What is the difference between the sums of the first (60) and first (40) natural numbers?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: \(1010\)
The sum of the first \(n\) natural numbers is \(S_n=\frac{n(n+1)}{2}\). Thus, \(S_{60}=\frac{60\times61}{2}=1830\) and \(S_{40}=\frac{40\times41}{2}=820\). Therefore, the difference is \(1830-820=1010\). It is also the sum of the numbers from \(41\) to \(60\); \(1000\) does not give the correct difference. Exam tip: the difference of two such sums can be found by adding the remaining consecutive terms directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
\(1010\)
Why is this the correct answer?
The sum of the first \(n\) natural numbers is \(S_n=\frac{n(n+1)}{2}\). Thus, \(S_{60}=\frac{60\times61}{2}=1830\) and \(S_{40}=\frac{40\times41}{2}=820\). Therefore, the difference is \(1830-820=1010\). It is also the sum of the numbers from \(41\) to \(60\); \(1000\) does not give the correct difference. Exam tip: the difference of two such sums can be found by adding the remaining consecutive terms directly.
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 9 Mathematics question. Chapter: Sequences and Progressions. Topic: Sum of first n natural numbers.
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