Module 2

Geometric
Sequence
 Objectives

At the end of the learning period you are expected to:

1. illustrate a geometric sequence;
2. differentiate a geometric sequence from an arithmetic
sequence;
3. determine geometric means, term of a geometric sequence
and sum of the terms of a given finite or infinite geometric
sequence;
 Objectives

At the end of the learning period you are expected to:

4. solve problems involving sequences..
 Geometric Sequence
If arithmetic sequences are formed by
addition, geometric sequences are formed by
multiplication. Each term in a geometric
sequence is found by multiplying the previous
term by the same number.
Geometric Sequence

1 ,2, 4, 8 , 16 ,…
Note that each term, is multiplied by 2 to get the next term.
Thus, the next three terms are
16(2)=32 This also implies that 2 is the
32(2)=64 common ratio to each pair of
consecutive terms
64 (2)=128
That is,

2 4 8
=2 =2 =2
1 2 4
This is why the constant multiplier in a geometric
sequence is called the common ratio. The letter is used
to denote the common ratio.
Example: Find the common ratio and the next three terms of each
geometric sequence.
6 , 12 , 24 , 48 , …
To find the common ratio, divide the second term by the first, or the
third by the second, of the fourth by the third, and so on.

12 24 48
𝑟= = = =…=2
6 12 24
The next three terms are , , and .
Example: Find the common ratio and the next three terms of each
geometric sequence. 1 1 1 1
,− , ,− ,…
2,500 500 100 20
To find the common ratio, divide the second term by the first, or the third by the
second, of the fourth by the third, and so on.
1 1 1
− −
500 100 20 1 100
𝑟= = = =− ∙ =−5
1 1 1 20 1
−
2,500 500 100

The next three terms are

.
 Geometric Sequence
A sequence with a common ratio is a geometric
sequence. The term of the sequence is
𝑛− 1
𝑎 𝑛= 𝑎1 𝑟
where is the first term, is the common ratio, and
is the number of terms.
 Finite Geometric Sequence
A geometric sequence with a definite number of terms is
referred to as a finite geometric sequence. Examples of
finite geometric sequences are the following:

1 ,5 ,25 ,125 , 625

1 ,10 ,100 , 1,000 , 10,000
32 ,16 , 8 , 4 , 2
 Infinite Geometric Sequence
A geometric sequence with indefinite number of terms is
described as an infinite geometric sequence. Examples of
infinite geometric sequences are the following:

80 , 40 , 20 ,10,5 , … 1 1 1 1 1
, , , , ,…
2 6 18 54 162
0.8 , 1.6 , 3.2 , 6.4 , 12.8 , …
Example
Write the first 5 terms of a geometric sequence where
Solution
Multiply the preceding term by to get the succeeding term.

𝑎 2=( 8 ) ( 3 )= 24
𝑎 3= ( 24 ) ( 3 ) =72
The first terms are
𝑎 4 =( 72 ) ( 3 )= 216
𝑎 5=( 216 ) ( 3 )= 648
 Geometric Means
In the given geometric sequence,

The terms between and are the geometric means.

These are Geometric means are the terms between any two given
terms of a geometric sequence.
Example
Find the three geometric means between
Solution
The geometric sequence appears like this: ___, ___, ___,
where
To   find   the   common   ratio 𝑟   substitute   these   values   to   𝑎𝑛 =𝑎 1 𝑟 𝑛− 1 .

1 1 4
=32 ¿ =𝑟
8 256
1
=𝑟

()
1 4 1 4 4
=32 𝑟 =𝑟
4
8
4
Solution
If then

𝑎 2=32
1
4
=8( ) 𝑎 3=8( )
1
4
=2 ( )
𝑎 4 =2
1
4
=
1
2

The geometric means between

and are and .
 Geometric Series
The sum of the first terms of a geometric sequence is

or

where is the first term, is the common ratio, and

Example
Find the sum of the first six terms of the geometric sequence
Solution
In the sequence, and

If , then the sum of the first terms is

6
3 [ ( − 2 ) −1] 3 [64 − 1]
𝑆 6= = =− 63.
−2 −1 −3
Hence, the sum of
The series if
is -63.
Example
Find the sum of a geometric sequence for which the first term is 125, the last term
is , and the common ratio is

Solution
The given values are
1 1 3,124
125 − ∙
5 5 25 5 781
𝑆𝑛 = = ∙ =
1 4 4 5
1−
5 5
The sum is .
𝑆 6 :{1 ,3 , 9 , …}
-Mrs. Mascardo