Top Ten Summation Formulas

Name Summation formula Constraints

n
!
n
(x + y)n = xnk y k
X
1. Binomial theorem integer n 0
k=0 k
!
k
x = (1 + x)
X
Binomial series |x| < 1 if 6=
k k
integer n 0.
n1 n
1r
ar k = a
X
2. Geometric sum r 6= 1
k=0
1r

a
ar k =
X
Geometric series |r| < 1
k=0
1r
X
3. Telescoping sum F (k) = F (b) F (a) integers a b
ak<b
Fundamental Theorem of summation calculus

k m+1 b

km =
X
4. Sum of powers integers a b
ak<b m + 1 a
See related formulas. integer m 6= 1
! ! !
X r s r+s
5. Vandermonde convolution = integer n
k k nk n
k
x
= ex
X
6. Exponential series complex x
k=0 k!

f (k) (a)
(x a)k = f (x)
X
7. Taylor series |x a| < R =
k=0 k!
a = 0: Maclaurin series !
radius of convergence
k
X f (a) k X x k
8. Newtons advancing x = f (a) = f (a + x) real a, x
k k! k k
difference formula f = polynomial
m
b Bk (k1) b
Z 
X X
9. Eulers summation f (k) = f (x) dx + f (x) integers a b
ak<b a k=1 k! a
m+1 b Bm (xx) (m)
formula +(1) f (x)dx integer m 1
R
a m!
X Z b
m = 1: trapezoidal rule: f (k) f (x) dx (1/2)[f (b) f (a)]
ak<b a
n n
(1)k1 Sk
[ X
10. Inclusion-exclusion P( Aj ) = events A1 , . . . , An
j=1 k=1
X k
\
Also true if P = # where Sk = P( Aji )
1j1 <<jk n i=1
 Other Contenders and Related Formulas

Name Summation formula Constraints

 !
a1 , . . . , am  X ak1 akm z k
Hypergeometric series F z =
b1 , . . . , bn 
k0 b1 bn k!
k k

n1 m
!
1 X m+1
km = Bk nm+1k
X
Sum of powers integer n 1
k=0 m + 1 k=0 k

n1
X
m nm+1
Thus k = + lower order terms
k=0 m+1

Formulas relating
factorial powers
and ordinary powers
( )
n n
xk
X
Stirling numbers of x = integer n 0
k
k
the second kind
" #
n n
xk
X
Stirling numbers of x = integer n 0
k
k
the first kind " #
n
xn = (1)nk xk
X
Stirling numbers of integer n 0
k
k
the first kind

n 01 2 3 4 5
Bernoulli numbers
Bn 1
1/2 1/6 0 1/30 0
n 6 7 8 9 10 11
B12 = 691/2730
Bn 1/42! 0 1/30 0 5/66 0
m
X m+1
Implicit recursion Bm = [m = 0]
j=0 j
z X zn
Generating function = B n
ez 1 n0 n!

!
m
Bk xmk
X
Bernoulli polynomial Bm (x) =
k k