11. When asked to find the sum of, or to evaluate, a series, would you rather it be written in sigma or expanded notation? Is one notation better than the other when the series is very long? Suppose the series is infinite. Explain your answers.

Question

11.	When asked to find the sum of, or to evaluate, a series, would you rather it be written in sigma or expanded notation? Is one notation better than the other when the series is very long? Suppose the series is infinite. Explain your answers.

anonymous · Answer

@SolomonZelman  is there a notation better than the other when the series is very long

anonymous · Answer

@SolomonZelman wouldn't we use sigma when it becomes very long

solomonzelman · Answer

Sigma in stead of what ?

anonymous · Answer

than expanded notation

solomonzelman · Answer

Sigma, is not a notation to write all the terms of the series. It's a notation to write the sum of the series.

solomonzelman · Answer

If the series is infinite you would certainly use sigma. The longer the series is, the better (in terms of being comfortable) to use sigma notation, and the shorter it is the worse it is (like if you have 2,3,4 - just 3 terms, you wouldn't really use sigma? would you? you would just write it out "2,3,4"   )

anonymous · Answer

@SolomonZelman 12.	Would you change your answer to the above question if there were a shortcut method for evaluating the sum of a series, rather than adding all the terms?