Python program for sum of consecutive numbers with overlapping in lists

When summing consecutive numbers with overlapping elements in lists, we create pairs of adjacent elements where each element (except the last) is paired with its next neighbor. The last element pairs with the first element to create a circular pattern.

Example

Below is a demonstration using list comprehension with zip ?

my_list = [41, 27, 53, 12, 29, 32, 16]

print("The list is :")
print(my_list)

my_result = [a + b for a, b in zip(my_list, my_list[1:] + [my_list[0]])]

print("The result is :")
print(my_result)

Output

The list is :
[41, 27, 53, 12, 29, 32, 16]
The result is :
[68, 80, 65, 41, 61, 48, 57]

How It Works

The algorithm creates overlapping pairs by combining the original list with a shifted version ?

numbers = [10, 20, 30, 40]

# Original list: [10, 20, 30, 40]
# Shifted list: [20, 30, 40, 10]
# Pairs: (10,20), (20,30), (30,40), (40,10)

shifted = numbers[1:] + [numbers[0]]
print("Original:", numbers)
print("Shifted: ", shifted)

result = [a + b for a, b in zip(numbers, shifted)]
print("Sums:    ", result)

Original: [10, 20, 30, 40]
Shifted:  [20, 30, 40, 10]
Sums:     [30, 50, 70, 50]

Alternative Method Using Index

You can also achieve the same result using index manipulation ?

data = [5, 15, 25, 35]

result = []
for i in range(len(data)):
    next_index = (i + 1) % len(data)  # Wrap to 0 for last element
    result.append(data[i] + data[next_index])

print("Input: ", data)
print("Output:", result)

Input:  [5, 15, 25, 35]
Output: [20, 40, 60, 40]

Comparison

Conclusion

The zip method with list slicing provides an elegant solution for summing consecutive overlapping elements. The last element automatically pairs with the first, creating a circular summation pattern.