GEOMETRIC

SEQUENCES
PREPARED BY: MS. LEAH ROSE DUCUT
Geometric Sequence
- A Geometric Sequence or Geometric
Progression is a sequence in which each term
after the first is obtained by multiplying the
preceding term by a nonzero constant.
- This number by which we multiply is called
common ratio (r) of the sequence.
Examples:
1.) Identify the common ratio of the following geometric sequences.
a. 2, 8, 32, 128, …
Sol : r = = 4

b. 2, -2, 2, -2, …
Sol : r = =

c. 9, 3, 1, , …
Sol : r = =
Formula for the nth term of a Geometric
Sequence

=
where:
= first term
r = common ratio
n = nth term
Examples:
Finding Terms of a Geometric Sequence
1. A geometric sequence has first term 3 and common ratio -. Find
the first five terms and the tenth term.
Solution:
=3 3, , , , , … , …
= (3)(-) = -
= (-)(-)= =
= ()(-) = - =3
= (-)(-)= =3
=-
Examples:
Finding a specific term of a Geometric Sequence
2. We are given = 5 and = -40. Find .
Solution:
=? r=?
= By substitution: To solve for :
-40 = (second equation)
5 = (first equation) =
-40 =
= -40 = =
-40 = (second equation) -40 = 5
To solve for r: = -8
5 = (first equation) r=
= r=-2
Examples:
Finding a specific term of a Geometric Sequence
2. We are given = 5 and = -40. Find .
Solution:
= r = -2

=
=
=
= -160
Geometric Mean and Mean
Proportional
PREPARED BY: MS. LEAH ROSE DUCUT
Mean Proportional

 Mean proportional, or geometric mean, is not the same as the

Arithmetic Mean.
 Arithmetic mean deals with addition while Geometric mean deals
with multiplication.
Mean Proportional

 When one geometric mean is found between two numbers, it is called

the mean proportional of the two numbers. If a and c are two
numbers and b is their mean proportional, then = . So = ac and b =
±.
Mean Proportional

 Find the mean proportional of  Find the mean proportional of

-8 and -2. 6 and 12.
Solution: Solution:
= =
= =
= 16 =
b=±4 b=±6
 Geometric Means

 The terms between any two given terms of a geometric sequence are
called geometric means.
Geometric Means
Example:
Find the three geometric means between 4 and 64.
Solution:
=4 = 64 4, , , , 64
Find the common ratio (r).
For , the geometric sequence is 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and the
geometric means are 8, 16, and 32.
64
For , the geometric sequence is 4, - 8, 16, -32, 64 and
the geometric means are - 8, 16, and - 32.