1

Looking At Telescoping Sums

by Titu Andreescu
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Sums as
n n
∑ [F(k) - F(k - 1)] or ∑ai + 1 - ai 
k=1
i=1
are called "telescopic " or "collapsing " sums, because most of the terms cancel out.
For instance, if n = 19,
19
∑ [F(k) - F(k - 1)] = F(1) - F(0) + F(2) - F(1) + F(3) - F(2) + ... + F(19) - F(18) = F(19) -
k=1
F(0),
because F(1) and -F(1), F(2) and -F(2), . . . , F(18) and -F(18) cancel out, and for n = 92
92
∑  a - a  = a - a + a - a + a - a + . . . + a - a = a - a ,
i +1 i 2 1 3 2 4 3 93 92 93 1

k=1
because a and -a , a and -a , . . . , a and -a collapse.
2 2 3 3 92 92

The Telescoping Sums Theorem (or Fundamental Theorem of Summation)

states that:

n
∑ [F(k) - F(k - 1)] = F(n) - F(0)
k=1
or, respectively,
n
∑ ai + 1 - ai = an + 1 - a
1
.

i=1

By choosing F(k) or a appropriately one can compute several important sums.

i
n
For example, let's take into consideration: ∑ k .
k=1
 2

Using the identity k2 - (k - 1)2 = 2k - 1 and the Telescoping Sums Theorem for F(k) = k2
n n n n
we get: n2 - 02 = ∑ [k2 - (k - 1)2] = ∑ (2k - 1) = 2 ∑ k - ∑ 1 ,
k=1 k=1 k=1 k=1
whence
n
n
2 ∑ k - n = n2 , i.e. ∑ k=
n(n + 1)
2
(1)
k=1
k=1
Similarly, using the identity (i + 1)3 - i 3 = 3i 2 + 3i + 1 and the Telescoping Sums
Theorem for a = i 3 we obtain:
i
n

∑
n
(n + 1)3 - 1 = [(i + 1)3 - i 3] = ∑ (3i 2 + 3i + 1) =
i=1

i=1
n n n n
3n(n + 1)
3 ∑i 2 +3
∑i + ∑ 1
(1)
3 ∑i2 + 2
+n,
i=1 i=1 i=1 i=1
whence
n
3 ∑ i 2 = (n + 1)3 - 1 - 3n(n2 + 1) - n = (n + 1)3 -
3n(n+1)
2 - (n + 1) =
i=1
 3n  2n2 + n
(n + 1)  (n + 1)2 - 2 - 1 = (n + 1) 2

n
n(n + 1)(2n + 1)
i.e. ∑i2 = 6
i=1

n
In many situations where we are asked to evaluate ∑ bk , we will try to express
k=1
b as a - a in order to apply the Telescoping Sums Theorem. This will give us:
k k+1 k

n n
∑ b
k
= ∑ak + 1 - ak = a
n+1
- a .
1

k=1 k=1
 3

n
For example one can compute ∑ k!•k by writing b = k! • k as k!•(k + 1 - 1) =
k
k=1
k!•(k + 1) - k! = (k + 1)! - k! = a - a where a = k!. Hence
k+ 1 k k

n n
∑ k!•k = ∑ [(k + 1)! - k!] = (n + 1)! - 1 .
k=1 k=1
n n n
In the same way
∑ 4k2 - 1
1
=
∑ 1
(2k - 1)(2k + 1)
= ∑ 1
2 •
(2k + 1) - (2k - 1)
(2k - 1)(2k + 1)
k=1 k=1
k=1
n n n
1
=2
∑  1 - 1  =-1
 2k - 1 2k + 1 2 ∑  1 - 1  =-1
 2k + 1 2k - 1 2 ∑ ak + 1 - ak
k=1 k=1 k=1
1 1 
= - 2  a - a  by the Telescoping Sums Theorem  here a =
n+1 1 k 2k - 1
n
Therefore,
∑ 1
2
4k - 1
1  1  n
= - 2  2n + 1 - 1 = 2n + 1

k=1

More generally, if x , x , . . . , x is an arithmetical sequence, we may compute in a

