Mathematics Support Centre,Coventry University, 2001

MATHEMATICS
SUPPORT CENTRE



Title: Sigma Notation

Target: On completion of this worksheet you should understand what is meant by
sigma notation and be able to evaluate simple expressions written in sigma notation.



































A24
It would be useful to have a short hand way of
writing such expressions as 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8
We can use the symbol (sigma) which means sum
of. We write
36 so 8 to 1 from lues integer va takes
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
8
1
8
1
=
= + + + + + + +

=
=
r
r
r r
r


Exercise
Evaluate the following:



= =
= =
= =
+ + +
+
4
1
6
2
2
1
4
0
4 5
1
7
3
14
11
2
) 2 )( 1 ( . 6 ) 3 ( . 5
2
. 4 3 . 2
) 2 ( . 2 . 1
k r
k i
n r
k k r r
k
i
n n r


(Answers: 630, 185, 45, 177, 75, 68) Exercise
Evaluate the following:


= =
= =
11
5
3
0
7
2
4
1
. 4 . 3
. 2 . 1
k i
r r
k i
r r

(Answers: 10, 27, 6, 56)
The expression after the can more complicated
than just one letter.
Examples
20
3 4 2 3 1 2
) 1 4 ( 4 ) 1 3 ( 3 ) 1 2 ( 2 ) 1 ( . 2
30 4 3 2 1 . 1
4
2
2 2 2 2
4
1
2
=
+ + =
+ + =
= + + + =

=
=
k
r
k k
r
235
127 66 29 10 3
) 2 5 ( ) 2 4 (
) 2 3 ( ) 2 2 ( ) 2 1 ( ) 2 ( . 3
3 3
3 3 3
5
1
3
=
+ + + + =
+ + +
+ + + + + + = +

= r
r

This notation can be used in general cases:
4 4 4 4 4
1
4
4 3 2 1 n r
n
r
+ + + + + =

=

Examples
Write down the first 3 terms and the last term
of the following series:
+ + + =
+ + + =
+ + + =

=
) 4 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 (
) 1 ( 4 ) 2 ( 3 ) 3 ( 2
) 5 4 ( 4 ) 5 3 ( 3 ) 5 2 ( 2 ) 5 ( . 1
2
n
r
r r
) 5 ( term last The = n n
n k
n
k
1
7
1
6
1
5
1 1
. 2
5
+ + + + =

=

1 3
2
2
1
0
1 1 2
2
1 1
1
1 0
0
1
. 3
0
+
+ + + + =
+
+ +
+
+
+
+
+
=
+

=
n
n
n
n
w
w
n
w


Note: The last term is always the same as the
general term but with a change of letter.
Mathematics Support Centre,Coventry University, 2001











Exercise
Write down the first 3 terms and the last term
of the following series:



= =
= =
= =

+ +
+
n
k
n
r
r k
n
r
n
k
n
k
n
r
r
r
r
k
k r r
1 1
2
2 1
6 3
2
) 1 ( . 6 ) 1 2 ( . 5
2
. 4
1
2
. 3
) 4 2 ( . 2 ) 1 ( . 1


Answers:
2
2
) 1 ( ) 9 ( 4 ) 1 ( . 6
) 1 2 ( 7 3 1 . 5
2 3
2
5
3
2
1
. 4
1
2
2
1
3
2
1 . 3
) 4 2 ( 20 18 16 . 2
) 1 ( 75 48 18 . 1
n
n
n
n
n
n n
n
n
+ + + +
+ + + +
+
+ + + +
+
+ + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + +

Note: In the this example the terms alternate
in sign depending on whether r is positive or
negative.
Further Examples
9 2 6 1 . 6
25 2 3 6 1 1 5 4 2 . 5
30 1 5 2 . 4
11 3 1 5 2 3.
: following the evaluate 2 and 6
1 , 4 , 3 , 1 , 5 , 2 If
. 2
. 1
4 3 2
3
1
1
4
1
2 2 2
3
1
2
4
1
4 3
2 1 4 3 2 1
4 3 2 1
1
3 2 1
3
1
= + + = + + =
= + + + =
= + + =
= + + + =
= =
= = = = = =
+ + + + + =
+ + =

=
+
=
=
=
=
=
y y y y
y x
x
x
y y
y y x x x x
y y y y y y
x x x x
i
i
k
k k
i
i
i
i
n
n
k
k
i
i


Exercise




= = =
=
+
=

= =
= =

= = = = =
= = =
4
1
2
1
4
1
3
3
1
1
4
2
1
2
1
2
4
2
4
1
4
1
4 3 2 1 4
3 2 1
. 8 ) 1 ( . 7
. 6 . 5
. 4 . 3
. 2 . 1
2 and 3 , 6 , 1 , 5
1 , 4 , 2 if following the Evaluate
i j
j
i
i i
i
i i
j
j j
k
k
i
i i
i
i
i
i
y x y
x x y x
y y x
y x
y y y y x
x x x

(Answers: 10, 8, 11, 37, 26, -1, 232, 70)