You can put this solution on YOUR website! First do a shorter sequence to get the
right method. First find the sum of
0 to 10
( I did it on my calculator )
This is
How about
This is
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So, the formula is:
The sum of the numbers from 1 to n =
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You don't need a formula.
Suppose the sum = N, then
N = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ··· + 9996 + 9997 + 9998 + 9999
N also equals that same sum with the numbers added in the reverse order:
N = 9999 + 9998 + 9997 + 9996 + ··· + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1
Now let's write those two equations one under the other, and add equals
to equals term by term:
N = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ··· + 9996 + 9997 + 9998 + 9999
N = 9999 + 9998 + 9997 + 9996 + ··· + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1
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2N = 10000 + 10000 + 10000 + 10000 + ··· + 10000 + 10000 + 10000 + 10000
Since we know there are 9999 terms on the right, that sum on the right is
9999 times 10000 or 99990000, so that equation bercomes
2N = 99990000
Dividing both sides by 2
N = 49995000
Edwin