PATTERNS AND SEQUENCES

A sequence is a list of numbers. The

numbers in a sequence are called
terms and written as a1, a2, a3, . . .an,. . .
where the group of three dots is called
ellipsis, where a1 is the first term, a2 is
the second term, a3 is the third term
and so forth.
If a sequence does not have a last term,
it is called infinite. The sequence 2, 4, 6,
8, 10, . . .2n . . . is an example of infinite,
which may be represented by {a3}= {2n}
or simply
an= 2n. If the sequence an as the last term
for some positive integer n¸then the
sequence is called finite. An infinite term
has an ellipsis, while the finite has none.
Example 1:
Find a possible formula for the nth term of a
sequence whose first four terms are
5, 9, 13, 17, . . .
Solution:
The pattern of the sequence, two consecutive
terms differ by 4. Also, we observe that a1 =
4(1)+1, a2 = 4(2)+1,
a3 = 4(3)+1, and a4 = 4(4)+1.
Notice that ai , where i= 1,2,3,4. Thus, one
possible formula is an = 4n+1.
Example 2:
Find the first three terms and the 11th term
of the sequence defined by each formula.
1) an = 3n²+1
a1 = 3(1²)+1 = 4
a2 = 3(2²)+1 = 13
a3 = 3(3²)+1 = 28
Thus, the first three terms are 4, 13 and 28.
The 11th term is a11 = 3(11²)+1 = 364.
  
Find the first three terms and the 11th term of the
sequence defined by each formula.
2) cn =

c1 = =

c2 = =

c3 = =
Thus, the first three terms are 1, and . The 11th term
is c11 = =
Example 3:
Find the first four terms and the 2020th term of
the sequence defined by:
an = 3n-1
a1 = 3(1)-1 = 2
a2 = 3(2)-1 = 5
a3 = 3(3)-1 = 8
a4 = 3(4)-1 = 11
Thus, the first four terms are 2, 5, 8 and
11.The 2020th term is
a2020 = 3(2020)-1= 6059.
ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE AND
SERIES
An arithmetic sequence is a
sequence of the form a1, a1+d, a1+2d,
a1+3d, . . . . . a1+(n-1) d, where a1 is
the first term, d is the common
difference, and the nth term of the
sequence is given by a1+(n-1) d.
Example:
a. Determine whether the given numbers
can be the first five terms of an arithmetic
sequence or not.
15, 27, 39, 51, 63  the common difference
is 12, 27-15=39-27=51-39=63-51=12
a1 = 15
a1 + d = 15 + 12 = 27
a1 + 2d = 15 + 2(12) = 39
a1 + 3d = 15 + 3(12) = 63
b. Find the 17th term of the arithmetic
sequence 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, . . .
Our first term is 4, and the common
difference is
d= 7-4 = 3. Thus, the nth of the
sequence is,
an = 4 + (n-1)(3)= 3n + 1
Therefore, the 17th term is
a17 = 3(17) + 1 = 52.
ARITHMETIC MEANS
The terms between any two given non-consecutive
terms of an arithmetic sequence are called arithmetic
means between given terms.
Example:
Insert four arithmetic means between 7 and 37.
a1 = 7 and a6 = 37
37 = 7 + (6-1)d
37 = 7 + 5d
37-7 = 5d
30 = 5d  Divide both sides by 5.
d=6
7, 13, 19, 25, 31, 37
ARITHMETIC SERIES
Consider 1+ 5 + 9 + 13 + 17 = 45.
The expression on the left is called
arithmetic series and 45 is its sum.
THE
   SUM OF THE FIRST n TERMS OF AN ARITHMETIC
SEQUENCE

Sn =
Example:
Find the sum of the first 34 terms of the arithmetic sequence 1,
5, 9, 13, 17, . . .
Where, a1 = 1, d = 4, n = 34, an = (n-1)d

S34 =
= 17[2 + 4(33)]
= 17(134)
= 2278