(3+1) 2
=3[ 2
]
3(4) 2
=3[ 2
]
12 2
=3[ 2
]
2
=3[6]
=3(36)
=108

19.)
8(8+1)
=[ 2
]+8(3)
8(9)
=[ 2
]+24
72
=[ 2
]+24
=36+24
=60

20.)
5(5+1)[2(5)+1] 5(5+1)
=[ 6
]+[ 2 ]
5(6)(11) 5(6)
=[ 6 ]+[ 2 ]
330 30
=[ 6 ]+[ 2 ]
=55+15
=70

21.)
3(3+1) 3(3+1)
=2[ 2
]+[ 2 ]
3(4) 3(4)
=2[ 2
]+[ 2 ]
 12 12
=2[ 2
]+[ 2
]
=2(6)+(6)
=12+6
=18

22.)
4(4+1)[2(4)+1]
=2[ 6
]-4(3)
4(5)(9)
=2[ 6
]-12
180
=2[ 6
]-12
=2(30)-12
=48

23.)

7(7+1) 7(7+1)
=2⎡ 2 ⎤-3⎡ 2 ⎤
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
7(8) 7(8)
=2⎡ 2 ⎤-3⎡ 2 ⎤
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
56 56
=2⎡ 2 ⎤-3⎡ 2 ⎤
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
=2(28)-3(28)
=56-84
=-28

24.)
2
=[ 5(5+1)
2
] -[
5(5+1)[2(5)+1]
6
]
2
=[ 5(6)
2
] -[
5(6)(11)]
6
]
2
=[ 30
2
330
] -[ 6 ]
2
=(15 )-55
=225-55
=170

Terms to Remember

When dealing with sigma notation, there are several key terms to remember that would help on effectively
solving sigma notations:
1. Summation (Σ): The Greek letter sigma (Σ) represents the sum of a series of terms.

2. Lower and Upper Limit: The bounds specify the range of values over which the summation is
performed. These are typically represented as \( N = a \) to \( N = b \), where \( a \) is the lower bound and
\( b \) is the upper bound.

3. Index Variable: The variable (often denoted as \( i \)) that iterates over the range specified by the lower
and upper bounds.

4. Sum or Term: The expression being summed, typically represented as ( a_i ) or \( f(i) \), where \( i \) is
the index variable.

5. Function of Index: This describes the relationship between the index variable and the summand. It
specifies how each term changes as the index variable varies.

6. Constants: Any constants or coefficients involved in the summands.