SEQUENCES

and SERIES
Te a c h e r ’s L o v e l y M a t h C l a s s
At the end of the lesson, you
should be able to:
1
2
Generate patterns
Illustrate a
sequence
 SEQUENCES
Is a function with its domain being the set of positive
integers, n={1,2,3,4,…}.
A sequence can also be defined as an ordered list of
number.
Terms are the elements of a sequence {a 1 ,a 2 ,a 3 ,…,a n - 1 ,a n }.
It is denoted by {a n }
 EXAMPLES
{5,10,15,20,25,30}
First term = a 1 = 5
Second term = a 2 = 10
Third term = a 3 = 15
Fourth term = a 4 = 20
Fifth term = a 5 = 25
The pattern is 5 more than the previous.
 Is a list of sequence
FINITE ends after a specified
SEQUENCE number of terms
{5,10,15,20,25,30}

Is a list of never ending INFINITE

number of terms SEQUENCE
{5,10,15,20,…}
Example 1:
Answer the following item.

1. Find and in the sequence

2. Determine the four succeeding elements in

the sequence
Solution:
1. Observe that the first term of the sequence is 1, the second
term is 4, and the third term is 7. In symbols.

𝑎 4 =𝑎 3 +3=7+3=10
𝑎 5=𝑎4 + 3=10+3=13
𝑎 6=𝑎5 +3=13+ 3=16
Solution:
2. Note that the sequence is a set of powers of two. Given and ,
it follows that . Thus,

5
𝑎 5 =2 =32
6
𝑎 6 = 2 = 64
7
𝑎 7 = 2 =128
Example 2:
Generate the first 5 terms of the sequence defined by .
 Solution: 2 2 2
𝑎 5= = =
3 𝑛 3 (5) 15
2 2 2
𝑎 1= = =
3 𝑛 3(1) 3
Therefore, the first 5
2 2 2 1 terms sequence
𝑎 2= = = =
3 𝑛 3( 2) 6 3 are , , , , and
2 2 2
𝑎 3= = =
3 𝑛 3 (3) 9
2 2 2 1
𝑎4 = = = =
3 𝑛 3( 4) 12 6
 Exercise:
1. Find , , , and in the sequence
.

2. Generate the first 6 terms of the

sequence defined by .

3. Determine a general rule/expression

for the sequence
 Example 3:
1. Determine a general rule/expression
for the sequence

Solution:
The numerators are listed in the form {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, …}. The next number is obtained
by adding 2 to the previous.
and so on. Notice that if rule is written for the odd numbers in terms of n, it
can be seen that

and the general expression/rule is obtained.

For the numbers in the denominator {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, …},

Hence, the general expression/rule is obtained.

Therefore, the general rule/expression for the sequence is .

 SERIES
In any given sequence {a n }, a series is the sum of its first n
terms. It is denoted by
S n = a 1 ,a 2 ,a 3 ,…,a n - 1 +a n

The series is S 6 = a 1 +a 2 +a 3 +a 4 +a 5 +a 6
 There are also instances when a sequence has infinite terms, a 1 ,a 2 ,a 3 ,
…,a n-1 +a n. In such a case, it is also possible to find partial sums.
Partial sums are denoted by S n . Partial sums are obtained by
finding the sum of the first n terms of an infinite series. That is,

Sn = a1
S n = a 1 +a 2
S n = a 1 +a 2 +a 3
and so on.
Example 4:
Answer the following items.

1. Find the sum of the first 4 terms in the sequence a n =

{1, 4, 9, 16}.
2. Give the sequence {3, 5, 7, 9, …}, find S 7.

3. Determine the sum of the first 5 terms of the

sequence defined by a n = 3n-1.
Solution:
1. Using the formula S = a 1 ,a 2 ,a 3 ,…+a n where n=4, a 1 =1, a 2 =4,
a 3 =9 and a 4 =16,

S 4 = a 1 +a 2 +a 3 +a 4
S 4 = 1+4+9+16
S 4 = 30

Thus, the sum of the first 4 terms is 30.

Solution:
2. From the given sequence {3,5,7,9,…}, , , , and . However, the problem asks for the sum
of the first 7 terms. Hence, it is necessary to find , , and . Notice that the next term of the
sequence is obtained by adding 2 to the previous term. Using the same pattern.

The sum of the first 7 terms S 7 can now be obtained using the formula S 7 =
a 1 +a 2 +a 3 +a 4 +a 5 +a 6 +a 7 .
Substituting the corresponding values,
S 7 = 3+5+7+9+11+13+15
S 7 =63
Hence, the sum of the first 7 terms is 63.
Solution:
3. The terms of the sequence are not given, so it is necessary to find them first.
Using for n = 1,2,3,4,5,

Solving for the sum of the first 5 terms of the sequence.

S 7 = a 1 +a 2 +a 3 +a 4 +a 5
S 7 = 2+5+8+11+14
S 7 =40
Therefore, the sum of the first five terms is 40.
Example 5:
This Christmas, your godfather who works abroad gave you a
present of ₱1 000.00. You promised your godfather that you will keep
the money he gave you and in addition, you will save money per
month such that in January you will save ₱50.00 and every
succeeding month will be ₱10.00 more that the month before. How
much money will you have by the month of June?
 Solution:
Note that you have an
February: 50+10=60
initial savings of ₱1000.00.
For the month of January, March: 60+10=70
you save ₱50.00 and for April: 70+10=80
the succeeding months you May: 80+10=90
have.
June: 90+10=100
 Hence, the monthly savings from January to June forms a sequence
{50,60,70,80,90,100}. To find the amount of money you save by the
month of June, add the terms of the sequence plus the initial amount 1
000. Thus,

1 000+50+60+70+80+90+100 = 1 450

Therefore, by the end of June the saved amount is ₱1450.00

 SEATWORK
Do what is asked in each item.

3. Determine the
1. Find the sum of 2. Given the sum of the first
the first 4 terms sequence 5 terms of the
in the sequence {4,7,10,…}, sequence
= {7,11,15,19}. find . defined by
Homework
In the year 2019, you opened a bank account and
deposited an initial amount of ₱7 000.00. You promised to
yourself that every year you will deposit ₱1 000.00 more than the
year before. Suppose you deposited ₱1 500.00 in the year 2020 and
keeping the money intact in the bank and without including the
interest the money earns, how much money you will have in the bank
after five years?
THANK YOU!
Do you have any questions for me?