Chapter 19

Chapter 19
Sequences & the

Binomial Theorem
Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-1

OFFICIAL
Ch. 19: Sequences & the Binomial

Theorem - Learning Objectives
 By the end of this chapter the student will:

 Have developed an understanding of the
concepts of arithmetic and geometric sequences
and series.
 Be able to calculate the sum of n terms of an
arithmetic and geometric sequence.
 Have been introduced to the concept of a limit.
 Calculate the sum of an infinite geometric series.
 Apply the concept of the binomial theorem.

OFFICIAL
Ch. 19.1: Arithmetic Sequences
 A set of numbers in which each number

after the first can be obtained from the
preceding one by adding to it a fixed
number.
 This fixed number is called:

OFFICIAL
The Arithmetic Sequence

 In each sequence, identify how each
number is obtained.
 Examples:
1. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, …
2. -5, 0, 5, 10, 15, …
3. 8, 7.5, 7, 6.5, 6, …

OFFICIAL

 We express this sequence using the
recursion formula:
an  an 1  d
the next
term in the
sequence the common
the beginning
difference
term
OFFICIAL

 Example 4:
 Write the first 6 terms of the arithmetic
sequence when a1 = 3 and d = 7.
 Answer: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 38

OFFICIAL
Finding the nth Term

 To find any term in an arithmetic
sequence, we can work through each
term individually.
 This is a very inefficient process, taking
more time than is needed.
 To find a particular term in an arithmetic
sequence we use the following formula.

OFFICIAL
The nth Term in an Arithmetic

Sequence
 The nth term, an, of the arithmetic
sequence is given by: the common
difference
an  a1  n  1d
the nth
term in the the factor used
sequence the first term in the for the
sequence common
Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. difference19-8
OFFICIAL

 Example 5:
 Find the 22nd term of an arithmetic sequence
that has a first term of 4 and a common
difference of 5.
 Solution:
 a1 = 4, d = 5, n = 22
an  a1  n  1d a22  4  22  15
a22  109
OFFICIAL
The Sum of n Terms

 We can calculate the sum of the first n
terms with the formula:
n
S n  a1  an 
The sum of
2
the n terms the sum of
in the the number of terms the 1st &
sequence being calculated last terms
OFFICIAL
The Sum of n Terms

 Example 6:
 Find the sum of the first 10 terms of
the arithmetic sequence:
1. We first find the 10th term.

2. We then find the sum.
OFFICIAL
The Sum of n Terms

 Solution:
1. Find the 10th term of the arithmetic
sequence: a1 = 2, d = 3, n = 10
 a10 = 29
2. Calculate the sum:
 a1 = 2, a10 = 29, n = 22
 S10 = 155
OFFICIAL
Summary
 An arithmetic series is defined by the
recursion formula:
an  an 1  d
 For the nth term in an arithmetic sequence, we
use the formula:
an  a1  n  1d
 The sum of the first n terms in an arithmetic
sequence:
n
S n  a1  an 
2

OFFICIAL
19.2: Geometric Sequences
 Each number after the first can be

obtained from the preceding one by
multiplying it by a fixed number.
 This fixed number is called:

OFFICIAL
The Geometric Sequence

 In each sequence, identify how each
number is obtained.
 Examples:
1. 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1, …
2. -5, 10, -20, 40,…
3. 3, 9, 27, 81, …

OFFICIAL

 We express this sequence using the
recursion formula:
an  ran 1
any term
in the sequence
the preceding term
the common
in the sequence
ratio
OFFICIAL

 Example 4:
 Given the sequence:
1 1 1
1, , , ,
2 4 8
what is the common ratio?

OFFICIAL

 Just as we were able to find the nth term
in an arithmetic sequence, we can also
find the nth term in a geometric
sequence.
 To find a particular term in a geometric
sequence, we use the following formula.

