How do you simplify summation expressions?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around simplifying summation expressions, specifically focusing on the manipulation of summation indices and the transition between different ranges of summation. Participants are examining how to express sums in different forms and the reasoning behind these transformations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning how to transition from one summation index to another, particularly from \( r = k-1 \) to \( r = 1 \) and from \( p = 3 \) to \( p = 1 \). There are attempts to illustrate the reasoning through numerical examples and comparisons.

Discussion Status

Some participants are providing examples to clarify the reasoning behind the summation transformations, while others express confusion about specific steps. There is a mix of interpretations regarding the correctness of the second question, with some participants suggesting that it may be incorrect.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of homework guidelines, which may limit the information available for discussion. There is an ongoing examination of the assumptions made in the problem setup.

synkk
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I understand that they have done \displaystyle\sum_{r=k-1}^{2k} r =\sum_{r=1}^{2k}r - \sum_{r=1}^{k-1-1}r

But where did r = 1 come from as r = k-1 before is what I don't understand.

Also this question:

Show that \displaystyle\sum_{p=3}^{n}(4p+5) = (2n+11)(n-2)
\displaystyle4\sum_{p=1}^{n}p + 5\sum_{p=1}^{n}1 = ...

How do you go from p=3 to p=1
 
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synkk said:
s5enh3.png


I understand that they have done \displaystyle\sum_{r=k-1}^{2k} r =\sum_{r=1}^{2k}r - \sum_{r=1}^{k-1-1}r

But where did r = 1 come from as r = k-1 before is what I don't understand.

I'll break this down to simple numbers, but the same logic applies for your problem.

Lets say you are asked for the sum 3+4+5. Doing this in summation form, you could add the numbers from 1 to 2 i.e 1+2 and subtract it from the sum of 1 to 5, i.e 1+2+3+4+5, which gives you the same result.

Other way of seeing this is, say you are asked to find the sum S. You introduce another quantity Q such that you know the value of S+Q and Q. Subtracting these known values, you can find S.
 
Infinitum said:
I'll break this down to simple numbers, but the same logic applies for your problem.

Lets say you are asked for the sum 3+4+5. Doing this in summation form, you could add the numbers from 1 to 2 i.e 1+2 and subtract it from the sum of 1 to 5, i.e 1+2+3+4+5, which gives you the same result.

Other way of seeing this is, say you are asked to find the sum S. You introduce another quantity Q such that you know the value of S+Q and Q. Subtracting these known values, you can find S.

I can see how it applies to the first question, but not second going from p=3 to p=1 makes no sense to me.
 
synkk said:
I can see how it applies to the first question, but not second going from p=3 to p=1 makes no sense to me.

Well, the second question is wrong. Or you might not have read it properly.

That's why I didn't include it in my quote :-p
 
@ Infinitum, wait, really? Because Wolfram Alpha and I both got the provided answer...

@ synkk: \displaystyle \sum_{p=1}^{n} 4p + 5 = \displaystyle \sum_{p=1}^{2} 4p + 5 + \displaystyle \sum_{p=3}^{n} 4p+5
 
got it guys thanks
 
professordad said:
@ Infinitum, wait, really? Because Wolfram Alpha and I both got the provided answer...

The summation you are trying to prove is of course correct. What's wrong is...

\displaystyle\sum_{p=3}^{n}(4p+5) = \displaystyle4\sum_{p=1}^{n}p + 5\sum_{p=1}^{n}1
 

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