CP Alg II Sequences and Series Notes Name: ______________

Sequence—a collection of numbers each with their own assigned term number (ex. a 1 is the first term, a2 is second,…

Arithmetic Sequence—a sequence in which each term can be found by adding the same # to each previous term

Common difference—the number being repeatedly added to terms in an arithmetic sequence (called d)

Geometric Sequence— a sequence in which each term can be found by multiplying each previous term by the same #

Common ratio— the number being repeatedly multiplied to terms in a geometric sequence (called r)

Series—the sum of a sequence (They can be finite-set number of terms. They can be infinite-never ending)

How to find d: How to find r:

State the first term of each sequence. State whether each sequence is arithmetic, geometric, or neither
(use common differences and common ratios as a justification). If it is arithmetic or geometric, find the
nth term formula and use it to get the 10th term of the sequence.

Example 1: 1, 3, 9, 27, …

Example 2: 5, 1, −3, −7, …

Example 3: 2, 7, 12, 19, …

Example 4: Find the sum of each sequence described below.
1 1
a. , , 1, 5, … , 3125
25 5

b. the first 8 terms of the series defined by 3, −2, −7, −12, …

Example 5: Word Problems.

a. A new cookbook is becoming popular. The local bookstore sold 2 copies in February, 4 copies in
March, 8 copies in April, 16 copies in May, and 32 copies in June. If this pattern continues,
approximately how many copies will the bookstore sell in December?

b. A theater has 60 seats in the first row, 68 seats in the second row, 76 seats in the third row, and so
on in the same increasing pattern. If the theater has 20 rows of seats, how many seats are in the
theater?

c. The first year a toy manufacturer introduces a new toy, its sales total $495,000. The company
expects its sales to drop 10% each succeeding year. Find the total expected sales in the first 6 years.
Find the total expected sales if the company offers the toy for sale for as long as anyone buys it.