Name:______________________________________ Block: ______ Date: ______

3.6 Geometric Sequence

each term is found

_____________ by ____________ 3, 6, 12, 24,..
the previous term •2 •2 •2 "2n"
sequence by the same
number
The factor between any two consecutive terms in a geometric sequence is called

the ______________ ______________.

State whether the sequence –2, –4, –8, –16, –32, … is geometric. If it is, state the common ratio and
write the next three terms.

–2, –4, –8, –16, –32, _____, _____, _____, …

−4 −8 −16
Notice, that = = = , and so on.
−2 −4 −8

Write the rule as an algebraic expression: “The previous term n, multiplied by 2” ______________

Sometimes the geometric sequence looks like the term is divided, but it’s really multiplying a fraction.

State whether the sequence is geometric. If it is, find the values of the following:

1
81, 27, 9, 3, 1, ,… 1, –5, 25, –125, … –32, –8, –2, …
3

Common ratio: _______ Common ratio: _______ Common ratio: _______

Next three terms: ____, ____, ____ Next three terms: ____, ____, ____ Next three terms: ____, ____, ____

Ninth term: __________ Eighth term: __________ Seventh term: __________

Rule: __________ Rule: __________ Rule: __________

If the signs of all terms are the same (all positive OR all negative), then the common ratio is _____________.

If the sign change for every next term, then the common ratio is ___________________,.
State if each sequence is arithmetic, geometric, or neither. If the sequence is arithmetic or geometric, fill in the table
and describe the relationship (write the rule) between two consecutive terms in the sequence.

Sequence arithmetic, Common Next three terms Relationship

geometric, or neither difference/ratio
0, 3, 6, 9, 12, . . .

48, 24, 12, 6, 3, . . .

6, 11, 16, 21, 26, . . .

0, 1, 3, 6, 10, . . .

1 1
, , 1, 3, 9, . . .
9 3

30, 26, 22, 18, 14, . . .

–3, –6, –12, –24, . . .

–4, 4, –4, 4, –4, . . .

–5, 10, –20, 40, . . .

1, 2, 1, 2, 1, . . .

448, 224, 112, 56, . . .

1. Write a sequence for the perimeters of the rectangles.

Is the sequence arithmetic or geometric? ________

Common difference/ratio: _______ Next three terms: ______, ______, ______ Rule: ________

2. Write a sequence for the areas of the rectangles: _______, _______, _______, _______

Is the sequence arithmetic or geometric? ________

Common difference/ratio: _______ Next three terms: ______, ______, ______ Rule: ________

3. Write an arithmetic sequence in which the common difference is –5. ____________________________________

 Sequence arithmetic, Common Next three terms Rule
geometric, or neither difference/ratio
35, 28, 21, 14…

1, 3, 9, 27…

2, –4, 8, –16…

121, 1221, 12221 …

1 1
,− , 1, –2, 4, . . .
4 2

–8, –6, –4, –2…

2, 6, 24, 120…

–2, –6, –18, –54 …

HOMEWORK 3.5

8) What is the 6th term of the arithmetic sequence: 29 , 21 , 13 , 5 ,  _______
9) Find the missing terms in the sequence 26, 33, 40, ___, 54, 61, ___, …

13) Create three sequences. One sequence must be arithmetic, one sequence must be geometric, and one
sequence must be neither. Then describe the relationship (write the expression using n) between two
consecutive terms in each of your arithmetic and geometric sequences.

Arithmetic: ________________________________________ ______________

Geometric: ________________________________________ ______________

Neither: ________________________________________

Look for a pattern. Then use the pattern to solve each problem.

There were 256 people at a fundraiser. When the event was over, half of the people who remained left every 5 minutes.
How long after the event ended did the last person leave?

A knitting shop is having a huge yarn sale. One skein sells for $1.00, 2 skeins sell for $1.50, and 3 skeins sell for $2.00. If
this pattern continues, how many skeins of yarn can you buy for $5.00?
The football cheerleaders will arrange themselves in rows to form a pattern on the football field at halftime. In the first
five rows there are 12, 10, 11, 9, and 10 girls in each row. They will form a total of twelve rows. If the pattern continues,
how many girls will be in the back row?

Find the perimeters of the next two figures in the pattern. The length of
each side of each small square is 3 feet.

A hot tub holds 630 gallons of water when it is full. A hose fills the tub at a
rate of 6 gallons every five minutes. How long will it take to fill the hot tub?

Jordan saved $1 the first

week, $2 the second week, $4 the third
week, and $8 the fourth week. If this
pattern continues, how much will she
save the eighth week?