Sigma notation Express the following sums using sigma notation. (Answers are not unique.)
(c) 1² + 2² + 3² + 4²

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the pattern in the given sum: The terms are squares of consecutive integers starting from 1 up to 4. This suggests the general term is n², where n represents the integer.
2. Determine the range of the index variable: The integers in the sum start at 1 and end at 4. Therefore, the index variable n will range from 1 to 4.
3. Write the sum in sigma notation: Use the summation symbol (∑) to represent the sum. The general term n² will be placed after the summation symbol, and the limits of summation will be specified as n = 1 to n = 4.
4. Combine the elements: The sigma notation for the sum is $\sum n_1{n}^2$, where n starts at 1 and ends at 4.
5. Verify the representation: Ensure that the sigma notation correctly represents the original sum by expanding the terms and confirming they match 1² + 2² + 3² + 4².

Key Concepts

Sigma Notation

Sigma notation is a concise way to represent the sum of a sequence of terms. It uses the Greek letter sigma (Σ) to indicate summation, followed by an expression that defines the terms to be summed. The notation typically includes an index of summation, which specifies the starting and ending values for the variable that represents the terms.

Index of Summation

The index of summation is a variable used in sigma notation to denote the position of each term in the sequence being summed. It usually starts at a specified lower limit and increments by one until it reaches an upper limit. For example, in the sum Σ from i=1 to n, 'i' is the index that takes on values from 1 to n, allowing for the systematic addition of terms.

Summation of Squares

The summation of squares refers to the process of adding the squares of a sequence of integers. In the context of the given question, the sum 1² + 2² + 3² + 4² can be expressed in sigma notation as Σ from i=1 to 4 of i². This concept is important in various mathematical applications, including statistics and algebra, where the properties of squared terms are frequently utilized.