MATH SL

TEST
SEQUENCES
by Christos Nikolaidis

Name:____________________________________ Marks:____/90

Date:________________ Grade: ______

Questions

1. [Maximum mark: 6]
The first two terms of a sequence are –1 and 5 respectively. Find S 3
(a) if the sequence is arithmetic [3 marks]
(b) if the sequence is geometric. [3 marks]

2. [Maximum mark: 6]
In an arithmetic sequence, the first term is 5 and the eleventh term is 65.
(a) Find the sum of the first eleven terms [2 marks]
(b) Find the common difference d. [2 marks]
(c) Find the tenth term. [2 marks]

3. [Maximum mark: 6]
The second term of an arithmetic sequence is 7, while the sum of the first four
terms is 12. Find
(a) the first term u1 , and the common difference d of the sequence. [4 marks]
(b) the value of n, given that the n-th term of the sequence is –89. [2 marks]

4. [Maximum mark: 9]
The third term of a geometric sequence is –108 and the sixth term is 32.
Find
(a) The common ratio and the first term of the sequence. [5 marks]
(b) The sum of the first six terms. [2 marks]
(c) The sum to infinity. [2 marks]

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5. [Maximum mark: 6]
Find the value of the sum
39+48+57+ L +246.

6. [Maximum mark: 6]
Consider the series
1 1 3
+ + +L
3 3 6 12
(a) Show using the first three terms that this is a geometric series and find
the value of the common ratio [3 marks]
(b) Find the exact value of the infinite sum of this sequence. [3 marks]

7. [Maximum mark: 7]
The sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic sequence is S n = 3n 2 − 2n
(a) Find S1 and S 2 [2 marks]
(b) Hence find u1 and u 2 . [2 marks]
(c) Express the n-th term of sequence in the form an + b . [3 marks]

8. [Maximum mark: 7]
Consider the geometric sequence 5, 15, 45, …
(a) Find a formula for the n-th term of the sequence. [2 marks]
(b) Is the number 32805 a term of this sequence? (Justify) [2 marks]
(c) Find the greatest term of the sequence which is less than 1000000. [3 marks]

9. [Maximum mark: 7]
In an arithmetic sequence the sum of the first six terms is 75 and the sum of
the first ten terms is 185. Find the sum of the first eight terms.

10. [Maximum mark: 10]

Calculate the following sums (show analytically your working)
20
(a) ∑ (5k )
k =1
[3 marks]

20
(b) ∑ (5k )
k =10
[4 marks]

∞ k
1
(c) ∑   [3 marks]
k =2  5 

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11. [Maximum mark: 10]
A sum of 7000€ is invested at a compound interest rate of 2.1 % per annum.
(a) Find the value of the investment after 10 full years. [3 marks]
(b) Write down an expression for the value of the investment after n full
years. [1 mark]
(c) After how many years will the investment exceed 10500€? [3 marks]
(d) Find the value of the investment after 10 full years, if the amount is
compounded semiannually. [3 marks]

12. [Maximum mark: 10]

The terms
x , x + 3y , x + 9 y
where y ≠ 0 , are consecutive in a geometric sequence.

(a) Show that x = 3 y . [4 marks]

(b) Show that the common ratio of the sequence is 2. [2 marks]

An arithmetic sequence has first term a and common difference d.

The terms u1 , u4 and u10 of this arithmetic sequence are also the first three terms
of a geometric sequence.

(c) Express u1 , u4 and u10 in terms of a and d and hence find the
common ratio of the geometric sequence. [4 marks]

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