Calculate the sum of consecutive positive integers using the elegant Gauss summation formula. Features step-by-step calculation breakdown, visual pairing diagrams, and educational insights into arithmetic sequences.
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Welcome to the Sum of Positive Integers Calculator, an elegant tool that computes the sum of consecutive positive integers using the famous Gauss summation formula. Whether you need to find the sum of the first n natural numbers or calculate the sum of any range of consecutive integers, this calculator provides instant results with step-by-step mathematical explanations and visual representations.
The sum of consecutive positive integers can be calculated instantly using formulas discovered by the legendary mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. These formulas transform what could be tedious addition into elegant multiplication.
This can also be written as:
Legend has it that when Carl Friedrich Gauss was just a schoolboy, his teacher asked the class to sum all numbers from 1 to 100, expecting it to keep them busy. Young Gauss immediately wrote down 5050 by recognizing that pairing numbers from opposite ends (1+100, 2+99, 3+98...) each summed to 101, and there were 50 such pairs.
— Carl Friedrich Gauss, circa 1786
Consider summing 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5:
Each pair sums to (n + 1). With n/2 pairs, the total is n(n+1)/2 = 5×6/2 = 15.
Write the sum twice, forward and backward:
S = 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n
S = n + (n-1) + (n-2) + ... + 1
Adding both equations: 2S = (n+1) + (n+1) + ... = n(n+1)
Therefore: S = n(n+1)/2
Calculate loop iterations, array indexing, and algorithmic complexity. The sum formula helps analyze time complexity of nested loops.
Compute total distance traveled under uniform acceleration, or sum discrete energy levels in quantum systems.
Calculate cumulative payments, compound interest patterns, and arithmetic growth series in financial modeling.
Count handshakes in a group, edges in complete graphs, or triangular numbers in mathematical sequences.
The sum of the first n positive integers produces triangular numbers: 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28... These numbers represent objects that can be arranged in equilateral triangles.
Consecutive integers form an arithmetic sequence with common difference d = 1. The general sum formula for arithmetic sequences is S = n(a₁ + aₙ)/2, which simplifies to our formula when d = 1.
In mathematical notation, the sum of integers from 1 to n is written as:
The sum of the first n positive integers (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n) equals n(n+1)/2. This elegant formula, attributed to mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, allows instant calculation without adding each number individually. For example, the sum of 1 to 100 is 100 × 101 / 2 = 5050.
To find the sum of consecutive integers from n₁ to n₂, use the formula: n₂(n₂+1)/2 - (n₁-1)n₁/2. Alternatively, calculate (n₂ - n₁ + 1) × (n₁ + n₂) / 2, which multiplies the count of numbers by their average.
The formula n(n+1)/2 is famously attributed to Carl Friedrich Gauss, who reportedly discovered it as a schoolchild. When asked to sum 1 to 100, young Gauss paired numbers (1+100, 2+99, etc.) recognizing each pair sums to 101, with 50 such pairs yielding 5050.
An arithmetic sequence is a series of numbers where each term differs from the previous by a constant value called the common difference. For consecutive positive integers, this difference is 1. The sum formula works because consecutive integers form a perfect arithmetic sequence.
Summing consecutive integers has applications in computer science (array indexing, loop calculations), physics (calculating total distance with uniform acceleration), finance (compound growth patterns), combinatorics (counting arrangements), and everyday situations like totaling numbered items or calculating cumulative scores.
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by miniwebtool team. Updated: Jan 13, 2026
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