Find the sum of the terms of a given

finite Geometric Sequence

Formula:
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 ) 𝑎1 (𝑟 𝑛 −1)
𝑠𝑛 = or 𝑠𝑛 =
1 −𝑟 𝑟 −1

r≠1
Where
𝑠𝑛 = 𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠
𝑎1 = 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚
r = common ratio
n = number of terms
Example 1:
Find the sum of the first 9 terms of geometric sequence if the first
term is 3 and the common ratio 𝑛is 2.
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 )
𝑠𝑛 =
1 −𝑟
3 (1 − 29 )
𝑎1 = 3 𝑠9 =
1 −2
r=2 𝑠9 =
3(1−512)
−1
n=9 𝑠9 =
3(−511)
−1
−1533
𝑠9 =
−1
𝑠9 = 1533
Example 2:
Find the sum of the first 7 terms of geometric sequence if the first
term is 4 and the common ratio is 3.
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠𝑛 =
1 −𝑟
4 (1 − 37 )
𝑎1 = 4 𝑠7 =
1 −3
r=3 𝑠7 =
4(1−2187)
−2
n=7 𝑠7 =
4(−2186)
−2
− 8744
𝑠7 =
−2
𝑠7 = 4372
Example 3:
Find the sum of the first 6 terms of geometric sequence 20, 10, 5, …
63 40 63 63 315
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 ) 𝑠6 = 40 ( ) ( ) = 5( ) =
𝑎1 = 20 𝑠𝑛 = 1 −𝑟 64 1 64 8 8
1
r= 20(1 −(
1 6
) ) 315
2 𝑠6 = 2
1 𝑠6 =
n=6 1 −
2
8
1
20(1 − ) 1 64 −1 63
𝑠6 = 1
64 1 -
64
=
64
=
64
2
63 20
20( )
𝑠6 = 64 1 = 20 • 2 = 40
1 2
2
Example 4:
Find the sum of the first 8 terms of geometric sequence 2, 6, 18, …
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠𝑛 =
1 −𝑟
2 (1 − 38 )
𝑎1 = 2 𝑠8 =
1 −3
2(1−6561)
r=3 𝑠8 =
−2
n=8 𝑠8 =
2(−6560)
−2
− 13120
𝑠8 =
−2
𝑠8 = 6560
Example 5:
Find the sum of the terms of geometric sequence 2, 6, 18, … , 1458.
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠𝑛 =
1 −𝑟
𝑎1 = 2 2, 6, 18, 54, 162, 486, 1458 𝑠 = 2 (1 − 37)
7
r=3 n=7 1 −3
2(1−2187)
n=? 𝑠7 =
−2
𝑎𝑛 = 1458 𝑠7 =
2(−2186) 2
−2 = -1
−2
𝑠7 = -1(-2186)
𝑠7 = 2186
Example 6:
Find the sum of the terms of geometric sequence 1, 4, 16, … 1024
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠𝑛 =
𝑎1 = 1 1, 4, 16, 64, 256, 1024 1 −𝑟
1 (1 − 46 )
n=6 𝑠6 =
r=4 1 −4
1(1−4096)
n=? 𝑠6 =
−3
𝑎𝑛 = 1024 𝑠6 =
1(−4095)
−3
𝑠6 = 1(1365)
𝑠6 = 1365
Let’s Try!
Answer the following
1. Find the sum of the first 8 terms of geometric sequence if the first
term is 2 and the common ratio is 3.

2. Find the sum of the first 6 terms of geometric sequence 3, 9, 27, …

3.Find the sum of the first 6 terms of geometric sequence 48, 24, 12, …

4. Find the sum of the terms of geometric sequence 1, 5, 25, … 15625.