SEQUENCE AND SERIES

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Sequence

A
Seusion
success
of numbers arranged in a delinite order to a certain given rule is called
a sequence.

The
mber
number
occurring at the n"
place of a sequcnce is called its h term or the
hich is generally denoted general
by a, A sequence is said to be finite or infinite
e mber
Iemm

to the nunmber of terms in it is finite or infinite according

respectively.
Note:
sequence can als0 be considered as a function whose domain is the set of natural
A
subset of natural
numbers (or a numbers) and range is the subs of R (in case of real sequence).
Series
Leta. a a , be a sequence. Then the expression a, t a, t ... t a, 2 is called
the series associated with the given sequence. k=l

Progression

The sequence whose terms follow a certain pattern are called progression.
For example 3, 3, 7, 9, 1S a progression describing by its nth term as a, = 2n + 1.

SOLVEDEXAMPLES
Example 1: Write thefirst four terms ofthe sequences whose n terms are.

) =
(-1)"tl 2n+1
a,n? 1 ) a,
2n
Solution ( ) We have, a,
get the first four terms of the
Putting n
=
1, 2, 3, 4, in the above, we

sequence as

2x1
124T, a22+ 1
a4 42+1
(-1)"*1 2. Putting n
=
1, 2, 3, 4 in the above, we get
We have, a,
=

(ii) as
the first four terms of the sequence
=
4, a, =
(-1)'. 23-8 =

a (-1)-.2
a=(-1)*.24
=
16, a =
(-1P. 2 =-32
4, 6, 9, 13, 18, ?
Cxample 2: Complete the following sequence:
Solution Pattern used in the sequence:
4+2 6
6+3 9
9+4 13
13 + 5 = 18
term.
So, 18 + 6 2 4 will be the required 109
equence and Series
 Example 3: Study the pattern and find the
next term of the sequence : 4, 8, 24, 96,
6,?
Solution Pattern used in the scquence:
4x2 8
8 x3 24
24x 4 96
term.
So, 96 x 5 480 will be the required
Example 4 Ty tofind next term ofthefollowing sequences:
) 1, 2, 6, 21, 88, ? (ii) 276, 140, 68, 36, ?
?
ii) 82, 67, 54, 43, 34 ? (iv) 47, 33, 21, 11,
Solution: () Patterm used :
Ix1+1 =2
2 x 2+2 6
6 x3+3 =21
21 x 4+ 4 88
5 +5 445 is the required term.
So, 88 x

(i) Pattern used:

+2 2
140
140-2 68
6+2 36
S o , - 2 = 16 is the required term.

(iii) Pattern used

92 +1 82
82+3 67
72 +5 54
6 +7 = 43
52 +9 34
So, 42 +11 = 27 is the required term.

(iv) Pattern used:

72-2 47
62-3 33
52-4 21
42 5 11
So, 32 6 = 3 is the required term.

Example 5: Find a, and ay of the sequence defined by a, =+1.

Solution : We have: a, =n + I
a = 5 + 1 = 25 +1 = 26 a , = 72 + l = 49 +1 = 50

Example 6 1fa, =1, a2 = 1 and a,t| 4 , t a-r n2 2, then find first 3 terms of

sequence.

Solution: Given, a1, a2T

me
110. Applied Mathematics -XI (Volume
 at n n2 2
NoW, +1
n2,
3, 4
put
Putting
- 1 +1 =2.
Itl=2,
ayta
= 2 +1 = 3

d4
ata 3t 2 =5

EXERCISE 6A
rite the first two ferms of the following sequence defined by:
. Wri
(i)a, 2n2+
1
(i) a, =4 +3 (ii)
a, =n- n + 1
Find the next term of the following sequence

() 1. 8, 27, 64,? (ii) 10, 100, 200, 310,?

13 5 7
i) 4' 8' 16 (iv) 3, 20, 63, 144, 275,?
23 4
(v) 4, 8, 28, 80, 244? (vi)
5's'525*"
(vii) 3, 10, 29, 66, 127? (vii) 0.5, 0.55, 0.65, 0.8,?
3. ) Find the 13 terms ofthe sequence defined by a, = n2 +1.
i) Find the 14th terms of the sequence defined by a, = n.
4. Write the first four terms of the sequence defined by a = 1,

a a - t 2, n > 1.
5. If a sequence 1s given by a, 2, a, = 3 +a and a,= 24, + 1 for n > 2. Then,
Write the first four terms.

