Sequences

Here we will learn about different types of sequences including

arithmetic sequences, geometric sequences and quadratic
sequences and how to generate them and find missing terms, along
with special sequences like the fibonacci sequence. We will also
learn how to find the nth term of linear sequence and the nth term of
a geometric sequence and how to work out whether a particular
number appears in a sequence.

What is a sequence?
A number sequence is a set of numbers that follow a particular
pattern or rule to get from term to term.
There are four main types of different sequences you need to know,
they are arithmetic sequences, geometric sequences, quadratic
sequences and special sequences.
1 Arithmetic sequences
An arithmetic sequence is an ordered set of numbers that have a
common difference between each term.
If we add or subtract by the same number each time to make the
sequence, it is an arithmetic sequence.

Arithmetic sequences examples

Example 1: sequence with a term to term rule
of +3.
We add three to the first term to give the next term in the sequence,
and then repeat this to generate the sequence.

Example 2: sequence with a term to term rule

of -1.
We subtract 1 from the first term to give the next term in the
sequence, and then repeat this to generate the sequence.

We can work out previous terms by doing the opposite of the term
to term rule.
2 Geometric sequences
A geometric sequence is an ordered set of numbers that progresses
by multiplying or dividing each term by a common ratio.
If we multiply or divide by the same number each time to make the
sequence, it is a geometric sequence.

Geometric sequences examples

Example 3: sequence with a term to term rule
of ×2.
We multiply the first term by 2 to give the next term in the sequence,
and then repeat this to generate the sequence.

Example 4: sequence with a term to term rule

of ÷2.
We divide the first term by 2 to give the next term in the sequence,
and then repeat this to generate the sequence.

3Quadratic sequences
A quadratic sequence is an ordered set of numbers that follow a
rule based on the sequence n2 = 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, … (the square
numbers).
The difference between each term is not equal, but the second
difference is.

Quadratic sequences example

Example 5: sequence with common second
difference of +2.
We find the first difference of the sequence and then find the term to
term rule for the second difference. The second difference will
always be the same for quadratic sequences.

4 Special sequences
You will need to be able to recognize some important special
sequences.

Special sequences examples

Example 6: square numbers
A square number is the result when a number is multiplied by itself.
E.g. 1×1=1, 2×2=4, 3×3=9 etc.
The square numbers can form a sequence: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49…
nth Term = n2

Example 7: cube numbers

A cube number is the result when a number is multiplied by itself
three times.
E.g.
1×1×1=1, 2×2×2=8, 3×3×3=27 etc.

The cube numbers can form a sequence: 1, 8, 27, 64, 125…

nth Term = n3
Example 8: triangular numbers
The triangular numbers as numbers that can form a triangular dot
pattern. They are also special type of quadratic sequence.

We can generate a sequence of triangular numbers by adding one

more to the term to term rule each time:

Example 9: Fibonacci numbers

We can generate the Fibonacci Sequence of numbers by adding the
previous two numbers together to work out the next term.
First and second terms:
We start with 0, 1
0+1=1, so the third term is 1.
Sequence: 0, 1, 1
Fourth Term:
1+1=2
Sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2
Fifth Term:
1+2=3
Sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3
We can continue to follow the pattern to generate an infinite
sequence.
The Fibonacci Sequence:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …

Sequence rule to find a term

We use the nth term of a sequence to work out a particular term in a
sequence.
By substituting in the number of the term we want to find as ‘n’ we
can generate the specific term in the sequence.
E.g.
What is the nth term and the 21st term of this sequence?
4, 10, 16, 22, …
The nth term of this sequence is 6n – 2.
To find the 21st term, n = 21
(6 x 21) – 2 = 124
The 21st term is 124.
E.g.
Given the nth term rule, 3n + 4, find the 20th and 100th term for this
sequence.
To find the 20th term, n = 20
(3 x 20) + 4 = 64
To find the 100th term, n = 100
(3 x 100) + 4 = 304. The 20th term is 64 and the 100th term is 304.
 How to find the nth term of a
sequence
The nth term is a formula that enables us to find any term in a
sequence.
We will need to be able to find the nth term of a linear (arithmetic)
sequence, and the nth term of a quadratic sequence.
We can make a sequence using the nth term by substituting
different values for the term number n into it.
1- nth term of a linear sequence
In order to find the nth term of a linear sequence:

 Step 1: find the common difference for the sequence.

 Step 2: multiply the values for n = 1, 2, 3, … by the common
difference.
 Step 3: add or subtract a number to obtain the sequence given
in the question.

nth term of a linear sequence example

Find the nth term for the sequence 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, ….
Find the common difference for the sequence.

The common difference d = 4.

Multiply the values for n = 1, 2, 3, … by the common difference.
Here, we generate the sequence 4n=4, 8, 12, 16, 20, ….
(the 4 times table).
 Add or subtract a number to obtain the sequence given in the
question.

The nth term of this sequence is 4n+1.

2- nth term of a quadratic sequence
In order to find the nth term of a quadratic sequence we have to find
the second difference. To do this, we calculate the first difference
between each term and then calculate the difference between this
new sequence.

 Step 1: find the first difference (d1) and second

difference (d2) for the sequence.
 Step 2: Halve the second difference to find a, the coefficient
of n2.

