Objectives

1. Understand the difference between a

finite and infinite series.
2. Write and evaluate an arithmetic series.
 Understand the difference between Finite and Infinite
Series
Series: The sum of the terms of a sequence.

Finite Sequences & Series: Can be counted and totaled (has an end).

Infinite Sequences & Series: Cannot be counted and totaled

(does not have an end).

Finite Sequence Finite Series

6, 9, 12, 15, 18 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18

Infinite Sequence Infinite Series

3, 7, 11, 15, . . . 3 + 7 + 11 + 15 . . .
Example 1: Writing & Evaluating a Series

Use the finite sequence 2, 11, 20, 29, 38, 47.

Write the related series, and then evaluate.

Related Series: 2 + 11 + 20 + 29 + 38 + 47 = 147

Example 1: Practice
1. 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3 21 + 18 + 15 + 12 + 9 + 6 + 3; 84

2. 100, 99, 98, . . ., 95 100 + 99 + 98 + 97 + 96 + 95; 585

3. 17.3, 19.6, 21.9, 24.2, 26.5 17.3 + 19.6 + 21.9 + 24.2 + 26.5; 109.5
 Arithmetic Series
A series whose terms form an arithmetic sequence.

When a sequence has many terms, or when you know only the 1st
and last terms of the sequence, you can use a formula to evaluate
the related series quickly.

Sum of a Finite Arithmetic Series

The sum Sn of a finite arithmetic series a1 + a2 + a3 + . . . an is

n
S n  (a1  an )
2
where a1 is the 1st term, an is the nth term, & n is the # of terms.
Example 2: Evaluating an Arithmetic Series

Use the formula to evaluate the series related to the

following sequence: 5, 7, 9, 11, 13

n
S n  (a1  an )
2
5
= (5 + 13)
2

= 2.5(18)

= 45
Example 2: Practice

Each sequence has 8 terms. Evaluate each related

series.

1 3 5 15
4. , , , ... , 32
2 2 2 2

5. 5, 13, 21, . . . , 61 264

6. 1,765, 1,414, 1,063, . . . , -692 4,292

 Objectives
1. Discover the sum of the terms of an
arithmetic series.
2. Interpret summation notation and be
able to rewrite as a series.
 Using Summation Notation

You can use the summation symbol  to write a series.

Then you can use limits to indicate how many terms you are
adding.
Limits are the least and greatest integral value of n.

upper limit,
3


greatest value of n.
explicit formula for
(5n + 1) the sequence
n=1

lower limit,
least value of n.
Example 3: Writing a Series in Summation Notation

Use summation notation to write the series

3 + 6 + 9 + . . . for 33 items.

1•3=3
The explicit formula for the
2•3=6 3n
sequence is ____.
3•3=9
33

 3n
The lower limit is ___.
1
3 + 6 + 9 + . . . + 99 =
1 33
The upper limit is ___.
Example 3: Practice

Use summation notation to write each arithmetic series

for the specified number of terms.

4
13. 2 + 4 + 6 + . . . ; n = 4  2n
n=1

7
15. 5 + 6 + 7 + . . . ; n = 7  (n + 4)
n=1

15
17. 7 + 14 + 21 + . . . ; n = 15 
n=1
7n
Example 4: Finding the Sum of a Series
3 To expand a series from
Use the series  (5n + 1). summation notation,
substitute each value of
n=1
n into the explicit
a. Find the number of terms in the series. formula and add the
Since the values of n are 1, 2, & 3, results.
there are ___
3 terms.

b. Find the first and last terms of the series.

Term #1 = (5n + 1) = 5(1) + 1 = 6
Term #3 = (5n + 1) = 5(3) + 1 = 16

c. Evaluate the series.

3
 (5n + 1) = 5(1) + 1 + 5(2) + 1 + 5(3) + 1
n=1 = 6+ 11 + 16
= 33
Example 4: Practice
For each sum, find the number of terms, the first term,
and the last term. Then evaluate the series.

5
19.  (2n - 1) 5, 1, 9; 25
n=1

8
21.  (7 - n) 6, 4, -1; 9
n=3

10

4n 8 40
23. 9, , ; 72
3 3 3
n=2
Example 5: Real-World Application
If Mary goes to the prom with Brian, he will be able to practice what
he learned about sequences and series in Alg. 2 class.

4 hours
The price
of the
Questions
of fun tickets
1. Is this series arithmetic,
geometric, or neither?
1 + 4 + 16 + 64 + 256. geometric

2. Kayla, will you go to the

1 date 16 How many
prom with Bobby?
cups times Bobby
of fruit tried to ask
punch her but
chickened out.
?