Summation is the addition of a set of numbers; the result is their sum or total. An interim or present total of a summation process is termed the running total. The "numbers" to be summed may be natural numbers, complex numbers, matrices, or still more complicated objects. An infinite sum is a subtle procedure known as a series. Note that the term summation has a special meaning in the context of divergent series related to extrapolation.
- WikipediaSummations are often used in the process of reducing complex equations in to smaller factors that can be more easily manipulated for operations in calculus and other mathematical methods.
Webmaster:
Kirt Blattenberger, BSEE, UVM 1989
