I am trying to understand the worst case analysis of Insertion sort and I have a problem with the math involved on slide 21 (ppt).
I understand the first formula:
But these I'm struggling with:
- Why is there a
- 1
at the end?
- Also, I don't understand this one:
It's Gauss' trick to sum numbers from 1 to n:
First formula
However, the sum you want to compute starts at
2
, not1
, that is why you have to subtract the first term (i.e. 1) from the formula:Second formula
Essentially, you compute the sum from 1 until (n-1). If you substitute
n
in Gauss' trick withn-1
, you receive the second formula they use.You can also see this with an index transformation:
As you can see, I have adjusted the boundaries of the sum: Both the upper and lower bounds of the sum have been decreased by 1. Effectively, this deceases all terms in the sum by 1, to correct this, you have to add 1 to the term under the Σ:
(j-1) + 1
=j
.Σ(j=2 to n) j=n(n+1)/2-1
starts at 2 instead of 1. So it's the same terms added together except the 1. So the sum is 1 less.Σ(j=2 to n)(j-1)
is the same terms added together asΣ(j=1 to n-1)(j)
. So to find its sum replacen
withn-1
in the formulan(n+1)/2
.