 Step 3: Subtract an2 from the original sequence.

 Step 4: If this produces a linear sequence, find the nth term of
it.
 Step 5: Add the nth term for the linear sequence to an2 to work
out the nth term of the quadratic sequence.
nth term of a quadratic sequence example
Find the nth term rule of the quadratic sequence:
5, 14, 29, 50, 77, …
Find the first difference (d1) and second difference (d2) for the
sequence.

The second difference d2=6.

Halve the second difference to find a the coefficient of n2.

As d2 = 6,
d2 ÷ 2 = 6 ÷ 2 = 3
This means a = 3 and so we have the sequence 3n2.
Subtract 3n2 from the original sequence.

Here, the remainder for each term is 2.

Find the nth term for the linear sequence generated.
Not required for this example as the remainder is 2 for each term.
Add the nth term for the linear sequence to 3n2 to find the nth
term of the quadratic sequence.
The nth term of the quadratic sequence is 3n2+2.
 3Use the nth term to calculate any term in a sequence
We can calculate any term in a sequence by substituting the term
number into the nth term.

nth term to calculate any term in a sequence

example
Example 10: find terms in the sequence with
nth term = 4n+1
 For the first term, n=1
So 1st term = 4 ✕ 1 + 1 = 5
 For the 10th term, n=10
So 10th term = 4 ✕ 10 + 1= 41
 For the 100th term, n=100
So 100th term = 4 ✕ 100 + 1 = 401

Example 11: find the first three terms in the

sequence n2 + 7n
 For the first three terms we use n=1, n=2 and n=3:
n=1
12+7×1=8
n=2
22+7×2=18
n=3
32+7×3=30
4Use the nth term to work out whether a number is in a
sequence
We can use the nth term to work out whether a number is in a
sequence by putting the nth term equal to the number and solving
the equation to find n.
Because n is the term number it has to be an integer (a whole
number).
i.e. for the 1st term n=1, for the 9th term n=9 etc.
When n is an integer then the number is in the sequence.

nth term to work out whether a

number is in a sequence examples
Example 12: when n is an integer then the
number is in the sequence
Is 25 a number in the sequence generated by the nth term 4n+1?
Let’s put 25 equal to 4n+1 and solve the equation.
4n+1=25
4n=24
n=6

As 6 is an integer this means that 25 is the 6th term in the

sequence.
So 25 is a number in the sequence.
Example 13: when n is not an integer then the
number is not in the sequence
Is 60 a number in the sequence generated by the nth term 4n+1?
Let’s put 60 equal to 4n+1 and solve the equation.
4n+1=604n=59n=14.754 +1=604 =59 =14.75

As 14.75 is not an integer this means that 60 is not a number in the

sequence.
5Solve problems using algebra in sequences
We can write any type of sequence described above using algebraic
terms rather than numerical terms.
For example, the sequence,
3a , 3a+2 , 3a+4 , 3a+6

is an arithmetic sequence, because we add 2 each time to get from

one term to the next.
We can apply skills such as solving linear equations and solving
simultaneous equations to sequences with algebraic terms.

Example 14: a Fibonacci sequence

The first three terms of a Fibonacci sequence are,
a , a+2 , 2a+2

The 3rd term is 12.

Find the value of the 4th term.
First we form and solve an equation using the information given
about the 3rd term:
 2a+2=12
2a=10
a=5

We also need to find an algebraic expression for the 4th term. To

get the next term in a Fibonacci sequence, we add the two previous
terms. So the 4th term will be the sum of the 2nd and 3rd terms:
(a+2)+(2a+2)=3a+4

To find the value of the 4th term, substitute a=5 to get 3(5)+4=19.
So the 4th term is 19.

Common misconceptions
 Mixing up arithmetic and geometric and quadratic sequences
 Arithmetic sequences are generated by adding or subtracting the
same amount each time – they have a common difference d.

 Geometric sequences are generated by multiplying or dividing by

the same amount each time – they have a common ratio r.

 Quadratic sequences have a common second difference d2.

 Mixing up working out a term in a sequence with whether a
number appears in a sequence
In order to find any term in a sequence using the nth term we
substitute a value for the term number into it.
E.g.
4n+1

 For the 5th term n=5,

 So 5th term=4(5)+1=21

 For the 8th term n=8

So 8th term=4(8)+1=33
In order to work out whether a number appears in a sequence using
the nth term we put the number equal to the nth term and solve it.
If n (the term number) is an integer the number is in the sequence,
if n is not an integer the number is not in the sequence.
E.g.
Is 22 a number in the sequence with nth term = 4n+1?
4n+1=22
4n=21
n=5.25
As 5.25 is not an integer this means that 22 is not a number in the
sequence.

Sequences homework questions

1. (a) 5,8,11,14
What is the rule to get from one term to the next?
(b) What is the nth term of the sequence?

(2 marks)
2.(a)What is the 12th term in the sequence 2n−20?
(b) Is 180 a number in the sequence?

(3 marks)
3. Look at this sequence 1,2,4,8,16
(a) What is the common ratio in the above geometric sequence?
(b) What would be the 7th and 8th term for the sequence?

(3 marks)