SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

3.1 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

1. A sequence is a set of numbers arranged in a particular order.

2. Each number of in a sequence is called a term.

3. A series is the sum of the terms of a sequence.

4. An arithmetic sequence (progression) is a sequence of numbers in which the difference

of a term to the previous term is a constant, called the common difference.
a) The nth term, Tn  a  (n  1)d where a is first term and d is common difference.
b) d  Tn  Tn1 .
n n
c) The sum of the first n terms, S n  [2a  (n  1)d ] or S n  (a  l ) where l is the
2 2
last term.
d) n  S n  S n1 .
T

5. A geometric sequence (progression) is a sequence of numbers in which the ratio of a term

to the previous term is a constant, called the common ratio.
a) The nth term, Tn  ar n1 where a is first term and r is common ratio.
T
b) r  n .
Tn1
a(1  r n )
c) The sum of the first n terms, S n  .
1 r
a
d) The sum to infinity, S   .
1 r
e) Tn  S n  S n1 .

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 1
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

EXAMPLE

UPS 2015/2016
 1   1  5   2  43 
1. Given an arithmetic series is                     .
 12   6   12   3   6
Find
a) the number of terms in the above series. [3 marks]
b) the sum of all terms. [2 marks]

Solution

1
a) a 
12
1 1 1
d    d  Tn  Tn1
6 12 4
43
Tn  
6
1  1 43
 (n  1)     Tn  a  (n  1)d
12  4 6
 1 29
(n  1)    
 4 4
n  1  29
n  30

30   1   1 
b) S 30   2   (30  1)   n
2   12   4  S n  [2a  (n  1)d ]
2
 106.25

UPS 2007/2008
2. The sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic progression is Sn  7n  n 2 .
Find the first term and the common difference. [4 marks]

Solution

Sn  7n  n 2
T1  S1
 7(1)  (1) 2 Tn  a  (n  1)d
a6
T1  T2  S 2
a  (a  d )  7(2)  (2) 2

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 2
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

6  (6  d )  10
12  d  10
d  2

PSPM 2006/2007
3. The sum of the first k terms of an arithmetic series is 777. The first term is  3 and the
k th term is 77. Obtain the value of k and the eleventh term of the series. [7 marks]

Solution

a  3 , Tk  77 , S k  777
k
777  (3  77) Sk 
k
(a  l )
2 2
777  37k
k  21
T21  77 Tn  a  (n  1)d
a  20d  77
 3  20d  77
20d  80
d 4
T11  a  10d
 3 10(4)
 37

UPS 2012/2013
4. A geometric sequence has seven terms. The first and the fourth terms are 8 and 216
respectively. Find the common ratio and the last term of the sequence. [5 marks]

Solution

a 8 (1)
T4  216 Tn  ar n1
ar3  216 (2)
Substitute (1) into (2) :
8r 3  216
r 3  27
r 3
T7  ar 6
 (8)(3) 6
 5832

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 3
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

PSPM 2008/2009
5. The fifth term and the tenth term of a geometric series are 3125 and 243 respectively.
a) Find the value of common ratio, r of the series. [3 marks]
S  Sn
b) Determine the smallest value of n such that   0.02 , where S n is the sum of the
S
first n term and S  is the sum to infinity of the geometric series. [3 marks]

Solution

a) T5  3125
Tn  ar n1
ar4  3125 (1)
T10  243
ar9  243 (2)
(2)  (1) :
ar 9 243
4

ar 3125
243
r5 
3125
5
 3
r5   
5
3
r
5

S  Sn
b)  0.02 a(1  r n )
S Sn 
1 r
a a(1  r n )

1 r 1  r  0.02
a
a S 
1 r 1 r
a
(1  (1  r n ))
1 r  0.02
a
1 r
1 1  r n  0.02
r n  0.02
n
 3
   0.02
5
n
 3
log    log (0.02)
5

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 4
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

 3
n log    log (0.02) log a b  b log a
5
log( 0.02)
n
 3
log  
5
n  7.66
n8

PSPM 2010/2011
1
6. Given that  0.015151515  p  q  s   , where p , q and s are the first three
u
terms of geometric progression. If p  0.015, state the value of q and s in decimal form.
Hence, find the value of u . [4 marks]

Solution

1
 0.015151515
u
 0.015  0.00015  0.0000015  
 p  q  s 
q  0.00015
s  0.0000015
a  0.015
0.00015 1
r 
0.015 100
1 0.015 a
 S 
u
1
1 1 r
100
1 1

u 66
u  66

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 5
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

