Review of Sequences and Series

Introduction
Pose the following problem to the class:

Jason’s classroom is on the second floor of the school. He can take

one or two steps of the stairs in one leap. In how many ways can
Jason climb the stairs if it has 16 steps?

Get students to suggest strategies they can use to solve this problem. Lead
or encourage them to try out smaller number of steps and find a pattern.
Work with the class to complete the following table (on the board):
 Number of Steps Number of Ways
in the Stairs to Climb the Stairs
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 5
5 8
. .

The students should be able to recognize the Fibonacci sequence. Ask the it means Jason
students to recall what Fibonacci sequences are and where they had encountered then 1 step to
this sequence before.
In this lesson, we will review the definitions and di↵erent types of sequences
and series.

Lesson Proper
Recall the following definitions:

A sequence is a function whose domain is the set of positive integers or

the set {1, 2, 3,. .., n}.

A series represents the sum of the terms of a sequence.

If a sequence is finite, we will refer to the sum of the terms of the sequence
as the series associated with the sequence. If the sequence has infinitely
many terms, the sum is defined more precisely in calculus.

A sequence is a list of numbers (separated by commas), while a series is a

sum of numbers (separated by “+” or “—” sign). As an illustration, 1, — 1 , 12, —
3
1
4
is a sequence, and 1 — 21 + 13 — 14 = 7 12 is its associated
series.
The sequence with nth term an is usually denoted by a{
n , and the associated
series is given by }
S = a1 + a2 + a3 + ·· · + an.
Example 2.1.1. Determine the first five terms of each defined sequence, and give
their associated series.
(1) {2 — n} (3) {(—1)n}
(2) {1+ 2n + 3n2} (4) { 1 + 2 + 3 + ·· · + n}

Solution. We denote the nth term of a sequence by an, and S = a1 + a2 + a3 +

a4 + a5.
(1) an = 2 — n
First five terms: a1 = 2 — 1 = 1, a2 = 2 — 2 = 0, a3 = —1, a4 = —2, a5 = —3
Associated series: S = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5 = 1 + 0 — 1 — 2 — 3 = —5
(2) an = 1 + 2n + 3n2
First five terms: a1 = 1 + 2 · 1+ 3 · 12 = 6, a2 = 17, a3 = 34, a4 = 57, a5 = 86
Associated series: S = 6 + 17 + 34 + 57 + 86 = 200
(3) an = (—1)n
First five terms: a1 = (—1)1 = —1, a2 = (—1)2 = 1, a3 = —1, a4 = 1,
a5 = —1
Associated series: S = — 1 + 1 — 1 + 1 — 1 = —1
(4) an = 1 + 2 + 3 + ·· · + n
First five terms: a1 = 1, a2 = 1+2 = 3, a3 = 1+2+3 = 6, a4 = 1+2+3+4 =
10, a5 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15
Associated series: S = 1 + 3 + 6 + 10 + 15 = 35 2

An arithmetic sequence is a sequence in which each term after the first is

obtained by adding a constant (called the common di↵erence) to the
preceding term.

If the nth term of an arithmetic sequence is an and the common di↵erence is

d, then
an = a1 + (n — 1)d.
The associated arithmetic series with n terms is given by
n(a1 + an) n[2a1 + (n — 1)d]
Sn = = .
2 2
 A geometric sequence is a sequence in which each term after the first is
obtained by multiplying the preceding term by a constant (called the
common ratio).

If the nth term of a geometric sequence is an and the common ratio is r, then

an = a1rn—1.

The associated geometric series with n terms is given by

8
>< na if r = 1
1
Sn =
>: a—(11 r )
n

if r 6= 1.
(1 — r)
The proof of this sum formula is an example in Lesson 2.3.
When —1 < r < 1, the infinite geometric series
a + a r + a r2 + ·· · + a rn—1 +
·· ·
1 1 1 1

has a sum, and is given by a1

||

S= .
1—r

If {a n} is an arithmetic sequence, then the sequence with

1
bn =is nth term
a harmonic
sequence.
an

Seatwork/Homework

1. Write SEQ if the given item is a sequence, and write SER if it is a series.
(a) 1, 2, 4, 8,. .. Answer: SEQ
(b) 2, 8, 10, 18,. .. Answer: SEQ
(c) — 1 + 1 — 1 + 1 — 1 Answer: SER
(d) 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ,. .. Answer: SEQ
2345
(e) 1 + 2 + 22 + 23 + 24 Answer: SER
(f) 1 + 0.1+ 0.001 + 0.0001 Answer: SER
2. Write A if the sequence is arithmetic, G if it is geometric, F if Fibonacci, and
O if it is not one of the mentioned types.
(a) 3, 5, 7, 9, 11,. .. Answer: A
 (b) 2, 4, 9, 16, 25,. .. Answer: O
(c) 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 ,. .. Answer: G
4 16 64 256
(d) 1
, 2 , 3 , 4 ,. .. Answer: O
3 9 27 81
(e) 1
, 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 ,. .. Answer: A
5 9 13 17 21
(f) 4, 6, 10, 16, 26,. .. Answer: F
p p p p
(g) 3, 4, 5, 6,. .. Answer: O
(h) 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001,. .. Answer: G

3. Determine the first five terms of each defined sequence, and give their associ-
ated series.
(a) {1+ n — n2}
Answer: a1 = 1, a2 = —1, a3 = —5, a4 = —11, a5 = —19
Associated series: 1 — 1 — 5 — 11 — 19 = —
35 (b) {1 — (—1)n+1}
Answer: a1 = 0, a2 = 2, a3 = 0, a4 = 2, a5 = 0
Associated series: 0 + 2 + 0 + 2 + 0 = 4
(c) a1 = 3 and an = 2an—1 +3 for n ≤ 2
Answer: a1 = 3, a2 = 9, a3 = 21, a4 = 45, a5 = 93
Associated series: 1 — 1 — 5 — 11 — 19 = —
35 (d) {1 · 2 · 3 ·· · n}
Answer: a1 = 1, a2 = 1 · 2 = 2, a3 = 1 · 2 · 3 = 6, a4 = 24, a5 = 120
Associated series: 1 + 2 + 6 + 24 + 120 = 153

4. Identify the series (and write NAGIG if it is not arithmetic, geometric, and
infinite geometric series), and determine the sum (and write NO SUM if it
cannot be summed up).

(a) 4 + 9 + 14+ ·· · + 64 Answer: Arithmetic, 442

(b) 81 + 27 + 9 + ·· · + 1 Answer: Geometric, 9841
81 81
 (c) 1 + 3 + 6 + 10+ 15+ 21+ ·· · + 55 Answer: NAGIG, 220
(d) —10 — 2 + 6 + ·· · + 46 Answer: Arithmetic, 144
(e) 10 + 2 + 0.4+ 0.08 + ·· · Answer: Infinite
2
geometric,
3 5
12.5
7
(f) 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + ·· · Answer: NAGIG,
NO SUM
(g) 1 — 0.1+ 0.01 — 0.001 + ·· · Answer: Infinite geometric,
11
10