SEQUENCES & PROGRESSIONS EXERCISES

Mathematics 3rd ESO

ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ. I.E.S. FERNANDO DE MENA. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

Sequences:

1. For each of the following sequences, find (on this worksheet) the first 6 terms, and a15 and a20:

a) a n  n  3

b) a n  3n  3

c) a n  0.1 n

d) a n   n  2

e) a n   2n  4

f) a n    1 ꞏ 3
n

g) a n  n 2  3n

h) a n  4 n

i) a n  n 4

j) a n  n

n
k) a n 
n 1
n 1
l) a n 
n
1
m) a n  1 
n

n) a n    1  1
n

n 1
o) a n   
2 2

2. (On this worksheet) Try to find the general term a n of the following sequences, and then determine a12 and a19:

a)  5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10... 

b)   3,  2,  1, 0, 1, 2, 3... 

c)  5, 9, 13, 17, 21... 

d)  99, 199, 299, 399, 499... 

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 SEQUENCES & PROGRESSIONS EXERCISES
Mathematics 3rd ESO
ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ. I.E.S. FERNANDO DE MENA. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

e)   2,  4,  6,  8,  10... 

f)  3, 5, 7, 9, 11... 

g)   1, 1,  1, 1,  1... 

h)  3,  5, 7,  9, 11... 

i)  0, 2, 6, 12, 20... 

j)  0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 2... 
 2 3 4 5 6 
k)  , , , , ... 
 3 4 5 6 7 
 2 3 4 5 
l)  0, 1, , , , ... 
 9 4 25 36 

Arithmetic progressions:

3. Consider the sequence  3, 9, 15, 21, 27...  :

a) Show that the sequence is arithmetic. (Sol: Consecutive terms differ by 6 = d )

b) Find the formula for the general term an (and check your answer). (Sol: a n = 6 n - 3 )

c) Find the 100th term of the sequence. (Sol: a 100 = 597 )

d) Is 489 a member of the sequence? And 1592? (Sol: Yes, it is the 82nd term; No)

4. Find k given that k + 5 , -1 and 2 k - 1 are consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression, and hence find the
terms (and check your answer). (Sol: k = - 2 ; 3, -1, - 5)

5. Find the general term an for an arithmetic sequence given that a3 = 4 and a7 = - 24 . Check your answer.
(Sol: a n = 25 - 7 n )

6. Consider the sequence  4, 11, 18, 25, 32...  :

a) Show that it is an arithmetic progression. (Sol: Consecutive terms differ by 7 = d )

b) Find the formula for its general term (and check your answer). (Sol: a n = 7 n - 3 )

c) Find its 30th term. (Sol: a 30 = 207 )

d) Is 340 a member? (Sol: Yes)

e) Is 738 a member? (Sol: No)

7. Consider the sequence  67, 63, 59, 55...  :

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 SEQUENCES & PROGRESSIONS EXERCISES
Mathematics 3rd ESO
ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ. I.E.S. FERNANDO DE MENA. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

a) Show that the sequence is arithmetic. (Sol: Consecutive terms differ by 7 = d )

b) Find the formula for its general term. (Sol: a n = 71 - 4 n )

c) Find its 60th term. (Sol: a 60 = - 169 )

d) Is - 143 a member? (Sol: No)

e) Is 85 a member? (Sol: No)

8. An arithmetic progression is defined by a n  11n  7 .

a) Find a1 and d. (Sol: a1 = 4 ; d = 11 )

b) Find the 37th term. (Sol: a 3 7 = 400)

c) What is the least term of the progression which is greater than 250. (Sol: a 24 = 257 > 250  n ³ 24 )

21  4 n
9. A sequence is defined by a n 
2
.

a) Prove that the sequence is arithmetic. (Sol: Since an+1 - an = constant )

b) Find a1 and d. (Sol: a1 = 17 / 2 ; d = - 2 )

c) Find a55. (Sol: a 5 5 = - 199 / 2 )

d) For what values of n are the terms of the sequence less than -300. (Sol: a 156 = - 301.5 < 3 0 0  n ³ 156 )

10. Find k given the consecutive arithmetic terms (and check your answers):
a) 31, k, 13. (Sol: k = 2 2 )

b) k, 8, k + 11. (Sol: k = 5 / 2 )

c) k + 2, 2 k + 3, 17. (Sol: k = 13 / 3 )

