A Towering Sequence in Algebra

2
Understanding Sequences and Series

Presented by: Kendall

Date:
 What is a Sequence?

• A sequence is an ordered list of numbers.

Each number in the sequence is called a term.
Sequences follow specific patterns.
 Types of Sequences

• - Arithmetic Sequences: Have a common difference between terms.

- Geometric Sequences: Have a common ratio between terms.
- Other types: Fibonacci, harmonic, etc.
 Arithmetic Sequences

• Defined by a common difference d.

General form: a_n = a_1 + (n - 1)d.
Example: Sequence: 2, 5, 8, 11, ...
Common difference d = 3.
5th term: a_5 = 2 + (5 - 1) * 3 = 14.
 Sum of an Arithmetic Series

• Formula: S_n = (n/2) * (2a_1 + (n - 1)d).

Example: Sum of the first 4 terms: 2, 5, 8, 11.
S_4 = (4/2) * (2 * 2 + (4 - 1) * 3) = 26.
 Geometric Sequences

• Defined by a common ratio r.

General form: a_n = a_1 * r^(n - 1).
Example: Sequence: 3, 6, 12, 24, ...
Common ratio r = 2.
5th term: a_5 = 3 * 2^(5 - 1) = 48.
 Sum of a Geometric Series

• Formula: S_n = a_1 * (1 - r^n) / (1 - r).

Example: Sum of the first 4 terms: 3, 6, 12, 24.
S_4 = 3 * (1 - 2^4) / (1 - 2) = 45.
Sum of an Infinite Geometric Series

• Formula: S = a_1 / (1 - r), for |r| < 1.

Example: Sum of 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, ...
S = 1 / (1 - 1/2) = 2.
 Recursive vs. Explicit Formulas

• - Recursive Formula: Defines each term using the previous term.

- Arithmetic: a_n = a_{n-1} + d
- Geometric: a_n = a_{n-1} * r
- Explicit Formula: Directly calculates the n-th term.
- Arithmetic: a_n = a_1 + (n - 1)d
- Geometric: a_n = a_1 * r^(n - 1).
 Applications of Sequences

• - Finance: Calculating interest (e.g., compound interest).

- Science: Modeling population growth.
- Computer Science: Algorithms (e.g., binary search).
 Visualizing Sequences

• Graph sequences to see patterns.

Example: Plotting a_n = 2 + 3(n - 1) for an arithmetic sequence.
 Convergence and Divergence

• A sequence converges if it approaches a specific value.

Diverges if it does not settle to a single value.
 Practice Problems

• - Arithmetic Sequence: Find the 8th term of 5, 9, 13, ...

- Geometric Sequence: Calculate the sum of the first 6 terms: 2, 4, 8, ...
- Real-World Problem: Compute the total interest from an investment of $500 with
a 5% annual increase over 3 years.
 Conclusion

• Review key points on sequences and series.

Encourage practicing with real-world problems.
 Questions?

• Open the floor for any questions.

Provide examples for further clarification if needed.
 Additional Resources

• - Textbook references.
- Online resources for more practice.
- Contact information for help.