Sequence
Ms. Jennifer I. Veloria
Sequence
Sequence
- Is an ordered list of numbers, called terms that may have
repeated values. The
arrangement of these terms is set by a definite rule.
Example:
Analyze the given sequence for its rule and identify the next three
terms.
a. 1,10,100,1000,...
b. 2,5,9,14,20,...
Solution:
a. By looking at the set of number, you will observe that the sequence is
power by 10. Following the rule, the 5th number= 10000, 6th number=
100000 and the 7th number= 1000000.
b. Looking at the set of number, you will observe that the sequence get
by adding the difference of two previous number to the last listed next
number. Following the rule, (2 and 5) 3, (5 and 9) 4, (9 and 14) 5, and (14
and 20) 6. Now to get the next three terms we should use 7, 8, and 9,
respectively. 6th number= 27, 7th number= 35, and 8th number=44.
The numbers in sequences are called terms.
You can think of a sequence as a function
whose domain is a set of consecutive integers.
If a domain is not specified, it is understood
that the domain starts with 1.
USING AND WRITING SEQUENCES
n
DOMAIN: 1 2 3 4 5 The domain gives
the relative position
of each term.
The range gives the
an
RANGE: 3 6 9 12 15 terms of the sequence.
This is a finite sequence having the rule
an = 3n,
where an represents the nth term of the sequence.
Write the first six terms of the sequence an = 2n + 3.
SOLUTION
Write the first six terms of the sequence an = 2n + 3.
SOLUTION
a 1 = 2(1) + 3 = 5 1st term
a 2 = 2(2) + 3 = 7 2nd term
a 3 = 2(3) + 3 = 9 3rd term
a 4 = 2(4) + 3 = 11 4th term
a 5 = 2(5) + 3 = 13 5th term
a 6 = 2(6) + 3 = 15 6th term
Write the first six terms of the sequence f (n) = (–2) n – 1 .
SOLUTION
Write the first six terms of the sequence f (n) = (–2) n – 1 .
SOLUTION
f (1) = (–2) 1 – 1 = 1 1st term
f (2) = (–2) 2 – 1 = –2 2nd term
f (3) = (–2) 3 – 1 = 4 3rd term
f (4) = (–2) 4 – 1 = – 8 4th term
f (5) = (–2) 5 – 1 = 16 5th term
f (6) = (–2) 6 – 1 = – 32 6th term
Arithmetic Sequences
● How do I define an arithmetic
sequence and how do I use the
formula to find different terms of
the sequence?
Arithmetic Sequences and Series
Arithmetic Sequence: sequence whose consecutive terms
have a common difference.
Example: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, ...
● The terms have a common difference of 2.
● The common difference is the number d.
● To find the common difference you use an+1 – an
Example: Is the sequence arithmetic?
–45, –30, –15, 0, 15, 30
Yes, the common difference is 15
● How do you find any term in this sequence?
● To find any term in an arithmetic sequence, use the
formula an = a1 + (n – 1)d
where d is the common difference.
1. Find the 14th term of the
arithmetic sequence 4, 7, 10, 13,……
an a1 (n 1)d
2. In the arithmetic sequence 4,7,10,13,…,
which term has a value of 301?
an a1 (n 1)d
3. Find the next four terms of –9, -2, 5, …
Arithmetic Sequence
2 9 5 2 7
7 is referred to as the common difference (d)
Common Difference (d) – what we ADD to get next term
What are the next four terms?
4. Find the next four terms of 0, 7, 14, …
Arithmetic Sequence, d = 7
21, 28, 35, 42
5. Find the next four terms of x, 2x, 3x, …
Arithmetic Sequence, d = x
4x, 5x, 6x, 7x
6. Find the next four terms of 5k, -k, -7k, …
Arithmetic Sequence, d = -6k
-13k, -19k, -25k, -32k
Vocabulary of Sequences (Universal)
a1 First term
an nth term
n number of terms
Sn sum of n terms
d common difference
nth term of arithmetic sequence an a1 n 1 d
n
sum of n terms of arithmetic sequence Sn a1 an
2
Given an arithmetic sequence with a15 38 and d 3, find a1.
x a1 First term
38 an nth term
15 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
-3 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
38 x 15 1 3
X = 80
Find S63 of 19, 13, 7,...
-19 a1 First term
353 ?? an nth term
63 n number of terms
x Sn sum of n terms
6 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
n
Sn a1 an
2
Find S63 of 19, 13, 7,...