11. Find the general term an for an arithmetic progression given that:
a) a4 = 37 and a10 = 67. (Sol: an = 17 + 5 n )

b) a5 = - 10 and a12 = - 38. (Sol: an = 10 - 4 n )

c) The fourth term is -4 and the fifteenth term is 29. (Sol: an = 3 n- 16 )

12
7

34
an
=

d) The tenth and sixth terms are -16 and -13 respectively. (Sol:   )

12. Consider the finite /ˈfaɪnaɪt/ arithmetic sequence  3, 5

2

, 2, ... ,  6  .
 

a) Find a1 and d. (Sol: a1 = 3 ; d = - 1 / 2 )

b) How many terms does the sequence have? Justify your answer. (Sol: 1 9 terms )

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 SEQUENCES & PROGRESSIONS EXERCISES
Mathematics 3rd ESO
ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ. I.E.S. FERNANDO DE MENA. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

13. An arithmetic progression starts  17, 24, 31, 38...  . What is the first term of the sequence to exceed 40 000 ?
(Sol: a 5713 = 40 001 > 40 000 )

14. Find the general term an and the first five terms (and check your results) of the sequences defined by:
a) a1 = 7 and a n+1 = an - 2 . (Sol: an = 9 - 2 n )

b) a1 = 5 and a n+1 = an + 7 . (Sol: an = 7 n - 2 )

c) a1 = 2 and a n+1 = an + 3 . (Sol: an = 3 n - 1 )

d) a1 = 11.7 and a n+1 = an - 2.1 . (Sol: an = 1 3.8 - 2 .1 n )

e) a1 = 1268 and a n+1 = an + 23.9 . (Sol: an = 1244.1 + 23.9 n )

f) a1 = 41 and a n+1 = an + 5 . (Sol: an = 5 n + 36 )

g) a1 = 11.8 and a n+1 = an - 1.7 . (Sol: an = 1 3.5 - 1 .7 n )

Geometric progressions:

15. For the sequence  16, 8, 4, 2, 1... 

a) Show that the sequence is geometric. (Sol: Consecutive terms have a common ratio of 1 / 2 = r )

b) Find the formula for its general term. (Sol: a n = 2 5 - n )

c) Find its 10th term (as a fraction). (Sol: a 10 = 1 / 32 )

16. k -1 , k + 2 and 3 k are consecutive terms of a geometric progression. Find k and then work out the terms
(Check your results). (Sol: k = 4 or - 1 / 2 ; 3, 6, 12, or - 3 / 2 , 3 / 2 , - 3 / 2 , respectively)
52
an
=

17. A geometric sequence has a2 = - 5 and a5 = 40. Find its general term. Check your answer.
n
1

(Sol:   )


18. For the geometric progression with first two terms given, find (on this worksheet) b and c:
a)  3, 6, b, c ...  (Sol: b = 12 , c = 24 )

b)  8, 2, b, c ...  (Sol: b = 1/2 , c = 1/8 )

c)  15,  5, b, c ...  (Sol: b = 5/3 , c = - 5/9 )

19. a) Show that the sequence  1, 3, 9, 27...  is geometric. (Sol: Consecutive terms have a common ratio of 3 )
an
=
3

a1
=
1
9
6
8
3
n
1

b) Find an and hence find the 10th term. Check your answer. (Sol: 
 )
0

Texto bajo licencia Creative Commons: se permite su utilización didáctica así como su reproducción impresa o digital
siempre y cuando se respete la mención de su autoría, y sea sin ánimo de lucro. En otros casos se requiere el permiso
del autor (alfonsogonzalopez@yahoo.es)
 SEQUENCES & PROGRESSIONS EXERCISES
Mathematics 3rd ESO
ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ. I.E.S. FERNANDO DE MENA. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

20. a) Show that the progression  40,  20, 10,  5...  is geometric. (Sol: Consecutive terms have a common ratio of - 1 / 2 )

12

12

55
n
1

n
an
=
4
0

=
8
0

a1
=

b) Find an and hence find the 12th term (as a fraction). (Sol:     )

2
6
     

2

   

21. Show that the sequence  16,  4, 1,  0.25...  is geometric and hence find the 8th term (as a decimal). Check

10
S
o
l
:
C
o
n
s
e
c
u
t
i
v
e
t
e
r
m
s
h
a
v
e
a
c
o
m
m
o
n
r
a
t
i
o
o
f
1
/
4
a8
=
0
.
0
0
0
9
7
6
5
6
2
5
=
your answer. ( )

1
2
4
 ;  

 3, 3 

n
1
an
=
3
·
22.