1 2 n
n

∑
1
similar way: x x
k k+1

k=1
Let d be the common difference. Then x - x = d, k = 1, 2, . . . , n - 1, so:
k+1 k
n

∑
n n n
-x

∑ ∑ ∑
x
1 1 d 1 k +1 k 1 1 - 1 
x x
=
d •x x
=d
x x
=d x 
k k+1 k k+1 k k+1  k xk + 1
k=1
k=1 k=1
k=1
n
- x

∑
x
-
+ x 
1
+ x  = d • x x
1 1 1 1 1 1 n+1 1
 x d  - x
= d
 k +1 k n +1 1 1 n+1

k=1
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x + nd - x
1 1 1 1 nd n
=d • = d •x x =x x
x x
1 n+1 1 n+1 1 n+1

For x = 2k - 1 we find the previous result:

k
n

∑ 1
(2k - 1)(2k + 1)
n
= 1• (1 + 2 • n)

k=1

1
(*) We applied the Telescoping Sums Theorem for F(k) = - x
k+1
For an arithmetical sequence x , x , . . . , x , the sum
1 2 n

∑
1
x x x
k k+1 k+2

k=1

can also be computed by using the Telescoping Sums Theorem .

If d is the common difference, then

x - x = 2d, k = 1, 2, . . . , n,
k+2 k

so

x -x
 1
- x x  ,
1 1 2d 1 k+2 k 1 1
x x x
= 2d •
x x x
= 2d •
x x x
= 2d • x x
k k+1 k+2 k k+1 k+2 k k+1 k+2  k k+1 k+1 k+2 

therefore

n n

∑ ∑ - -  - x x  
1 1 1 1
x x x
= 2d •  x x
k k+1 k+2  k+1 k+2  k k+1  

k=1 k=1

1  + x x  =
1 1
• -
2d x x
 n+1 n+2 1 2
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-x x +x x - x  x + d +  x + nd  x + (n+1)d
1 1 2 n+1 n+2 1 1 1   1  1 
• = 2d • =
2d x x x x x x x x
1 2 n+1 n+2 1 2 n+1 n+2

2nx d + n(n+1)d2 n 2x + (n+1)d x +x

1 1 1  1  n  1 n+2  n 1 1 
2d
•
x x x x =2 •
x x x x
= 2  x x x x  = 2x x x + x 
1 2 n+1 n+2 1 2 n+1 n+2  1 2 n+1 n+2 2 n+1  1 n+2

1
(**) We applied the Telescoping Sums Theorem for F(k) = - x x .
k k+1
Using the Telescoping Sums Theorem one can solve more intricate problems as:

1 1 1 cos 1˚
Prove: cos0˚cos1˚ + cos1˚cos2˚ + . . . + cos 88˚cos89˚ = sin21˚
(21st United States of America Mathematical Olympiad)

Indeed, multiplying the relation above the sin 1˚ we get:

sin 1˚ sin 1˚ sin 1˚ cos 1˚

+ cos 1˚cos 2˚ + . . . + cos 88˚ cos 89˚ = sin 1˚
cos 0˚cos 1˚
or
sin (1˚- 0˚) sin (2˚- 1˚) sin (89˚- 88˚)
cos 1˚ cos 0˚ + cos 2˚ cos 1˚ + . . . + cos 89˚ cos 88˚ = cot 1˚

i.e.
89

∑ sin [k° - (k - 1)°]

cos k° cos (k - 1)°
= tan 89˚

k=1
which by the identity:

sin(a - b)
cos a cos b = tan a - tan b
is
89
∑ [tan k˚ - tan(k - 1)˚] = tan 89˚ - tan 0˚
k=1

i.e Telescopic Sums Theorem for F(k) = tan k˚ and n = 89.

In conclusion, I invite the readers to compute the following sums:
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n n n
a) ∑ k3 , ∑ k4 , ∑ k5 .
k=1 k=1 k=1

n
b) ∑ k!•(k2 + k + 1) .
k=1

∑
1
c) x x x x
where x , x , . . . , x is an arithmetical sequence.
1 2 n
k k+1 k+2 k+3

k=1
1 + 1 + ...+ 1
d) sin 1˚ sin 2˚ sin 2˚ sin 3˚ sin 178˚ sin 179˚ . ✍