LESSON 10–1

Sequences, Series, and

Sigma Notation
Five-Minute Check (over Chapter 9)
TEKS
Then/Now
New Vocabulary
Example 1:Find Terms of Sequences
Example 2:Recursively Defined Sequences
Example 3:Real-World Example: Fibonacci Sequence
Example 4:Convergent and Divergent Sequences
Example 5:The nth Partial Sum
Key Concept:Sigma Notation
Example 6:Sums in Sigma Notation
 Over Chapter 9

Find three different pairs of polar coordinates

that name (–3, ) if –2π ≤ θ ≤ 2π.

A.

B.

C.

D.
 Over Chapter 9

Determine the symmetry, zeros, and maximum r-values of

r = 2 – 2 sin θ. Then use the information to graph the function.
A. symmetric with respect to C. symmetric with respect to the
the line ; |r | = 4 when polar axis; |r | = 4 when  = 0;
zeros for r when  = ;
; zeros for r when  =  ;

B. symmetric with respect to D. symmetric with respect to the

the line ; |r | = 4 when polar axis; |r | = 4 when  = 0;
zeros for r when  = ;
; zeros for r when ;
 Over Chapter 9

Write r = in rectangular form.

A. x 2 = 4(y + 1)

B. y 2 = 4(x + 1)

C. x 2 = 4(y – 1)

D. (x + 1) = y 2
 Over Chapter 9

Which of the following represents 4 − 4i in

polar form?

A.

B.

C.

D.
Targeted TEKS
P.5(B) Represent arithmetic sequences and
geometric sequences using recursive formulas.
Mathematical Processes
P.1(A), P.1(D)
You used functions to generate ordered pairs and used
graphs to analyze end behavior. (Lesson 1-1 and 1-3)

• Investigate several different types of sequences.

• Use sigma notation to represent and calculate sums
of series.
• sequence • diverge
• term • series
• finite sequence • finite series
• infinite sequence • nth partial sum
• recursive sequence • infinite series
• explicit sequence • sigma notation
• Fibonacci sequence
• converge
 Find Terms of Sequences

A. Find the next four terms of the sequence

3, –1, –5, –9, . . ..

The nth term of this sequence is not given. One

possible pattern is that each term is 4 less than the
previous term. Therefore, a sample answer for the
next four terms is 13, 17, 21, and 25.

Answer: –13, –17, –21, –25

 Find Terms of Sequences

B. Find the next four terms of the sequence

18, 15, 10, 3, ….
The nth term of this sequence is not given. If we
subtract each term from the term that follows, we start
to see a possible pattern.
a2  a1 = 15 – 18 or –3
a3  a2 = 10 – 15 = –5
a4  a3 = 3 – 10 = –7
It appears that each term is generated by subtracting
the next successive odd number. Therefore, a sample
answer for the next four terms is 6, –17, –30, and –45.
Answer: –6, –17, –30, –45
 Find Terms of Sequences

C. Find the first four terms of the sequence given

by an = n3 + 1.
Use the explicit formula to find an for n = 1, 2, 3, and 4.
a1 = 13 + 1 or 2 n = 1 a3 = 33 + 1 or 28 n=3
a2 = 23 + 1 or 9 n = 2 a4 = 43 + 1 or 65 n=4
The first four terms in the sequence are 2, 9, 28, and 65.

Answer: 2, 9, 28, 65
Find the next four terms of the sequence
81, 27, 9, 3, ….

A. 1,

B. 1,

C.

D. 1, –3, –9, –27

 Recursively Defined Sequences

Find the fourth term of the recursively defined

sequence a1 = 3, an = 3an – 1  n + 2, where n  2.
Since the sequence is defined recursively, all the
terms before the fourth term must be found first. Use
the given first term, a1 = 3, and the recursive formula
for an.
a2 = 3a2 – 1 – 2 + 2 n=2
= 3a1 Simplify.
= 3(3) or 9 a1 = 3
a3 = 3a3 – 1 – 3 + 2 n=3
= 3a2 – 1 or 26 a2 = 9
 Recursively Defined Sequences

a4 = 3a4 – 1 – 4 + 2 n=4
= 3a3 – 2 or 76 a4 = 76
The fourth term is 76.

Answer: 76
Find the fifth term of the recursively defined

sequence a1 = 28, an = an – 1 + 4, where n  2.

A.

B.

C.

