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Core 1
for Edexcel
C1.6 Sequences
and series
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Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
u1 = 4 1 5 = 1
u2 = 4 2 5 = 3
u3 = 4 3 5 = 7
u4 = 4 4 5 = 11
u5 = 4 5 5 = 15
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
Gauss worked the answer out by noticing that you can quickly
add together consecutive numbers by writing the numbers
once in order and once in reverse order and adding them
together.
So to add the numbers from 1 to 100:
S= 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + + 98 + 99 + 100
S= 100 + 99 + 98 + 97 + 96 + + 3 + 2 + 1
2S = 101 + 101 + 101 + 101 + 101 + + 101 + 101 + 101
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
1 + 2 + 3 + + 30 = 21 30 31
= 465
21 + 22 + 23 + + 30 = (1 + 2 + + 30) (1 + 2 + + 20)
= 465 21 20 21
= 465 210
= 255
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
So:
If the last term is not known this formula can be written in terms
of a and n by substituting (a + (n 1)d) for l in the above.
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
3r 1 = (3 1 1) + (3 2 1) + (3 3 1) + (3 4 1)
r =1
= 2 + 5 + 8 + 11
The initial value of r doesnt have to be 1. For example:
8
= 3 2 + 4 2 + 52 + 62 + 72 + 82
r
r=3
2
Sequences
The formula for the nth term
Contents
Recurrence relations
Arithmetic sequences
Arithmetic series
The sum of the first n natural numbers
The sum of an arithmetic series
Using notation
Examination-style questions
2 1 : 3d = 15
d=5
a=2
b) In general, for an arithmetic series un = a + (n 1)d so
un = 2 + 5(n 1)
= 5n 3
c) u10 = (5 10) 3
= 47
n
Now using the formula Sn = (a + l ) with a = 2 and l = 47:
2
10
S10 = (2 + 47)
2
= 245
37 of 37 Boardworks Ltd 2005