Algorithm Math & Complexity

Summation

Summation notation compactly represents the addition of a sequence of terms.

Meaning

What Is Summation?

Summation notation compactly represents the addition of a sequence of terms.

Summation notation compactly represents the addition of a sequence of terms.

Examples

Examples of Summation

1Σᵢ₌₁⁴ i = 1+2+3+4 = 10.
Understand

Formula and Key Points

Formula / rule
Σ aᵢ
  • Know the definition and standard notation for Summation.
  • Be able to recognise or compute summation in a small example.
  • Connect the concept to nearby topics in the same subject before using it in larger CSE problems.
CSE Connection

Why This Matters in Computer Science

Used to reason about running time, memory use, recursion, loop counts and the scalability of algorithms.

FAQ

Summation: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Summation?

Summation notation compactly represents the addition of a sequence of terms.

Why is Summation useful in computer science?

Used to reason about running time, memory use, recursion, loop counts and the scalability of algorithms.