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SEQUENCES AND
SERIES
Dr. T. VENKATESAN
Assistant Professor
Department of Statistics
St. Joseph’s College, Trichy-2.
• What is a sequence?
• What is the difference between
finite and infinite?
Sequence:
• A function whose domain is a set of consecutive
integers (list of ordered numbers separated by
commas).
• Each number in the list is called a term.
• For Example:
Sequence 1 Sequence 2
2,4,6,8,10 2,4,6,8,10,…
Term 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Term 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Domain – relative position of each term (1,2,3,4,5)
Usually begins with position 1 unless otherwise
stated.
Range – the actual “terms” of the sequence
(2,4,6,8,10)
Sequence 1 Sequence 2
2,4,6,8,10 2,4,6,8,10,…
2nd term
f (2) = (– 3)
2–1
= –3
f (3) = (– 3)3 – 1 = 9 3rd term
2 2 2 2
a. , , , ,... b. 3,5,7,9,...
5 25 125 625
2 2 2 2
1
, 2 , 3 , 4 ,...
5 5 5 5
Think:
Describe the pattern, write the next term, and
write a rule for the nth term of the sequence
(a) – 1, – 8, – 27, – 64, . . .
SOLUTION
a. You can write the terms as (– 1)3, (– 2)3, (– 3)3,
(– 4)3, . . . . The next term is a5 = (– 5)3 = – 125.
A rule for the nth term is an 5 (– n)3.
Describe the pattern, write the next term, and
write a rule for the nth term of the sequence
(b) 0, 2, 6, 12, . . . .
SOLUTION
b. You can write the terms as 0(1), 1(2), 2(3),
3(4), . . . .
The next term is f (5) = 4(5) = 20. A rule for the
nth term is f (n) = (n – 1)n.
Graphing a Sequence
• Think of a sequence as ordered pairs for
graphing. (n , an)
n 1 2 3 4
a 3 6 9 12
Retail Displays
You work in a grocery store and are stacking
apples in the shape of a square pyramid with 7
layers. Write a rule for the number of apples in
each layer. Then graph the sequence.
SOLUTION First Layer
2i
1
2i
1
ANSWER 10
b. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 . . .
2 3 4 5
SOLUTION
b. Notice that for each term the denominator
of the fraction is 1 more than the
numerator. So, the terms of the series can
be written as:
i
ai = i + where i = 1, 2, 3, 4, . . .
1
The lower limit of summation is 1 and the
upper limit of summation is infinity.
ANSWER
8
The summation notation for the series is i
i + 1.
i=1
Example: Find the sum of the
10 series.
k
5
2
1
8
(3 + k2) = (3 + 42) 1 (3 + 52) + (3 + 62) + (3 + 72) + (3 + 82)
k–4
= 19 + 28 + 39 + 52 + 67
= 205
Find the sum of series.
7
11. (k2 – 1)
k=3
SOLUTION
We notice that the Lower limit is 3 and the upper
limit is 7.
7
(k2 – 1)
k=3 = 9 – 1 + 16 – 1 + 25 – 1 + 36 – 1 + 49 – 1
= 8 + 15 + 24 + 35 + 48.
= 130 .
ANSWER 130.
Special Formulas (shortcuts!)
nn n
n(n 1)
c1 cn
i i 1
n
1
i 1
i
2
n
n(n 1)(2n 1)
i 1
2
i
6
Page 437
Example: Find the sum.
10
i
i 1
2
SOLUTION