EXERCISE 3.1

PSPM 2011/2012
1. The ninth term and the sum of the first fifteen terms of an arithmetic progression are 24 and
330 respectively. Find the first term, a and the common difference, d . Hence, find the
least possible value n , such that the sum of the first n terms is greater than 500.
[6 marks]

PSPM 2011/2012
n
1
2. Given that the sum of the first n terms, S n of a series as S n  1    . Find an expression
 3
for the nth term. Show that the series is a geometric series and find the sum to infinity, S  .
[6 marks]

PSPM 2012/2013
3. Given k  2 , k  4 , k  7 are the first three terms of a geometric series. Determine the
value of k . Hence, find the sum to infinity of the series. [6 marks]

PSPM 2013/2014
4 a) In an arithmetic progression, the sum of the first four terms is 46 and the seventh term
exceeds twice of the second term by 5. Obtain the first term and the common difference
for the progression. Hence, calculate the sum of the first ten even terms of the
progression. [6 marks]
b) A ball is dropped from a height of 2 m. Each time the ball hits the floor, it bounces
3
vertically to a height that is of its previous height.
4
i) Find the height of the ball at the tenth bounce. [2 marks]
ii) Find the total distance that the ball will travel before the eleventh bounce. [5 marks]

PSPM 2014/2015
5. Using algebraic method, find the least value of n for which the sum of the first n terms of
a geometric series
0.88  (0.88) 2  (0.88) 3  (0.88) 4  
is greater than half of its sum to infinity. [7 marks]

PSPM 2015/2016
4 
6. The first three terms of a geometric sequence are  m  2  , (2m  1) and 12.
3 
Determine the value of m . Hence, find the sixth term for this sequence. [6 marks]

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 6
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

PSPM 2016/2017
7. The seventh term of a geometric series is 16, the fifth term is 8 and the sum of the first ten
terms is positive. Find the first term and the common ratio. Hence, show that
S12  126( 2  1) . [6 marks]

PSPM 2017/2018
8. The first and three more successive terms in a geometric progression are given as follows:
7 ,, 189, y , 1701,
Obtain the common ratio r . Hence, find the smallest integer n such that the n -th term
exceeds 10000. [7 marks]

PSPM 2018/2019
9. Find the sum of all integers from 5 to 950 which are divisible by 3. [6 marks]

PSPM 2018/2019
 7
10. The first three terms of a geometric series are  3c   , (3c  2) and 6. Determine the
 2
value of c . Hence, find the seventh term of this series. [8 marks]

ANSWER

1) a  8 , d  2 ; n  20
n
1
2) Tn  2  ; S   1
 3
3) k  10 , S   24
4 a) a  7 , d  3 , S10  370
10
 3
b i) T10  2  ii) 13.324
 4
5) n  6
5
6) m  ; T6  324
2
7) a  2 , r  2
8) r  3 ; n  8
9) 150255
5
10) c  , T7  96
3

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 7
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

SOLUTION EXERCISE 3.1

1. T9  24
a  8d  24 (1) Tn  a  (n  1)d
S15  330
15
(2a  14d )  330 n
2 S n  [2a  (n  1)d ]
15(a  7d )  330 2
a  7d  22 (2)
(1) – (2) : d  2
(1) : a  8(2)  24
a  16  24
a 8
S n  500
n
[2(8)  (n  1)(2)]  500
2
n
[16  2n  2]  500
2
n
[2n  14]  500
2 Let all factor  0
n 2  7n  500
n 2  7n  500  0 n  19.1  0  n  19.1
(n  19.1)(n  26.1)  0 n  26.1  0  n  26.1

n ( ,  26.1) (26.1 , 19.1) (19.1 , )

n  19.1   
n  26.1   
(n  19.1)(n  26.1)   

n  26.1 or n  19.1
Since n  0 , n  19.1
n  20

n
1
2. S n  1   
 3
  1  n    1  n1 
Tn  1      1     Tn  S n  S n1
  3     3  

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 8
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

n n 1
1 1
 1   1  
 3  3
n n 1
1 1 1
        a x y  a x a y
 3  3  3
n n
1 1
      (3)
 3  3
n
1
 2 
 3
n
1
2 
  n 1
Tn 3 ax
 a x y
Tn 1 1 a y
2 
 3
n ( n 1)
1
 
 3
1

3
Tn
Since is constant, the series is a geometric series.
Tn1
1 Tn
r r
3 Tn1
1
1
a  2  a  T1
 3
2

3
2
a
S  3 S 
1
1 1 r
3
1

3. k  2 , k  4 , k  7
k 4 k 7 T2 T3
 r 
k 2 k 4 T1 T2
k 2  8k  16  k 2  5k  14
 3k  30
k  10
a  10  2
 12

