Mathematics 10

Geometric Sequences and Series

Long Test #1
Coverage:
Lesson 13: Graphs of Polynomial Functions
Lesson 14: Arithmetic Sequences & Series

Bring:
pencil #2, eraser, pen, correction tape,
Scientific calculator
Important:
Borrowing of materials is NOT allowed.
 Announcement

For those who missed Quiz #1 and/or Quiz #2:

Make Up Quiz will be on
January 31, Wednesday.
Venue: TBA
Objectives

Define geometric sequences

Derive the formula for the nth term of

a geometric sequence

Find the missing term(s) in a geometric

sequence
 Potential Coronavirus Transmission

This tree diagram shows a potential coronavirus chain of transmission.

Each dot represents an infected person. One infected person (the
person at the top of the diagram) spreads the coronavirus to others,
who then spread it to others, and so on.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/learning/the-math-of-ending-the-pandemic-exponential-growth-and-decay.html
 Potential Coronavirus Transmission

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?
What impact does this have on you and your community?
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/learning/the-math-of-ending-the-pandemic-exponential-growth-and-decay.html
 Miriam Core Value in Focus:

Integrity of Creation
-showing concern for the improvement of health
and well-being of oneself and others
 Potential Coronavirus Transmission
The table below shows
the number of newly
infected persons given
the day of transmission
of the virus.

Day of Following the pattern,

transmission
1 2 3 4
how many new
Number of new infected persons will
infected persons
2 4 8 16 there be on day 5?
 Potential Coronavirus Transmission
Day of transmission 1 2 3 4
Number of new
infected persons
2 4 8 16
Image from WHO
Following the pattern, how many new
infected persons will there be on day 5?
32
Is there a way to find
the number of new
… on day 6? 64 infections on the day
10 and day 15
… on day 10? ? without doing
repeated
… on day 15? ??? multiplication?
 Potential Coronavirus Transmission
Day of
transmission 1 2 3 4 5 6
Number of new
infected persons 2 4 8 16 32 64
Image from WHO

The sequence 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, …

is an example of a geometric sequence.
What is the formula to find the nth term in this sequence?
What makes a sequence geometric?

Geometric Sequences
 What is a geometric sequence*?
A sequence is geometric if each term (after the first
term) is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a
constant value called the common ratio, r.

To solve for the common ratio, we use the formula:

𝑎! nth term
𝑟=
𝑎!"# previous term

*Geometric sequence is also called as geometric progression.

 Potential Coronavirus Transmission
Day of
transmission 1 2 3 4 5 6
Number of new
infected persons 2 4 8 16 32 64
Image from WHO

The sequence 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, …

is an example of a geometric sequence.
What is the common ratio, r, in this geometric sequence?
The common ratio, r, is 2.
 Example 1
Determine whether each sequence is geometric or not.
If it is a geometric sequence, find the common ratio, r.
1
1) 81, 27, 9, 3, … geometric 𝑟=
3

2
2) 14, −2, − , … not geometric
7

3) 4, 6, 9, 13.5, … geometric 𝑟 = 1.5

 Cont. Example 1
Determine whether each sequence is geometric or not.
If it is a geometric sequence, find the common ratio, r.

4) 2, 5, 8, 11, … not geometric

5) 2, −12, 72, −432, … geometric 𝑟 = −6

…
Just like in arithmetic
sequences, there is a formula
for finding any term in a
geometric sequence.
 Formula: nth term of a Geometric Sequence
current term
Recall that in the TERM VALUE # minus 1
coronavirus transmission 1 2 = 2 Ÿ 20 (7 – 1 = 6)
problem shown earlier,
2 4 = 2 Ÿ 21
our first term is 2 and the
common ratio, r, is 2. 3 8 = 2 Ÿ 22 128 = 2 Ÿ 26
4 16 = 2 Ÿ 23
5 32 = 2 Ÿ 24 7th
6 64 = 2 Ÿ 25 term
1st
How should we write 7 128 = 2 Ÿ 26 term
our equation for the n an = a1 Ÿ rn–1 common
nth term? ratio, r
 Formula: nth term of a Geometric Sequence

To find the nth term in a geometric sequence, we

use the formula,
𝒏#𝟏 The exponent

𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂𝟏 # 𝒓 of the common
ratio is just the
difference
where: between the
term numbers n
𝒂𝒏 is the nth term. and 1.
𝒂𝟏 is the first term.
𝒓 is the common ratio.
𝒏 is the term number.
 Example 2
!!
To get the common ratio, r: 𝑟 = !
!"#

Find the common ratio, r, the next two terms, and the explicit
formula of each geometric sequence.
# 1
𝑟 = 4 1) , 1, 4, 16, . . . 64 & 256 𝑎' = 2 (4)'(#
$
4

𝑟 = −11 2) −1, 11, −121, . . . 1331 & − 14,641 𝑎' = −1 2 (−11)'(#

1 '(#
𝑟=− 3) −24, 12, −6, 3, . . . − 3 & 3 𝑎' = −24 2 −
1
2 2 4 2
 Example 3
Write the first 4 terms of a geometric sequence
in which a1 = 6 and r = –3.

6, −𝟏𝟖, 𝟓𝟒, −𝟏𝟔𝟐

 Example 4
Find the 10th term of the geometric sequence in
which a1 = 2 and r = 3.

𝑎$ = 𝑎! $ 𝑟 $#!
𝑎!" = 2 $ (3)!"#!
𝑎!" = 2 $ (19,683)

𝑎!" = 39,366
 Example 5
Find the missing terms of the geometric sequence:
–6, ___, ___, 1296 .
Ø Find the common ratio first. Ø To find the next term, multiply
Note that 𝑎" = 𝑎# ⋅ 𝑟 "$# the previous term by the
a1 = –6 and computed common ratio, –6.
a4 = 1296.
1296 = −6 ⋅ 𝑟 !
−6 −6 𝑎% = 36
−216 = 𝑟 !
" "
𝑎! = −216
−216 = 𝑟!
−6 = 𝑟 ∴ –6, 36, –216, 1296
 Example 6
Find the first term of a geometric sequence whose
second term is 3 and fifth term is 192.
Ø Find the common ratio first. Note that a2 = 3 and a5 = 192.

𝑎& = 𝑎# ⋅ 𝑟 &$# ⟹ 𝑎' = 𝑎% ⋅ 𝑟 '$%

192 = 3 ⋅ 𝑟 !
3 3
64 = 𝑟 !
" "
64 = 𝑟!
𝑟=4
Continuation on
the next slide.
 Cont. Example 6
Find the first term of a geometric sequence whose
second term is 3 and fifth term is 192.
ØUse any of the given values, a2 = 3 OR a5 = 192, the common ratio r = 4, and the
formula, 𝑎# = 𝑎$ * 𝑟 #%$, to get a1.

vMethod A: 𝑎% = 𝑎# ⋅ 𝑟 %$# vMethod B: 𝑎' = 𝑎# ⋅ 𝑟 '$#

using a2 = 3 using a5 = 192
3 = 𝑎# ⋅ (4)%$# 192 = 𝑎# ⋅ (4)'$#
3 = 𝑎# ⋅ 4 192 = 𝑎# ⋅ 4"
4 4 4" 4"
3 3
𝑎# = 𝑎# =
4 4
What have we learned so far?
Thanks

…
Do you have any
questions?

Send an email to your

Math teacher. :)

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons

by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik.

Please keep this slide for attribution.