SERIES AND SIGMA NOTATION

Learning Objectives
1. illustrate a series
2. differentiate a series from a sequence
3. use sigma notation in representing series
 Sequences
an ordered collection of objects

f:N → R
1 → f(1)
2 → f(2)
3 → f(3)

a1 , a 2 , a 3 , … , a n
 Series
a1 + a2 + a3 + … + an

෍ 𝐚𝐤
𝐤=𝟏
 The following are example of finite series:
4

෍ k 2 = 12 + 22 + 32 + 42
k=1
6
1 1 1 1 1 1
෍ =1+ + + + +
k 2 3 4 5 6
k=1
2

෍ n− n+1 = 0− 1 + 1− 2 + 2− 3
n=0
Rewrite the given series in sigma notation:
1. 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10 + 12
𝟔

෍ 𝟐𝐧
𝐧=𝟏

1 1 1 1 1
2. − + − +
4 7 10 13 16
(−𝟏)𝐧−𝟏
෍
𝟑𝐧 + 𝟏
𝐧=𝟏𝟓
 Evaluate the following sum
24
1 1
෍ −
k=1
k k+1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
− + − + − +…+ −
1 2 2 3 3 4 24 25
11
= −
1 25
1
=1 −
5
𝟒
=
𝟓