QUESTION 1

a) The following diagram shows the members from the 1sts generation to the 4th
generation :

Remarks: Each shape of smiling face represent 4 members.

Red shape of smiling face represent 2nd generation, yellow shape of smiling face
represent 3rd generation, blue shape of smiling face represent 4th generation.

Number of members in 2nd generation

= 2 shape of smiling faces x 4 members

= 8 members

Number of members in 3rd generation

= 8 shape of smiling faces x 4 members

= 32 members
Number of members in 4th generation

= 32 shape of smiling faces x 4 members

= 128 members

b)i)

The difference between 2nd and 1st generation:

8-2 = 6

The difference between 3rd and 2nd generation:

32-8 = 24

The difference between 4th and 3rd generation:

128-32 = 96

b)ii)

Ratio of the 2nd generation with the 1st generation:

8
=4
2

Ratio of the 3rd generation with the 2nd generation:

32
=4
8

Ratio of the 4th generation with the 3rd generation:

128
=4
32

b)iii)

Based on (i) and (ii), we can conclude that this question has the common ratio of 4 and the
difference between generations is not the same.
We can find nth term (Tn) by counting the number of smiling faces. Also, we can find the nth
term (T n) through formula too: T n=ar n −1 , where a is the first term, r is the common ratio, n
is the number of terms.

The first term of this question is 2.

T2 = (2)(4)2-1 = 8

T3 = (2)(4)3-1 = 32

T4 = (2)(4)4-1 = 128

The nth term (Tn) we get from formula is same with the method of counting the number of
smiling faces.

Then, find the difference (d) between generations using this formula:

d=T n +1−T n , where d is the difference, T n is nth term

Besides, we use this formula to find the ratio (r) of the generations through this formula:

T n+1
r= , where r is common ratio, T n is nth term
Tn

As the common ratio of this question are the same, this question is a Geometric Progression.