# What is the formula of the summation of integers from i=0 to i=N? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:
Proof for formula for sum of sequence 1+2+3+…+n?

I have this sigma:$$\sum_{i=1}^{N}(i-1)$$

is it $$\frac{n^2-n}{2}\quad?$$

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## marked as duplicate by Hans Lundmark, Zev ChonolesOct 2 '11 at 19:39

sorry, I've wrote sigma then inter in the tag and I didn't know it was measure theory :S , yes I know this formula and wt I did is subtract N from it then I got what I wrote in the question,is it right? – Sosy Oct 2 '11 at 19:35
@Sosy: Yes, that is a correct argument. I've closed this question as a duplicate, because this question has come up before here. – Zev Chonoles Oct 2 '11 at 19:40
ok thanks a lot – Sosy Oct 2 '11 at 19:41

There is an elementary proof that $\sum_{i = 1}^n i = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}$, which legend has is due to Gauss. For a proof, see my blog post at Math ∩ Programming.
What you have is the same as $\sum_{i = 1}^{N-1} i$, since adding zero is trivial. So your thing is correct, and substituting $n$ for $N-1$ we get $N(N-1)/2$, which is what you have.