BY ONIEL FRANCIS

SERIES AND
SEQUENCES
SEQUENCE

• A sequence is an ordered list of numbers (or other elements like geometric

objects), that often follow a specific pattern or function.
• a1 , a2 , a3 , ……….an

• E.g. 2, 4, 6, 8….

• Each term can be found rule given in terms of the nth term
•
EXAMPLE OF RULES

• The nth term in a sequence is given by an = (n 2 + n)/2. The first three terms are
• a1 = (12 + 1)/2
• = 2/2
• =1
• a2= (2 2 + 2)/2
• = 4/2
• =2
• a3= (n 2 + n)/2 use this to calculate the third term(can you guess what it is)
TYPES OF SEQUENCES

• Consider the following sequences, tell what you notice

1, 7, 13, 19,...

1, 4, 7, 10, 13,...
ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE/PROGRESSION
ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION EXPLAINED
EXAMPLE

• Determine the formula for the nth term of the following sequence

• -9, -6, -3…….

Lets find a a= -9

Therefore d = a2 –a1
= -6 –(-9)
=3
So the formula for the nth term is an = -9 + (n-1)3
= 3n – 12
EXAMPLE 2:

• Find the 20th term for the given AP:3, 5, 7, 9, ……

• a= 3

• d= 5-3

• =2

• so an = 3 +(n-1)2

• = 2n + 1

• Therefore a20 = 2n + 1 remember n = 20

• = 2(20) + 1

• = 40 + 1

• = 41
TYPES OF SEQUENCES

• Consider the following sequences

• 2, 10, 50, 250,...

• 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8,...

• Do you notice anything different?

GEOMETRIC
PROGRESSION
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE 2
• Find the 7th term of a G.P. If a2 = 15 and a5 =405.
• Step1: write equations stating the information
405= a x r5-1
15 = a x r2-1
Step 2: divide both equations
27 = r3
3 3
27 = 𝑟3
3=r
EXAMPLE CON’TD

• Step 3: find the first term (a1)

• an = a1 x rn-1
• 15 = a1 x 32-1
• 15 = a1 x 3
• 5 = a1
EXAMPLE CON’TD

• Step 4: now find the 7th term

• an = a1 x rn-1
• a7 = 5 x 37-1
• a7 = 5 x 36
• a7 = 5 x 729
• a7 = 3645
CLASSWORK

• Page 193

• Exercise 6.1

• # 1-5

• # 11- 14
THE SUMMATION NOTATION ( )

• The summation of a sequence is the summing of the terms of a sequence. When this is
done it is referred to as a series.
• The summation notation is one method of forming a series.

• Ie. Given the finite sequence ar = a1, a2 , a3 , a4, a5 .

5
• 𝑟−1(𝑎𝑟 ) = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5
SUMMATION
EXAMPLE

𝑛
• Given that a series is given as 𝑟=1 𝑎𝑟 , where 𝑎𝑟 = 3𝑟 − 5 find the value of
3
• a) 𝑟=1 𝑎𝑟 b) the 8th term
ARITHMETIC
SERIES
EXAMPLE 1

• Step 1
CON’TD

• Step 2.
EXAMPLE 2

• In the arithmetic sequence –3, 4, 11, 18, …, find

the sum of the first 20 terms.

• Question: what information do we need to solve this problem?

• Correct : a and d
SOLUTION

• First term (a) = -3

• Common difference (d) = 4 – (-3)

• = 7
• Number of terms (n) = 20
CONTINUED

• USING THE FORMULA

TRY THESE

• Additional mathematics: A complete course for CSEC

• Page 199
• Exercise 6.3
• numbers 1-3
GEOMETRIC SERIES

• An infinite sequence of numbers to be added,

whose terms are found by multiplying the previous
term by a fixed, non-zero number called the
common ratio.
FORMULA
THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS THE FORMULA
USED TO DETERMINE THE SUM OF A G.P.
WHEN THE VALUE OF r WHEN

( r > 1)
FORMULA 2
NOTES TO
REMEMBER
EXAMPLES

• Find the sum of first 10 terms of the geometric

series 5/2 + 5/6 + 5/18 + ............
SOLUTION

Ask: what values do I already have?

And what else will I need? r = 5/6 ÷ 5/2

Tip: always find the value of r first r = 1/3

CON’TD

• R=1/3 therefore r < 1

𝑎(1 −𝑟 𝑛 )
• Hence Sn =
1−𝑟

5 110
(1 −3 )
• S 10 = 2
1
1−3

5 1
(1 − )
•= 2 59049
2
3
CON’TD

5 59048
( )
• 2 59049
2
3

• = 3.75
PRACTICE

• Page 202
• # 1-3
DIVERGENT AND CONVERGENT SERIES

• A geometric series is diverging if as the number of terms increases

so does the sum of those terms.
• That is as n increases, so does sn

• A geometric series is converging if as the number of terms increases

the sum of the terms decrease.
• That is as n increases, sn decreases
IDENTIFYING CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT
SERIES
• Consider the following :

• Calculate the value of r for each

IDENTIFYING CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT
SERIES
• Step 2: Check if the common ratio falls between -1 and 1

• Step 3:Check if the series is convergent or divergent.

Nb. If the ratio falls between -1 and 1 the series is convergent. If not, the series is divergent
PROOF

• For
• r=½
• Check for various sums example S5, S8 , s10
• Is there a value that all sum trend towards?
• If all sums tend towards a particular value it means they will ultimately converge there.
Hence this would be a convergent series.
EXAMPLE 2

• Identify if the following geometric series is convergent or divergent.

• S=1−2+4−8+16−32 …
• Step 1: Find the common ratio:
• r=−2
• Step 2: Check if the common ratio falls within (−1,+1).
• The common ratio is less than -1 and does not meet this criterion.
• Step 3: Check if the series is convergent or divergent.
• Since the common ratio does not fall within (-1, +1), the given series is a divergent series.
• Note: Even if the common ratio is equal to +1 or -1, the series is said to be divergent.
SUM OF TERMS TO
INFINITY OF A G.P.
• The sum of terms of a G.P. which
divergent is infinite. Can you guess
why?

• However, for convergent series the

sum is defined as follows:
EXAMPLE

• Page 206
• Exercise 6.5
• 1-3