OFFICIAL
The nth Term in Geometric

Sequence
 The nth term, an, of the arithmetic
sequence is given by:
the factor used
n 1 for the
an  a1r common
the nth difference
term in the
sequence the first term in the
sequence
OFFICIAL

 Example 5:
 Find the 5th term of a geometric sequence
that has a first term of 4 and a common ratio
of 4.
 Solution:
 a1 = 4, r = 4, n = 5
an  a1r n 1
a5  4 4 51
a5  1024
OFFICIAL
The Geometric Series:

The Sum of n Terms
 We can calculate the sum of the first n
terms of a geometric sequence:
Sn 
a1 1  r  n

The sum of
1 r
the n terms r1
in the the first term
sequence in the calculation
OFFICIAL
The Sum of n Terms

 Example 6:
 Find the sum of the first 7 terms of the
geometric sequence from Example 4:
1 1 1
1, , , ,
2 4 8
 We only need to find the sum. There is
no other calculation as there was with
an arithmetic sequence.
OFFICIAL
The Sum of n Terms

 Solution:
 Use the formula for finding the sum of
a geometric series where: a1 = 1, r
= -1/2, n = 7
11    
 7

a1 1  r 
n
 
1
2  S7 
43
1   1 
Sn  S 7
64
1 r 2

OFFICIAL
Summary
 A geometric series defined by the
recursion formula:
an  ran 1
 The nth term in a geometric sequence:
n 1
an  a1r
 The sum of the first n terms in a geometric
sequence: n
Sn 
a1 1  r  
1 r

OFFICIAL
19.3: Infinite Geometric

Sequences
 The indicated sum of the terms of a
sequence is called:

OFFICIAL
The Arithmetic Series

 Each term in the sequence is added to
obtain a sum.
 The indicated sum of the terms of the
arithmetic sequence
1, 6, 11, 16, …,
 is the series:
1 + 6 + 11 + 16 + …

OFFICIAL
The Arithmetic Series

 The series associated with a finite
sequence will always add up to a real
number.
 The series associated with an infinite
arithmetic sequence will not sum to a real
number.
 The terms become larger and larger
numerically.
 The sum becomes…

OFFICIAL
The Geometric Series

 The indicated sum of the terms of the
geometric sequence
1 1 1
1, , , , ...
4 16 64
 is the series:
1 1 1
1     ...
4 16 64
OFFICIAL
The Geometric Series

geometric sequence may or may not sum
to a real number.
 Recall, the common ratio can be:
 negative, and/or,
 a fraction.
 This could cause the terms in the series
to fluctuate between being positive or
negative, shrinking or increasing.

OFFICIAL
Finding the Sum of a

Geometric Series
We are given the series: 1 1 1


1     ...
4 16 64
 Calculating the first
10 terms, we get: n
1
terms
1
partial sum
1
 Notice how the sum 2

3
0.25
0.0625
1.25
1.3125
approaches the 4
5
0.015625
0.00390625
1.328125
1.33203125
value 1.33 … . 6 0.000976563 1.333007813

7 0.000244141 1.333251953
8 6.103515625E-05 1.333312988
9 1.525878906E-05 1.333328247
10 3.814697266E-06 1.333332062

OFFICIAL

Geometric Series
 In fact, it can be shown:
1 rn   
S n  a1    1 0  4
1  r  S n  1 
  1 1  3
 
 4
The sum of
the first n
terms of an
infinite series.

OFFICIAL

Geometric Series
 For this to happen, rn becomes

exceedingly small if |r| < 1.
 This is written as n
lim r  0 if r  1
n 
 The limit, as n approaches infinity,

of r to the nth power is zero.

OFFICIAL
The Sum of an Infinite

Geometric Series
 Using this idea of a limit, the formula
for the sum of the terms of an infinite
geometric series now becomes:
a1
S , r 1
1 r

OFFICIAL
Summary
 The sum of a sequence (either
arithmetic or geometric) is called a
series.
 The series associated with a finite
sequence will always add up to a real
number.
arithmetic sequence will not sum to a
real number.


OFFICIAL
The Binomial Theorem

 Expanding polynomials of powers higher
than 2 is a demanding process.
 The binomial theorem provides us with a
way of performing this process without
directly multiplying out the expression.

