FACULTY OF

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY

ALGEBRA
(BIC10303)

TUTORIAL 4
 Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology

Tutorial 4: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequence Effective Date 3.10.2021

and Series Number of Pages 2/5

A. Arithmetic Sequence and Series

1. Determine whether the sequence is arithmetic. If so, find the common difference.
a. 32, 16, 0, -16, …
b. 3.2, 4. 4.8, 5.6, …
1 2 4 8 16
c. , , , , ,…
3 3 3 3 3
7 13
d. 2, , 5, , …
2 2
e. ln 4 , ln 8 , ln 12 , ln 16

2. Write the first five term of the arithmetic sequence.

a. 𝑎𝑛 = 3𝑛 + 4
b. 𝑜𝑛 = −2𝑛 + 8
5
c. 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑛 − 1
2
3
d. 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑛 + 1
5
e. 𝑎𝑛 = − 1⁄4 (𝑛 − 1) + 4

3. Find the formula for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence.
a. 𝑎1 = 4, 𝑑 = 3
b. 𝑎1 = 1/2, 𝑑 = 3/2
c. 𝑎1 = 100, 𝑑 = −5

4. Write the first five terms of the arithmetic sequence defined recursively.
a. 𝑎1 = 14, 𝑎𝑘+1 = 𝑎𝑘 + 6
b. 𝑎1 = 23, 𝑎𝑘+1 = 𝑎𝑘 − 5
c. 𝑎1 = −16, 𝑎𝑘+1 = 𝑎𝑘 + 5

5. Find the partial sum

a. ∑20𝑘=1 𝑘
10
b. ∑ 𝑘=1 5𝑘 − 2
30
1
c. ∑ ( 𝑛 − 4)
𝑛=1 3

6. Find the nth partial sum of the arithmetic sequence.

a. 5, 12, 19, 26, 33, …, n=12
b. 200, 175, 150, 125, 100, …, n=8
c. -50, -38, -26, -14, -2, …, n=50
d. 1, 4.5, 8, 11.5, 15, …, n=12
e. 𝑎1 = 0.5, 𝑎4 = 1.7, ⋯ , n=10

7. Logs are stacked in a pile as shown in the figure. The top row has 15 logs and the bottom row has
21 logs. How may logs are in the pile?

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 Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology

Tutorial 4: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequence Effective Date 3.10.2021

and Series Number of Pages 3/5

8. A free-falling object will fall 16 feet during the 1st second, 48 more feet during the 2 nd second, 80
more feet during the 3rd second, and so on. What is the total distance the object will fall in 8
seconds if this pattern continues?

9. A clock chimes once at 1:00, twice at 2:00, three times at 3:00, and so on. The clock also chimes
once at 15-minute intervals that are not on the hour. How many times does the clock chime in a 12-
hour period?

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 Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology

Tutorial 4: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequence Effective Date 3.10.2021

and Series Number of Pages 4/5

B. Geometric Sequence and Series

1. Find the common ratio of the geometric sequence.

a. 7, 14, 28, 56, …
b. 5, -5, 5, -5, …
1 1 1 1
c. ,− ⋅ ,− ,⋯
2 4 8 16
3
d. 75, 15, 3,
5
e. 1, 𝜋, 𝜋 2 , 𝜋 3

2. Determine whether the sequence is geometric. If so, find the common ratio.
a. 64, 32, 16, 8, …
b. 10, 15, 20, 25, …
c. 5, 10, 20, 40, …
2 4 8
d. 1, − , , − ,…
3 9 27
e. 10(1 + 0.02), 10(1 + 0.02)2 , 10(1 + 0.02)3 , …

3. Write the first five terms of the geometric sequence.

a. 𝑎1 = 4, 𝑟 = 2
1
b. 𝑎1 = 6, 𝑟 =
2
c. 𝑎1 = 1000, 𝑟 = 0.01
1
d. 𝑎1 = 4000, 𝑟 =
1.01
e. 𝑎1 = 10, 𝑟 = 3⁄5

4. Find the specified term of the geometric sequence.

1
a. 𝑎1 = 6, 𝑟 = , 𝑎10 =?
2
b. 𝑎1 = 3, 𝑟 = √2, 𝑎10 =?
c. 𝑎1 = 200, 𝑟 = 1.2, 𝑎10 =?

5. Find the partial sum.

10
a. ∑𝑖=1 2𝑖−1
12
3 𝑖−1
b. ∑ 3( )
2
𝑖=1
12
c. ∑𝑖=1 4(−2)𝑖−1
d. 1, -3, 9, -27, 81, …, for n=10
e. 60, -15, 15/4, -15/16, …, for n = 12

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 Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology

Tutorial 4: Geometric Sequence and Series Effective Date 3.10.2021

Number of Pages 5/5

6. Find the sum.

∞
1 𝑛
a. ∑ ( )
𝑛=0 2
∞
1 𝑛
b. ∑ (− )
𝑛=0 2
9 27
c. 8+6+ + +⋯
2 8

7. The electrical power for an implanted medical device decreases by 0.1% each day.
a. Find a formula for the nth term of the geometric sequence that gives the percent of the initial
power n days after the device is implanted.
b. What percent of the initial power is still available 1 year after the device is implanted?
c. The power supply needs to be changed when half the power is depleted. Estimate when the
power source should be changed.

8. The temperature of water in an ice cube tray is 70degree Fahrenheit when it is placed in a freezer.
Its temperature n hours after being placed in the freezer is 20% less than 1 hour earlier.
a. Find a formula for the nth term of the geometric sequence that gives the temperature of the
water n hours after being placed in the freezer.
b. Find the temperature of the water 6 hours after it is placed in the freezer.
c. Estimate when the water freezes.

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