D.
 Fibonacci Sequence

NATURE Suppose that a stem has to grow for two

months before it is strong enough to support
branches. At the end of the second month, it
sprouts a new branch and continues to sprout one
new branch each month. The new branches grow
similarly. How many branches will a plant have
after 18 months if no branches are removed?
During the first two months, there will only be one
branch, the stem. At the end of the second month, the
stem will produce a new branch, making the total for
the third month two branches. The new branch will
grow and develop two months before producing a new
branch of its own, but the original branch will now
produce a new branch each month.
 Fibonacci Sequence

The table below shows the pattern.

Each term is the sum of the previous two terms. This

pattern can be written as the recursive formula a1 = 1,
a2 = 1, an = an – 2 + an – 1 , where n ≥ 3.
Therefore, to find the number of branches after 18
months, continue the table until you find the number of
branches after 16 months and 17 months.
 Fibonacci Sequence

The number of branches are shown in the table below.

If no branches are removed, a plant will have 2584

branches after 18 months.

Answer: 2584 branches

NATURE Suppose that a stem has to grow for two
months before it is strong enough to support
branches. At the end of the second month, it
sprouts a new branch and continues to sprout one
new branch each month. The new branches grow
similarly. How many branches will a plant have
after 20 months if no branches are removed?
A. 1597
B. 2584
C. 4181
D. 6765
 Convergent and Divergent Sequences

A. Determine if the sequence is

convergent or divergent.
The first eight terms of this sequence are given or
approximated below.
a1 = 1000 a2 = 250
a3 = 62.5 a4 = 15.625
a5 = 3.90625 a6 = 0.97656
a7 = 0.24414 a8 = 0.06104
From the graph at the right, you can see that an
approaches 0 as n increases. This sequence has a
limit and is therefore convergent.
 Convergent and Divergent Sequences

Answer: convergent
 Convergent and Divergent Sequences

B. Determine if the sequence is

convergent or divergent.

The first eight terms of this sequence are –1, 2, –4, 8,

–16, 32, –64, and 128. From the graph below, you can
see that an does not approach a finite number.
Therefore, this sequence is divergent.
 Convergent and Divergent Sequences

Answer: divergent
 Convergent and Divergent Sequences

C. Determine if the sequence is

convergent or divergent.

The first eight terms of this sequence are given or

approximated below.
a1 = 0.1 a2 = 0.00667
a3 = 0.0006 a4 =0.000057
a5 = 0.0000056 a6 = 0.00000055
a7 = 0.000000054 a8 = 0.0000000053
 Convergent and Divergent Sequences

From the graph below, you can see that an

approaches 0 as n increases. This sequence has a
limit and is therefore convergent.

Answer: convergent
Determine whether the sequence is
convergent or divergent.

A. convergent

B. divergent
 The nth Partial Sum

A. Find the fifth partial sum of an = n2 – 3.

Find the first five terms.

a1 = (1)2 – 3 or –2 n=1
a2 = (2)2 – 3 or 1 n=2
a3 = (3)2 – 3 or 6 n=3
a4 = (4)2 – 3 or 13 n=4
a5 = (5)2 – 3 or 22 n=5
The 5th partial sum is S5 = –2 + 1 + 6 + 13 + 22 or 40.
Answer: 40
 The nth Partial Sum

B. Find S4 of .
Find the first four terms.

a1 = or 3 n=1

a2 = or 1.5 n=2

a3 = or 0.75 n=3

a4 = or 0.375 n=4
 The nth Partial Sum

The 4th partial sum is S4 = 3 + 1.5 + 0.75 + 0.375 =

5.625 or .

Answer: 5.625 or
Find the fifth partial sum of an = (–3)n – 2.

A. –246

B. –193

C. 365

D. 534
 Sums in Sigma Notation

A. Find .

= [(1)2 – 1] + [(2)2 – 2] + [(3)2 – 3] + [(4)2 – 4]

= 0 + 2 + 6 + 12
= 20

Answer: 20
 Sums in Sigma Notation

B. Find .

= 4.5 + 4 + 3.75 + 3.6

= 15.85 or

Answer: 15.85 or
 Sums in Sigma Notation

C. Find .

= 0.3+ 0.03 + 0.003 + 0.0003 + 0.00003 + …

= 0.33333… or

Answer:
Find .

A. 92

B. 123

C. 215

D. 429
LESSON 10–1
Sequences, Series, and
Sigma Notation