OFFICIAL
Expanding Polynomials
Expand:
 (a + b)0 = 1
 (a + b)1 = a + b
 (a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
 (a + b)3 = a3 + 3a2b + 3ab2 + b3
 (a + b)4 = a4 + 4a3b + 6a2b2 + 4ab3 + a4
What do we notice about (a + b)n ?

OFFICIAL
Properties of the Binomial (a + b)n

1. There are n + 1 terms.
2. The first term is an, and the last term is
bn.
3. Progressing from the first term to the
last, the exponent of a decreases by 1
from term to term; the exponent of b
increases by 1 from term to term, and
the sum of the exponents of a and b in
each term is n.

OFFICIAL
Properties of the Binomial (a + b)n

4. If the coefficient of any term is multiplied
by the exponent of a in that term and
this product is divided by the number of
that term, we obtain the coefficient of the
next term.
5. The coefficients of terms equidistant
from the ends are equal.

OFFICIAL
Factorial Notation: n!
 When working with these formulas, we will
use factorial notation n! to simplify
expressions.
 We read: n factorial represents the product of
the first n positive integers where:
n! nn  1n  2  2 1

 Examine how this notation is used in the
binomial formula …
OFFICIAL
The Binomial Formula

 The binomial formula is valid for all
positive integer values of n:
nn  1 n 2 2 nn  1n  2  n3 3

a  b 
n n
 a  na n 1
b a b  a b  ...  b n
2! 3!

OFFICIAL
The Binomial Series

 If we let a = 1 and b = x in the binomial
formula:
nn  1 2 nn  1n  2  3

1  x  n
 1  nx  x  x  ...
2! 3!

OFFICIAL
Pascal’s Triangle
1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
6 15 20 15 6
OFFICIAL
Example #1:
 Expand: (x + y)6
 Solution: Go to the 6th row of Pascal’s Triangle
for the binomial coefficients.
 They are 1, 6, 15, 20, 15, 6 & 1.
 We complete the expansion using these
numbers as the coefficients.
x  y 
6
 x 6  6 x 5 y  15 x 4 y 2  20 x 3 y 3  15 x 2 y 4  6 xy 5  y 6
OFFICIAL
Summary
 The binomial theorem is defined by:
a  b n  a n  na n1b  nn  1 a n2b 2  nn  1n  2 a n3b3  ...  b n

2! 3!
 When a = 1 & b = x, the binomial series is

expressed by:
nn  1 2 nn  1n  2  3

1  x  n
 1  nx  x  x  ...
2! 3!


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Chapter 19

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Chapter 19

Sequences & the

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-1

Ch. 19: Sequences & the Binomial

 By the end of this chapter the student will:

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-2

Ch. 19.1: Arithmetic Sequences

 A set of numbers in which each number

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-3

The Arithmetic Sequence

2. -5, 0, 5, 10, 15, …

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-4

The Arithmetic Sequence

The Arithmetic Sequence

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-6

Finding the nth Term

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-7

The nth Term in an Arithmetic

Finding the nth Term

The Sum of n Terms

The Sum of n Terms

1. We first find the 10th term.

The Sum of n Terms

19.2: Geometric Sequences

 Each number after the first can be

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-14

The Geometric Sequence

2. -5, 10, -20, 40,…

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-15

The Geometric Sequence

The Geometric Sequence

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-17

Finding the nth Term

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-18

The nth Term in Geometric

Finding the nth Term

The Geometric Series:

The Sum of n Terms

The Sum of n Terms

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-23

19.3: Infinite Geometric

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-25

The Arithmetic Series

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-26

The Arithmetic Series

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-27

The Geometric Series

The Geometric Series

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-29

Finding the Sum of a

We are given the series: 1 1 1

 Notice how the sum 2

value 1.33 … . 6 0.000976563 1.333007813

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-30

Finding the Sum of a

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-31

Finding the Sum of a

 For this to happen, rn becomes

 The limit, as n approaches infinity,

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-32

The Sum of an Infinite

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-33

Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 19-34