GEOMETRIC SERIES

 a geometric series is a series with a

constant ratio between successive terms.
For example, the series. is geometric,
because each successive term can be
obtained by multiplying the previous term
by 1/2.
 geometric series is the sum of the terms in
a geometric sequence. If the sequence has
a definite number of terms, the simple
formula for the sum is.
 FORMULA : The sum Sn of a finite geometric series
a1 + a2 + a3 + . . . an is
 a1 is the first term.
 r is the common ratio of the sequence
 n is the # of terms

a1 (1  r ) n
Sn 
1 r
Example
 Use the formula to evaluate the series 3 + 6 + 12 +
24 + 48 + 96.
 a1 = , n= ,r=

a1 (1  r n )
Sn 
1 r
3(1  26 )
Sn 
1 2

 189
  189
1
 Find the sum of the first 8 terms of the geometric series
if a1=1 and r = 2.

S8= 1(1−28)
1−2

=255
An infinite geometric series with │r│ < 1 converges
to the sum of

a1
S 
1 r
 Find the sum of the infinite geometric sequence
27,18,12,8,⋯
 First find r:
 Then find the sum: