Introduction to:

GEOMETRIC SEQUENCE AND SERIES

Geometric Sequence

Ageometric sequenceis a sequence such that any element

after the first is obtained by multiplying the preceding element
by a constant called thecommon ratiowhich is denoted by r.
The common ratio (r) is obtained by dividing any term by the
preceding term, i.e.,

The sequence 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, .... is an example of a geometric

sequence. The pattern is that we are always multiplying by a
fixed number of 2 to the previous term to get to the next term.

Be careful that you don't think that every sequence that has a
pattern in multiplication is geometric. It is geometric if you are
always multiplying by the SAME number each time.

nth or General Term

of a Geometric Sequence

where

is the first term of the sequence

and r is the common ratio.

Geometric Series

It is a series of numbers or quantities in geometric progression.

There are two types of Geometric Series, the infinite and finite
geometric series

The Sum of an Infinite Geometric Series

The Sum of the First n Terms of a

Finite Geometric Sequence

If -1 < r < 1 (or

), then the sum of
the infinite geometric series

in which is the first term and

r is the common ratio is given by

is the first term of the sequence and

r is the common ratio.
If ,
the infinite series does NOT have a sum.