-19 a1 First term
353 ?? an nth term
63 n number of terms
x Sn sum of n terms
6 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
n
Sn a1 an
2
?? 19 63 1 6 63
S63 19 353
?? 353 2
S63 10521
Try this one: Find a16 if a1 1.5 and d 0.5
1.5 a1 First term
x an nth term
16 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
0.5 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
a16 1.5 16 1 0.5
a16 9
Find n if an 633, a1 9, and d 24
9 a1 First term
633 an nth term
x n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
24 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
633 9 x 1 24
633 9 24x 24
X = 27
Find d if a1 6 and a29 20
-6 a1 First term
20 an nth term
29 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
x d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
20 6 29 1 x
26 28x
13
x
14
Find two arithmetic means between –4 and 5
-4, ____, ____, 5
-4 a1 First term
5 an nth term
4 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
x d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
The two arithmetic means are –1 and 2, since –4, -1, 2, 5
forms an arithmetic sequence
Find three arithmetic means between 1 and 4
1, ____, ____, ____, 4
1 a1 First term
4 an nth term
5 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
x d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
The three arithmetic means are 7/4, 10/4, and 13/4
since 1, 7/4, 10/4, 13/4, 4 forms an arithmetic sequence
Geometric Sequences and Series
1, 4, 7, 10, 13 35 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 62
9, 1, 7, 15 12 9, 3, 1, 1/ 3 20 / 3
6.2, 6.6, 7, 7.4 27.2 1, 1/ 4, 1/16, 1/ 64 85 / 64
, 3, 6 3 9 , 2.5, 6.25 9.75
Arithmetic Sequences Geometric Sequences
ADD MULTIPLY
To get next term To get next term
Arithmetic Series Geometric Series
Sum of Terms Sum of Terms
Vocabulary of Sequences (Universal)
a1 First term
an nth term
n number of terms
Sn sum of n terms
r common ratio
nth term of geometric sequence an a1r n1
a1 r n 1
sum of n terms of geometric sequence Sn
r 1
Find the next three terms of 2, 3, 9/2, ___, ___, ___
3 – 2 vs. 9/2 – 3… not arithmetic
3 9/2 3
1.5 geometric r
2 3 2
9 9 3 9 3 3 9 3 3 3
2, 3, , , ,
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
9 27 81 243
2, 3, , , ,
2 4 8 16
1 2
If a1 , r , find a9 .
2 3
a1 First term 1/2
an nth term x
n number of terms 9
Sn sum of n terms NA
r common ratio 2/3
an a1r n1
1 2
If a1 , r , find a9 .
2 3
a1 First term 1/2
an nth term x
n number of terms 9
Sn sum of n terms NA
r common ratio 2/3
an a1r n1
9 1
1 2
x
2 3
28 27 128
x
2 3 8 38 6561
Find two geometric means between –2 and 54
-2, ____, ____, 54
a1 First term -2 n1
an a1r
an nth term 54
54 2 x
41
n number of terms 4
Sn sum of n terms NA 27 x 3
3 x
r common ratio x
The two geometric means are 6 and -18, since –2, 6, -18, 54
forms an geometric sequence
2
Find a 2 a 4 if a1 3 and r
3
-3, ____, ____, ____
2
Since r ...
3
4 8
3, 2, ,
3 9
8 10
a2 a 4 2
9 9
Find a9 of 2, 2, 2 2,...
a1 First term
2
an nth term x
n number of terms 9
Sn sum of n terms NA
r common ratio 2 2 2
r 2
2 2
an a1r n1
2
91
x 2
2 2
8
x
x 16 2
1 1 1
Find S7 of ...
2 4 8
a1 First term 1/2
an nth term NA
n number of terms 7
Sn sum of n terms x
r common ratio
a1 r n 1
Sn
r 1
1 1 1
Find S7 of ...
2 4 8
a1 First term 1/2
an nth term NA
n number of terms 7
Sn sum of n terms x 1 1
4 8 1
r common ratio r
1 1 2
Sn
a1 r n 1
2 4
r 1
1 1 7 1 1 7
1 1
2 2 2 2 63
x
1 1 64
1
2 2
Fibonacci Sequence
The Fibonacci Sequence is the series of numbers:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...
The next number is found by adding up the two numbers before it.
- The 2 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+1)
- The 3 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+2),
- And the 5 is (2+3),
- and so on!
Rule in Fibonacci Sequence
First, the terms are numbered from 0 onwards like this:
Fibonacci is found in a spiral, look the image below:
When we make squares with those widths, we get a nice spiral:
Do you see how the squares fit neatly together?
For example 5 and 8 make 13, 8 and 13 make 21, and so on.
So term number 6 is called x6 (which equals 8).
Example: the 8th term is the 7th term plus the 6th term:
x8 = x7 + x6
So we can write the rule:
There is an interesting pattern:
- Look at the number X3 = 2 . Every 3rd number is a multiple of 2
(2, 8, 34, 144, 610, ...)
- Look at the number X4 = 3 . Every 4th number is a multiple of 3
( 3, 21, 144, ...)
- Look at the number X5 = 5. Every 5th number is a multiple of 5
(5, 55, 610, ...)
And so on every nth number is a multiple of (Xn).
Thank you!
