Beginner's Python – Computing a sum

Question

I’m trying to compute sum_{k=1}^{M} = frac{1}{(2k)^2}

s = 0
M = 3
k = 1

for i in range(M):
    s = 1/(2*k)**2
    k += 1
    print(s)

Terminal outputs

0.25
0.0625
0.027777777777777776

Where as I should be getting

0.340277777778

Which is the sum of the series from k = 1 M = 3, since I am pretty sure the task is not asking me to compute k = 1, 2, 3 separately like above.

Asked By: Laxen1900

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Answer 1

Your code is not combining the values that you calculate in each iteration of the for loop. Try something like the following:

s = 0
M = 3

for k in range(1, M+1):
    s += 1 / (2*k)**2
    
print(s)

Note that you can use the range function to get the values, rather than needing to have k += 1 each time

Answered By: Aggragoth

Answer 2

You are assigning a new value to s every loop.

s = 0
M = 3
k = 1

for i in range(M):
    s += 1/(2*k)**2
    k += 1
    print(s)

Output: 0.3402777777777778

Answered By: Dani3le_

Answer 3

sum = 0
limit = 3

for k in range(1, limit+1):
    sum += 1/(2*k)**2

print(sum)

Answered By: Shivam Seth

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