Week 7.

2:
Finite and Infinite Series
JC1
-
Term 1
2023/2024
Review
Write down the first three terms of this sequence.
Review: Sequences
When a set of numbers follows a pattern and
there is a clear rule for finding the next number
in the pattern, then we have a sequence.
The following are examples of sequences:

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, … (added by 2)
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, … (square numbers)
2, -4, 8, -16, 32, … (multiplied by -2)
Review: Sequences
Each number in the sequence is called a term of the
sequence.
U1 is the 1st term of a sequence.
U2 is the 2nd term of a sequence.
U3 is the 3rd term of a sequence.
Un is the nth term of a sequence.
…
Un can be used to describe any term in the sequence.
Un+1 is the term after Un.
 Complete Pure
Mathematics 1 for
Cambridge International
AS & A Level 2nd Edition

Page 122 - 123

Finite and
Infinite
Series
Learning objectives
- Recognise arithmetic and geometric
progressions.
- Use the formulae for the nth term and for
the sum of the first n terms to solve
problem involving arithmetic or geometric
progressions.
Series
A series is formed when the terms of a sequence are
added.
e.g. 12 + 9 + 6 + 3 + 0 + -3 + -6 + …

A series if finite if it stops after a finite number of

terms.
e.g. 5 + 9 + 13 + 17 + 21 + 25 is a finite series. It has
six terms.

A series if infinite if it continues indefinitely.

e.g. 5 + 9 + 13 + 17 + 21 + …
The general term of the series 5 + 9 + 13 + 17 +
21 + … is 4r + 1 (we can find it by following the Serie
steps from yesterday). We write the general in
s
terms if r. We work it out as we would work out
the nth term.
Example 1
Write down the first three terms, the last term and the
nth term of the series → Last term

→ Note: First term is at the value of r = 3

First term → r = 3 → 23 + 1= 9
Second term → r = 4 → 24 + 1= 17
Third term → r = 5 → 25 + 1= 33
Last term → r = 10 → 210 + 1=1024
.
.
nth term → r = n → 2n + 1
 Example 2
Write the following series using the sigma notation.
7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + …
7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + … (infinite series)
For this sequence, Un = dn + c (d = difference, c = constant).
The difference between the previous term to the next term is 2.
So, Un = 2n + c.
We need to find the c → You can use one of the terms.
We know
→ U1 = 7
→ U1 = 2(1) + c
→ 7 = 2(1) + c
→c=7-2→c=5

→Therefore, Un = 2n + 5 → It’s an infinite series:

 Example 3
Write the following series using the sigma notation.
1 - x + x2 - x3 + x4 - x5
1 - x + x2 - x3 + x4 - x5 (finite series, we have 6 terms)
For this sequence, from one term to another it’s multiplied by x.
Then, since
→ term 1 (r = 0) is positive
→ term 2 (r = 1) is negative
→ term 3 (r = 2) is positive
→ term 4 (r = 3) is negative
.
When r is an even number the term is positive.
When r is an odd number the term is negative.
→Therefore, Un = (-1)r(xr) → It’s a finite series:
 Any
questions?