SEQUENCES AND SERIES

Pre-Calculus | 1st Quarter

 - A string of numbers which follow a
specific pattern and order
- A sequence follows a specific numerical
pattern and the terms consisting it can
SEQUENCE be generated using a formula. The 𝑛th
term of a sequence is denoted as 𝑎# ,
which is the general term. Then, 𝑎$ is
the first term of the sequence, 𝑎% is the
second term, 𝑎& is the third term, and
so on.
 • Finite – countable number of terms
SEQUENCE • Infinite – infinitely countable number of
terms
 Examples:
FINITE a) 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
SEQUENCE
$ $ $ $
b) %
, − 1 , 2 , − $3
 Examples:
INFINITE a) 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, …
SEQUENCE
$ $ $ $
b) %
, − 1 , 2 , − $3 , …
 EXAMPLE 1

Write the first five terms of the sequence

%
whose general term is 𝑎# = .
#
 EXAMPLE 1

Solution:
% % $
𝑎$ = = 2 𝑎1 = =
$ 1 %
% %
𝑎% = = 1
%
𝑎7 = 7
%
𝑎& =
&

% $ %
Therefore, 𝑎# = 2, 1, & , % , 7
 EXAMPLE 2

Determine the first three terms of the

sequence given by the function 𝑓 𝑛 = 𝑛% + 1.
 EXAMPLE 2

Solution:
𝑎$ = 𝑓 1 = 1% + 1 = 2
𝑎% = 𝑓 2 = 2% + 1 = 5
𝑎& = 𝑓 3 = 3% + 1 = 10

Therefore, 𝑎# = 2, 5, 10
 EXAMPLE 3

Determine the 7th term of the sequence given

by the function 𝑓 𝑛 = 𝑛% + 1.
 EXAMPLE 3

Solution:
𝑎; = 𝑓 7 = 7% + 1 = 50

Therefore, the 7th term of the sequence is 50.

 EXAMPLE 4

Determine the general term for the sequence

3, 6, 9, 12, 15, …
 EXAMPLE 4

Solution:

It can be noticed that the terms of the sequence are positive

multiples of 3. The first term is obtained by multiplying 3 by 1, the second
by multiplying 3 by 2, the third by multiplying 3 by 3, and so on.
 EXAMPLE 4

Solution:
𝑎$ = 3(1) = 3
𝑎% = 3 2 = 6
𝑎& = 3 3 = 9
.
.
.

Therefore, the given sequence has the general term 𝑎# = 3𝑛.

 - Sum of the terms of a given sequence
#
SERIES (𝑺 𝒏 )
𝑆 # = A 𝑎B = 𝑎$ + 𝑎% + 𝑎& + ⋯ + 𝑎#
BC$
 EXAMPLE 5

Determine the series of the sequence

% $ %
2, 1, , , .
& % 7
 EXAMPLE 5

Solution:
Since the sequence has 5 terms, 𝑛 = 5.
7
𝑆 7 = A 𝑎B = 𝑎$ + 𝑎% + 𝑎& + ⋯ + 𝑎7
BC$
% $ %
=2+1+ + +
& % 7
$&;
=
&E
$&;
Therefore, 𝑆 7 = &E
.
 EXAMPLE 6

Determine the sum of the first 4 terms of the

sequence determined by the function 𝑓 𝑛 =
2𝑛 − 9.
 EXAMPLE 6

Solution:
𝑎# = 𝑓 𝑛 = 2𝑛 − 9
𝑎$ = 𝑓 1 = 2 1 − 9 = −7
𝑎% = 𝑓 2 = 2 2 − 9 = −5
𝑎& = 𝑓 3 = 2 3 − 9 = −3
𝑎1 = 𝑓 4 = 2 4 − 9 = −1
 EXAMPLE 6

Solution:
1 1
𝑆 1 = A 𝑎B = A(2𝑖 − 9) = 𝑎$ + 𝑎% + ⋯ + 𝑎1
BC$ BC$
= −7 + −5 + −3 + (−1)
= −16
Therefore, the sum of the terms of the sequence is −16.
 EXAMPLE 7

Write the series 1 + 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + 36

using the sigma notation.
 EXAMPLE 7

Solution:
The given terms are the squares of consecutive integers 1,2,3,4,5, and 6.
Hence, the general term of the sequence containing these terms is 𝑎# = 𝑛% .Thus,
3
1 + 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + 36 = A 𝑎#
BC$
𝟔
1 + 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + 36 = A 𝒊𝟐
𝒊C𝟏
3

Therefore, the sigma notation for given series is A 𝑖 %.

BC$
 TYPES OF • Arithmetic Sequence
SEQUENCE • Geometric Sequence
 • A sequence wherein the difference of
ARITHMETIC every pair of consecutive terms is
SEQUENCE constant. This constant is called the
common difference, denoted by d.
 Examples:

ARITHMETIC • 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 → 𝑑 = 2
SEQUENCE • 33, 25, 17, … → 𝑑 = −8
$ $ $ $ & $
• , , 0, − 1 , − % , − 1 , …
% 1
→𝑑= −1
 Given an arithmetic sequence 𝑎# , the 𝑛th
term of the sequence is given by the formula
𝑎# = 𝑎$ + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
ARITHMETIC
SEQUENCE
where: 𝑎$ - first term of the sequence
𝑑 – common difference
 EXAMPLE 8

The first and second terms of an arithmetic

sequence are -2 and 3, respectively. If the nth term of
the sequence is 38, determine n.
 EXAMPLE 8

Solution:
From the problem, the following are the given:
𝑎$ = −2
𝑎% = 3
𝑎# = 38
 EXAMPLE 8

