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Can someone show a step-by-step process for simplifying the summation to $i \cdot n - i + 1$ as shown:

$\sum _{j=i}^{i \cdot n} 1 = i\cdot n - i + 1$

I don't know how to begin to solve this.

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We are adding up $in-i+1$ terms, all equal to $1$. What happens when we add $47$ $1$'s together?

It is easy to make an error and be off by $1$. For example, what is $\sum_{j=2}^6 1$? We have a term of $1$ for each of $j=2,3,4,5,6$. The number of terms is not $6-2$, it is $6-2+1$.

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    @JamesT: Paradoxically, a sum like $\sum_{j=i}^{in} j$ is easier to understand than $\sum_{j=i}^{in} 1$ or $\sum_{j=i}^{in} 7$, even though the first one takes some work to evaluate, while the last two are very easy. Your summary was right.2012-04-30