Winnie adds the smallest positive even numbers. Grogg adds the largest odd negative numbers. How much greater is Winnie's sum than Grogg's sum?
If they add the same number of numbers, this is an interesting problem:
(finding the sum of the smallest n positive numbers minus the sum of the largest n
negative numbers:
1 number: (2) - (-1) = 3
2 numbers: (2 + 4) - (-1 + -3) = 10
3 numbers: (2 + 4 + 6) - (-1 + -3 + -5) = 21
4 numbers: (2 + 4 + 6 + 8) - (-1 + -3 + -5 + -7) = 36
5 numbers: (2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10) = (-1 + -3 + -5 + -7 + -9) = 55
For a pattern: 3 = 1 · (2·1 + 1)
10 = 2 · (2·2 + 1)
21 = 3 · (2·3 + 1)
30 = 4 · (2·4 + 1)
55 = 5 · (2·5 + 1)
nth sum: Sum = n · (2·n + 1)