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 9
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

10  4
r
10  2
1

2
12
S  a
1
1 S 
2 1 r
 24

4 a) S 4  46
n
4 S n  [2a  (n  1)d ]
(2a  3d )  46 2
2
2a  3d  23 (1)
T7  2T2  5 Tn  a  (n  1)d
(a  6d )  2(a  d )  5
a  6d  2a  2d  5
 a  4d  5
a  4d  5 (2)
Substitute (2) into (1) :
2(4d  5)  3d  23
8d  10  3d  23
11d  33
d 3
(2) : a  4(3)  5
7
For even terms
a1  7  3  10 For even terms
d1  2(3)  6 a  d , a  3d , a  5d , ...
10
S10  [2(10)  9(6)] a1  a  d
2 d1  2d
 370

 3
b i) T1  2 
 4
2
3
T2  2 
4

10
 3
T10  2 
 4

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 10
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

  3    3     3 10 
2

ii) S10  2  22   22      22  

  4    4     4  
 3   3   3  3 
2 9

 2  (2)(2) 1            
 4   4   4   4  
   3 10  
11     
  4   a(1  r n )
 2  3   Sn 
3 1 r
 1 
 4 
 
 13.324

5. 0.88  (0.88) 2  (0.88) 3  (0.88) 4  

a  0.88
(0.88) 2
r  0.88
0.88
1 a(1  r n )
Sn  S Sn 
2 1 r
0.88[1  (0.88) n ] 1  0.88 
  
1  0.88 2  1  0.88  a
S 
1 1 r
1  (0.88) n 
2
1
 (0.88) n  
2
1
(0.88) n 
2
1
log( 0.88) n  log  
 2
1
n log( 0.88)  log   log a b  b log a
 2
1
log  
n  2
log( 0.88)
n  5.42
n6

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 11
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

4 
6.  m  2  , (2m  1) , 12
3 
2m  1 12
 T2 T3
4 2m  1 r 
m2 T1 T2
3
4m2  4m  1  16m  24
4m2  20m  25  0
(2m  5) 2  0
2m  5  0
2m  5
5
m
2
4 5
a   2
3  2
4

3
5
2   1
r  
2
4 5
 2
3 2
3
T6  ar 5 Tn  ar n1
4
 (3) 5
3
 324

7. T7  16
Tn  ar n1
ar  16
6
(1)
T5  8
ar4  8 (2)
6
ar 16
(1)  (2) : 4

ar 8
r 2
2

r  2 or r   2
For r   2 , a( 2) 6  16
a(8)  16
a2
a(1  r 10 ) a(1  r n )
S10  Sn 
1 r 1 r

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 12
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

2(1  ( 2 )10 )

1  ( 2 )
 25.68
For r  2 , a( 2 ) 6  16
a(8)  16
a2
a(1  r 10 )
S10 
1 r
2(1  ( 2 )10 )

1  ( 2)
 149.68
Since S10  0 , a  2 , r  2
a(1  r 12 )
S12 
1 r
2(1  ( 2 )12 )

1  ( 2)
 126

1 2
 126 1  2
 
1 2 1 2
 126 ( 2  1)

1 2  2  2
 126 ( 2  1)

1
 126( 2  1)

8. 7 ,, 189, y , 1701,

a7
y 1701 T2 T3
 r 
189 y T1 T2
y  321489
2

y  567
567
r 3
189
Tn  10000 Tn  ar n1
(7)(3) n1  10000

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 13
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

10000
(3) n1 
7
 10000 
log( 3) n1  log  
 7 
log a b  b log a
 10000 
(n  1) log( 3)  log  
 7 
 10000 
log  
n 1   7 
log 3
 10000 
log  
n  7 
1
log 3
n  7.61
n8

9. 6 , 9 , 12 ,..., 948
a6
d 96 3
Tn  a  (n  1)d
948  6  (n  1)(3)
942  3(n  1)
314  n  1
n  315
315
Sn  (6  948) Sn 
n
(a  l )
2 2
 150255

7
10. 3c  , 3c  2 , 6
2
3c  2 6 T2 T3
 r 
7 3c  2 T1 T2
3c 
2
9c 2 12c  4  18c  21
9c 2  30c  25  0
(3c  5) 2  0
5
c
3
5 7
a  3  
 3 2
3

2
CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 14
 SM015 CHAPTER 3 SEQUENCES AND SERIES

5
3   2
r  
3
3
2
2
 3
T7   (2) 6 Tn  ar n1
 2
 96

CHENG CHUN LIANG & CHIN HAK CHUN UNIT MATEMATIK KMK Page 15