Find the general term of the geometric progression 2 , 6, 6 2 ... . Check your answer. (Sol: 2 2 )

23. Find k given that the following are consecutive terms of a geometric sequence:
a) k, 2, 6 (Sol: k = 2 / 3 )

b) 4, 6, k (Sol: k = 9 )

c) k , 2  2 , k2 (Sol: k = 2)

d) 3 , k , 27 (Sol: k = 9)

e) k, 3 k, 10 k + 7 (Sol: k = -7)

f) k, k + 4 , 8 k + 2 (Sol: k = -8 / 7 or 2)

24. Find (and check your results) the general term an of the geometric progression which has:
S
o
l
:
an
=
4
·
2
=
2
n
-
1

n
+
1
a) a 3 = 16 and a 8 = 512 .  12 
n
-
1
S
o
l
:
an
=
1
2
8
·

   
b) a 3 = 32 and a 6 = - 4.    
   
 
n
-
1
S
o
l
:
an
=
3
·

c) a 7 = 24 and a 1 5 = 384. 


  


1 2
n
-
1
S
o
l
:
an
=
6
·

   
d) a 3 = 3 and a 9 = 3 / 8 .    
   
 

25. A geometric sequence has general term an with a3 = 12 and a7 = 3 / 4 . Find a1 2 . Check your answer.
32
S
o
l
:
a1
=
±

 
1
8
2

 
 

26. an is the general term of a geometric progression:

a) If a2 = - 5 / 2 and a5 = 5 / 16 , find a10. (Sol: a1 0 = -5 / 12 )

b) If a3 = 7 and a8 = - 7 , find a88. (Sol: a8 8 = -7 )

c) If a3 = 18 and a5 = 162 , find a11. (Sol: a1 1 = 118 098 )

Texto bajo licencia Creative Commons: se permite su utilización didáctica así como su reproducción impresa o digital
siempre y cuando se respete la mención de su autoría, y sea sin ánimo de lucro. En otros casos se requiere el permiso
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 SEQUENCES & PROGRESSIONS EXERCISES
Mathematics 3rd ESO
ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ. I.E.S. FERNANDO DE MENA. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

27. Find the general term an and the first five terms (and check your results) of the sequences given by:

S
o
l
:
an
=
4
3
n
1
a) a1 = 4 and a n1  3a n .  ꞏ 


11

11
n
1

n
1  

S
o
l
:
an
=
1
0
0
0

=

b) a1 = 1000 and a n 1  an .    

0
   10 000   
10      
 

12

12
n
1

n
1  

S
o
l
:
an
=
2
4

=

c) a1 = 24 and a n 1  an .    
   48   
2      
 

12

12
n
1

n
1  

S
o
l
:
an
=
1
2
8

=

d) a1 = 128 and a n 1   an .    
    256    
2      
 

e) a1 = 1268 and a n+1 = an + 23.9 . (Sol: an = 1244.1 + 23.9 n )

12

12
n
1

n
1  

S
o
l
:
an
=
3
6

=

f) a1 = 36 and a n 1   an .    
    72    
2      
 

13

13
n
1

n
1  

S
o
l
:
an
=
1
2

=

g) a1 = 12 and a n 1  an .    
   36   
3      
 

Sequences defined by a recurrence /rɪˈkʌrәns/ relation:

28. Find the first five terms of the sequences defined by:
a) a1 = 1 and a n 1  2a n  3 .

b) a1 = 1 and a n1  2a n  1 .

1
c) a1 = 3 and a n 1  a n  1.
3

d) a1 = 1 and a n 1  a n2  1 .

e) a1 = 1, a2 = 0 and a n 2  a n1  a n .

f) a1 = a2 = 1 and a n  2  2a n1  3a n .

g) a1 = 1, a2 = 3 and a n 2  a n1  a n .

Texto bajo licencia Creative Commons: se permite su utilización didáctica así como su reproducción impresa o digital
siempre y cuando se respete la mención de su autoría, y sea sin ánimo de lucro. En otros casos se requiere el permiso
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