6. Write the first three tems of the sequence {a,), where, a, =

n+2
ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION (A.P.)
A sequence (finite/infinite) is called an arithmetic progression (A.P.) if the difference of any
term, from its preceding term is constant, i.e., a+14 constant for all n e N.
This constant is generally denoted by d and is called common difference
3
Examples: san A. Pwith d=
(i) x + y X -y x-3y, x - Sy, . is an A.P, with d = - 2y.

General term of an A.P. : Let a be the first term and d be the common difference of an

A.P, then its general term is defined as

4, a+(n-1)d
=

Some properties of an A.P.

) I f a constant is added or (subtracted) to cach term of an A.P., then the resulting
Sequence is also an A.P
) lf each term of an A.P. is multiplied (or divided) by the same non-zero constant, the
resulting sequence is also an A.P.
Sequence and Series 111
 SOLVEDEXAMPLES
log (ab), log (ab),
. . . is an A
AP. Find
that the progression log
a,
Example 1 Show
10 Iern.
log b
log (ab) log a
t
Solution

b
log (ah) = log a + 2 log
log b = constant
We have, a,d d
Hence. it is an A.P.

dj0a+ 9d log a + 9 log h =log (ab°)

=

log||.logl
(a forms
2:Show that the progression log
a,
Example
4P Find its 11h term

2log log b
Solution log a -

log 3log a - 21ogb

log a - log b constant

=
=

aa a; a,
-

Hence, it is an AP.
11 log 10 log b
10 (log log b) a -

10 d =log a + a -

Now a =a +

Example 3 lfa, b. c are in A.P, then show that

are in A.P. (a * 0, b * 0, c + 0)
bc ac ab

() b + c, c t a, a +b are in A.P.
ii) a- (b +c), b (c +a), c (a +b) are in A.P
(iv) (a - c} = 4(b - ac)

Solution: (i) Since a, b, c are in A.P.

b C
are also in A.P.
abc abc abc

are in A.P.
be' ac ab
ii) Since a, b, c are in A.P.
- a, - b, - c are also in A.P.

( a + b +c - a), (a + b + c - b), (a + b + c - c ) are also in A.P.

Adding a + b + c to each term

bt a, a +b c, c t are in A.P.
(ii) a, b, c are in A.P.
a (be + ca t ab), b (bc + ca + ab), c (bc + ca + ab) are in A.P
Multiplying each term by ab + be + Cu
abe + a (b + c), abc + b (c t a), abc c (a
+ + b) are in A.P
a (b + c), b> (¢ + a), c (a b) are in
+
A.P.
Subtracting abc from each term
112- Applied Mathematics-XI(Volume
 (iv) Since a, b, c, are in AP., so, b a = ch 2h atc b 2
Now. putthe value of b in RUS of the given cxpression, we have

at 2ac-4ar at 2ac
RIS - 4
( a - c - LHS

snle 44 F i n d 10/h
Find 10" common term between the arithnetic series 3+ 7+ l1+ 15 + .
Example
1|+ 16 +
a n d t6 t
Clearly the first commnon term to both the series is 11
lution: C
the common on differences of the two series 5 x 4 20.
CM of
Let u s consider
the A.P. with a = 1|, d = 20, then dj0 l + 9 x 20 = 191, which is the
required term.

If the n" term in n, then show tht

Examp vample 5: of a progression is a linear expression
A.P
it is an

an t b, so a, a(n 1) + b
Let a,
-

Solution
a an t
b) =

(an -

a) -

b =a
of n.
which is independent
term of an AP is linear expression in in it is AP.
Hence, if the nth
a n, an

the mth term of an A.P be and nh term be then show that its
Example 6: lf
is 1.
(mn) ternm
Let a be the first term and d be the common difference of the given A.P
Solution:

Then,mh term
=
a+ (m -

I)d= . ()
n term= = a + ( - 1)d = . . (i)
m m

On subtracting (i) from (i), we get

=(m nyd = mn
(m n)d =d= mn

Putting d in (i), we get,

mn

. (mn) term =
a + (mn -

)d=+(mn
mn
1) -

mn
- 1.
Example 7:fthe nth term of the A.P. 9, 7, 5, . . is same as the nh term of the A.P 15,
12, 9, ....., find n.

Solution: nh term of the A.P. 9, 7, 5, . .

a9 + (n -

1)-2) =9 -

2n +2 11 -

2n. ...(i)
term of the A.P. 15, 12, 9, ...
a,=15 + (n 1)-3) 15 -3n + -
= 3 =
18 -3n ...(ii)
18 -3n > =
7
From eq" (i) and (ii) we get, 11 2n
-
= n

Sum of n-terms of an A.P.

Let us consider an A.P. containing n terms with first term a, common ditference d and last
term is I.
113
Sequence and Series