Section 3: Representing patterns/relationships by finding an Algebraic Expression for the nth term

SECTION 3: REPRESENTING PATTERNS /

RELATIONSHIPS BY FINDING AN ALGEBRAIC
EXPRESSIONS FOR THE N TH TERM
3.1 R ULES OF S EQUENCES

L9 C ONCEPTUAL B RIDGING : N UMBER S EQUENCE AND I TS R ULES

A number sequence is a progression or an ordered list of numbers which are governed by a rule or a pattern.

3 7 11 15 19 23

Rule:

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Section 3: Representing patterns/relationships by finding an Algebraic Expression for the nth term
L10 W ORKED E XAMPLE 1 (S TATING THE RULE OF A SEQUENCE )
For each of the following sequences, state a rule and write down the next two terms.

(a) 35, 33, 31, 29, 27, ...

(b) 96, 48, 24, 12, 6, ...

(c) 7, 21, 63, 189, 567, ...

(d) −3, 6, −12, 24, − 48, 96, ...

3.2 G ENERAL T ERM OF A T ERM

L11 W ORKED E XAMPLE 2

Given that the n th term, Tn , of a sequence is Tn = 10n + 3 , find

(i) the 5 th term,

(ii) the difference between the 10 th term and the 2 nd term.

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Section 3: Representing patterns/relationships by finding an Algebraic Expression for the nth term
L12 W ORKED E XAMPLE 3
Find a formula for the general term of the sequence,

13 , 18 , 23 , 28 , 33 , 38 , …

in terms of n .

L13 W ORKED E XAMPLE 4

The first four terms of a sequence are 5 , 10 , 15 , 20 .

(a) Write down the 7 th term of the sequence.

(b) Find an expression, in terms of n , for the n th term of the sequence.

(c) Find the 65 th term of the sequence.

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Section 3: Representing patterns/relationships by finding an Algebraic Expression for the nth term
3.3 N UMBER P ATTERNS

L14 W ORKED E XAMPLE 5

A sequence of patterns formed by squares and lines is shown below.

(a) Find the number of squares.

(i) in the 4 th pattern,

(ii) in the n th pattern.

(b) Pattern n has 324 squares. Find the value of n .

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Section 3: Representing patterns/relationships by finding an Algebraic Expression for the nth term
L15-L16 W ORKED E XAMPLE 6
Study the sequence of patterns formed by squares and the table below.

Pattern no. No. of squares External perimeter

1 3 8

2 8 12

3 15 16

4 24 20

8 p q

n Sn Pn

(a) State the values of p and q .

(b) Express S n and Pn in terms of n .

(c) Pattern k has an external perimeter of 104 units. Find the value of k .

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