Solution:
The common difference is computed as
𝑑 = 𝑎BR$ − 𝑎B
𝑑 = 𝑎% − 𝑎$
𝑑 = 3 − −2
𝑑=5
 EXAMPLE 8

Solution:
Solving for 𝑛.
𝑎# = 𝑎$ + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
38 = −2 + 𝑛 − 1 (5)
40 = 𝑛 − 1 5
8=𝑛−1
𝑛=9
 EXAMPLE 9

The fifth and tenth terms of an arithmetic sequence

are 30 and 65, respectively. Determine the third term.
 EXAMPLE 9

Solution:
From the problem,
𝑎7 = 30
𝑎$E = 65
 EXAMPLE 9

Solution:
Substitute the given values in the formula.
𝑎7 = 30 = 𝑎$ + 5 − 1 𝑑
<E.1> 30 = 𝑎$ + 4𝑑

𝑎$E = 65 = 𝑎$ + 10 − 1 𝑑
<E.2> 65 = 𝑎$ + 9𝑑
 EXAMPLE 9

Solution:
Subtract <E.2> from <E.1>.
<E.1> - <E.2>:
30 = 𝑎$ + 4𝑑
−
65 = 𝑎$ + 9𝑑
−35 = −5𝑑
𝑑=7
 EXAMPLE 9

Solution:
Substitute 𝑑 = 7 in <E.1>.
30 = 𝑎$ + 4(7)
𝑎$ = 2
Substitute the values of 𝑑 and 𝑎$ in the formula to get the third term 𝑎& .
𝑎& = 2 + 3 − 1 (7)
𝑎& = 16
The third term of the arithmetic sequence is 16.
ARITHMETIC • Sum of the terms in an
SERIES arithmetic sequence
 #
𝑆# = 𝑎$ + 𝑎#
%
#
ARITHMETIC 𝑆# = 2𝑎$ + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
SERIES %
where: 𝑎$ - first term of the sequence
𝑑 – common difference
 EXAMPLE 10

Find 𝑆$7 of the sequence with the 20th term is 26

and the common difference is -5.
 EXAMPLE 10

Solution:
From the problem,
𝑎%E = 26
𝑑 = −5
 EXAMPLE 10

Solution:
Substitute the given values in the formula.
𝑎# = 𝑎$ + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
26 = 𝑎$ + 20 − 1 (−5)
𝑎$ = 121
 EXAMPLE 10

Solution:
Substitute the value of 𝑎$ in the arithmetic series formula
$7
𝑆$7 = %
2(121) + 15 − 1 (−5)
𝑆$7 = 1290
 • A sequence wherein the ratio of every
GEOMETRIC pair of consecutive terms is constant.
SEQUENCE This constant is called the common ratio,
denoted by r, where 𝑟 ≠ 0.
 Examples:

GEOMETRIC • 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 → 𝑟 = 2

SEQUENCE $
• 800, 400, 200, 100, … → 𝑟 =
%
• 2, −10,50, −250,1250, … → 𝑟 = −5
 Given a geometric sequence 𝑎# , the 𝑛th
term of the sequence is given by the formula
𝑎# = 𝑎$ U 𝑟 #V$
GEOMETRIC
SEQUENCE
where: 𝑎$ - first term of the sequence
𝑟 – common ratio
 EXAMPLE 11

Find the 1st term of the geometric sequence whose

4th and 7th terms are 27 and 729, respectively.
 EXAMPLE 11

Solution:
From the problem, the following are the given:
𝑎1 = 27 𝑎; = 729
𝑎1 = 𝑎$ U 𝑟 1V$ 𝑎; = 𝑎$ U 𝑟 ;V$
<E.1> 27 = 𝑎$ U 𝑟 & 729 = 𝑎$ U 𝑟 3 <E.2>
 EXAMPLE 11

Solution:
Divide <E.2> by <E.1>.

;%W XY UZ [
%;
=X \
Y UZ

27 = 𝑟 &
𝑟=3
Hence, the common ratio 𝑟 is 3.
 EXAMPLE 11

Solution:
Substitute the value of 𝑟 in <E.1>.

27 = 𝑎$ U 3&
$ $
%;
27) = (𝑎$ U 27 %;
𝑎$ = 1
Therefore, the first term of the given geometric sequence is 1.
GEOMETRIC • Sum of the terms in a
SERIES geometric sequence
 𝑎$ 1 − 𝑟 #
𝑆# =
1−𝑟
FINITE 𝑎$ 𝑟 # − 1
GEOMETRIC 𝑆# =
𝑟−1
SERIES

where: 𝑎$ - first term of the sequence

𝑟 – common ratio
 INFINITE For 𝑟 < 1,
GEOMETRIC 𝑎$
SERIES 𝑆# =
1−𝑟
 EXAMPLE 12

Given a geometric sequence 2, 8, 32, … , find the

sum up to the 8th term.
 EXAMPLE 12

Solution:
From the problem,
𝑎$ = 2, 𝑎% = 8, 𝑎& = 32
Solve for the common ratio.
X^_Y X 2
𝑟= X^
= X` = %
Y

𝑟=4
 EXAMPLE 12

Solution:
Substitute the given and obtained values in the geometric series formula.
% 1a V$
𝑆2 = 1V$
𝑆2 = 43690

Therefore, the sum of the first 8 terms of the given sequence is 43690.
 REFERENCES

De Guzman, D. (2017). Precalculus for senior high school. C & E Publishing, Inc.

DepEd. (2016). Pre-Calculus teacher’s guide. Manila.

Cueno, A., Acob, M., Cortez, M.J. (2016). Precalculus for senior high school. C & E Publishing,
Inc.