SM0025 2018/2019

Chapter 1: Sequences and Series – Tutorial

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TUTORIAL: SEQUENCES AND SERIES

1. Write the sum of each series using sigma notation:

(a) 7 3 + 8 3 + 9 3 + ... + 25 3
5 7 11 31 1 2 3 4 n
(b) - + 1 - + ... - (c) - + - + ... + (-1) ( n-1) 2
7 8 10 20 1 4 9 16 n

2. Find the sum of the following series:

[ ]
5 8
1
(a) å (b) å 1 + (- 1)i
k =1 k i =1

3. Determine the common difference, the fifth term, the nth term and the 100th term
of each of the arithmetic sequences.
(a) 2,5,8,11,... (b) 2,2 + s,2 + 2 s,2 + 3s,...

4. (a) The 10th term of an arithmetic sequence is 55 and the second term is 7 . Find the first
2 2
term of the sequence.
(b) Which term of the arithmetic sequence 1,4,7,… is 88?
(c) If 4, x, y, z, 10 are in an arithmetic sequence, find the values of x ,y and z

5. In each case, the partial sum of an arithmetic series is given. Find the sum:
20
(a) 1 + 5 + 9 + ... + 401 (b) å (1 - 2n )
n =0

6. (a) Find the sum of the even numbers between 199 and 1999
n
(b) The sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic series is (4n + 20) .
2
(i) Write down the expression for the sum of the first (n - 1) terms.
(ii) Find the first term and the common difference of the above series.

7. Find the sum, to the number of terms given of the following GPs:
1 1
(a) 3 + 6 + 12 + ... , 6 terms (b) 1+ + + ..., 20 terms
2 4

8. (a) Find the common ratio, given that it is negative, of a GP whose first term is 8 and
1
whose fifth term is .
2
5 25
(b) Find the sum of the first n terms of the GP 1 + + + ... and find the least value of n for
4 16
which the sum exceeds 20.
(c) Find the sum of the first ten terms of the geometric sequence - 4,8,-16,32,...

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 SM0025 2018/2019
Chapter 1: Sequences and Series – Tutorial
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9. Find the geometric mean of each of the following pairs of numbers:

(a) -9,-1 (b) 3,12

1
10. The sum of the first four terms of a geometric series with common ratio - is 30.
2
Determine the tenth term and the sum to infinity S ¥ .

r
1- x ö
¥
11. Given the infinite series å æç ÷
r =0 è x ø
(a) Show that the series is a geometric series
(b) Determine the values of x ( x > 0) so that the sum to infinity S ¥ exists.
(c) If x = 2 , find the sum of the first five terms, S 5 , and S ¥ . Show that
S 5 : S ¥ = 33 : 32 .

12. Show that

r
(a) å (a
i =1
i +1 - ai ) = a r +1 - a1
r
(b) ai +1 - ai = 2i3i + 3i +1 if ai = i3i . Hence, using (a) evaluate å 2i3
i =1
i
in terms of r

13. Without using a calculator, simplify each of the following:

n! (n - 1)!
(a) +
r! (r + 1)!
(b) 5 + 2 ( ) +(
4
5- 2 ) 4

14. By using the binomial theorem, expand each of the expressions below:
5 4
(b) æç - ö÷ (c) æç x 2 + ö÷
x 2 1
(a) (3 + 2 x) 4

è2 xø è xø

15. Find the coefficient of the term indicated in square brackets, in the expansion of each of the
expressions below.
6
(a) (1 - 3x) 6
[x ]
3
(b) æç x 2 - ö÷
2
xø
[constant/independent of x ]
è

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 SM0025 2018/2019
Chapter 1: Sequences and Series – Tutorial
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16. Obtain the first four terms in ascending powers of x of the binomial expansion for each of
the following, and state the range of values of x for which each is valid:
-1 1
(a) æç1 + ö÷
x -
(b) (1 + 2 x 2 ) 2

è 4ø

17. Given that (1 + kx )5 = 1 + 10 x + px 2 + qx 3 + ..... for all x Î R.

(a) find the values of k, p and q.
(b) using these values of k, p and q, find the coefficient of x3 in the expansion of
(1 - x)(1 + kx) 5 .

18. (a)Write down the expansion of (2 - x) 4 .

(b) Find the first four terms in the expansion of (1 + 2 x) -3 in ascending powers of x. For
what range of values of x is this expansion valid?

(c) Given
(2 - x )4 = 16 + ax + bx 2 + ... Find the values of a and b.
(1 + 2 x )3
1 1
19. Expand (1 + x ) 2 and (1 - 2 x )- 2 in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x 3 .
1+ x
Hence find the expansion of in ascending powers of x until the term in x 3 and state
1 - 2x

1
the range of values of x for which the expansion is valid. By taking x = , obtain an
10
approximate value for 22 , correct to four decimal places.

20. i) Express in partial fractions.

ii) Hence, obtain the expansion of in ascending powers of x, up to and
including the term in .

ANSWERS
19 14
æ 2r + 3 ö n
r
1. (a) å (6 + r ) 3
r =1
(b) å
r =1
(-1) r +1 ç
è r+6 ø
÷ (c) å (-1)
r =1
( r -1)

r 2

17
2. (a) 2 (b) 8
60
3. (a) 3 , 14 , 3n - 1 , 299 (b) s , 2 + 4 s , 2 + (n - 1) s , 2 + 99 s
1 1 1
4. (a) (b) 30th (c) 5 ,7,8
2 2 2

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 SM0025 2018/2019
Chapter 1: Sequences and Series – Tutorial
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5. (a) 20301 (b) –399
6. (a) 989100 (b) (i) 2(n - 1)(n + 4) ii) a = 12 , d = 4
19
(b) 2 - æç ö÷
1
7. (a) 189
è2ø
é 5 n ù
(b) S n = 4 êæç ö÷ - 1ú , n = 9
1
8. (a) ,2 (c) 1364
2 ëêè 4 ø úû
9. (a) 3,-3 (b) 6,-6
3
10. - , 32
32
1 11 2
11. (b) x > (c) ,
2 16 3
(2r - 1)3 r +1 + 3
12. (b)
2
13. (a)
(n - 1)!
(nr + n + 1) (b) 178
(r + 1)!
x 5 5x 3 20 40 32
14. (a) 81 + 216 x + 216 x 2 + 96 x 3 + 16 x 4 (b) - + 5x - + -
32 8 x x3 x5
4 1
(c) x 8 + 4 x 5 + 6 x 2 + +
x x4
15. (a) -270 (b) 12

x x2 x3
16. (a) 1 - + - , -4< x< 4
4 16 64
3x 4 5 x 6 1 1
(b) 1 - x 2 + - , - <x<
2 2 2 2
17. (a) k = 2, p = 40, q = 80 (b) 40
1 1
18. (a) 16 - 32 x + 24 x 2 - 8 x 3 + x 4 (b) 1 - 6 x + 24 x 2 - 80 x 3 , - <x<
2 2
(c) a = - 128 , b = 600
1 1 1 3 5 3 15 51 1 1
19. 1 + x - x 2 + x 3 , 1 + x + x 2 + x 3 , 1 + x + x 2 + x 3 , - < x < , 4.6878
2 8 16 2 2 2 8 16 2 2
20. i) A= -2, B=1, c=4
5 7
ii) x - 3 x 2 + x 3
2 4