Can someone please help me with this problem....
Evaluate the summation

Question

Can someone please help me with this problem....
Evaluate the summation

anonymous · Answer

$$\sum_{i=0}^{3}3^i$$

tkhunny · Answer

1) There are only four terms.  Just add them up.
2) It's geometric.  There are ways to add up such things.

How shall we proceed?

anonymous · Answer

1 I gues I am really confused

anonymous · Answer

would the answer be 4

tkhunny · Answer

Do you understand the notation?  The expression $3^{i}$ is to be evaluated for the values i = 0, i = 1, i = 2, and i = 3.

tkhunny · Answer

If the top number were "1", the correct answer would be 4.

anonymous · Answer

ok

anonymous · Answer

ok so then how so I find the answer

anonymous · Answer

@tkhunny can you help me please

tkhunny · Answer

Substitute the four values.

$3^{0} + 3^{1} + 3^{2} + 3^{3}$

That's it.

This is a VERY useful notation, but this is not an example of how useful it is.  We're just trying to get used to it.