New Syllabus Mathematics Workbook 1 6.

Number Sequences

Chapter 6: Number Sequences

Summary

A number sequence is a set of numbers arranged in such a way that each successive number follows the
preceding one according to a specific rule. The numbers in a sequence are known as the terms of the
sequence.

1. Some heuristics for problem solving are:

• Change your point of view • Draw a diagram

• Make an organized list • Look for pattern
• Work backwards • Write an equation
• Make a supposition • Solve a similar problem
• Use trial-and-error • Solve part of the problem
• Think of a related problem • Use a table
• Simplify the problem • Use a model
• Eliminate the unlikely possibilities • Act it out
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Practice Questions

Write down the next three terms in the following sequences:

1. 10, 100, 1000, …

2. 1, 2, 6, 24, …

3. 6, 11, 16, 21, …

4. 2, 10, 50, …

5. 1, 8, 27, 64, …

6. 52, 47, 42, 37, …

7. 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, …

8. 21, 23, 26, 30, …

9. 4, 5, 9, 18,34, …

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New Syllabus Mathematics Workbook 1 6. Number Sequences

10. 1024, 512, 256, 128, 64, …

11. 7, 8, 10, 14, 22, …

12. 90, 10, 80, 20, 70, 30, …

Fill in the missing terms in the following sequences:

13. 0, 6, 12, 18, _____, _____

14. 11, 13, 16, 20, _____, _____

15. 156 250, 31 250, 6250, 1250, _____, _____

16. 47, 38, 30, _____, _____, 12, 8, 5

17. 25, _____, 26, 23, 27, 22

18. 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, _____, 5

19. Consider the pattern:

1 = 12
1 + 3 = 22
1 + 3 + 5 = 32
1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 42
⋮
1 + 3 + 5 + ⋯ + (2𝑘𝑘 − 1) = 144
⋮
(a) Write down the eighth line in the pattern.

(b) Find the value of k.

20. (a) Given the sequence 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ⋯, write down the next four terms of the sequence.
Similarly, write down the next four terms of the sequence 0, 1, 4, 10, 20, 35, ⋯.

(b) Consider

13 − 1 = 0 = 6 × 0

23 − 2 = 6 = 6 × 1

33 − 3 = 24 = 6 × 4

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43 − 4 = 60 = 6 × 10

53 − 5 = 120 = 6 × 20

63 − 6 = 210 = 6 × 35

𝑚𝑚3 − 𝑚𝑚 = 𝑛𝑛 = 𝑘𝑘 × 84

Using the results in (a),

(i) write down the ninth and tenth lines in the pattern,

(ii) find the value of m and of n.

21. (a) Given the sequence, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, …, write down the next five terms of the sequence.

(b) Consider the pattern:

12 + 1 2 = 1 × 2

12 + 12 + 22 = 2 × 3

12 + 12 + 22 + 32 = 3 × 5

12 + 1 2 + 2 2 + 3 2 + 5 2 = 5 × 8

12 + 12 + 22 + 32 + 52 + 82 = 8 × 13

(i) Verify the result of the 5th line.

(ii) Using the result in (a), write down the next four lines in the pattern.

(iii) Describe how the terms in the sequence in (a) are connected in the pattern.

22.

110 209

121

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979

891 990

(a) Complete the above table with the three-digit multiples of 11, column by column from top to
bottom.

(b) Describe as many patterns as you can see from the table.

(c) There are two multiples in the table such that when each is divided by 11, the resulting quotient
is equal to the sum o the squares of the digits. Find these two multiples.

23. Judith designs a sequence of patterns consisting of circles and squares joined by straight lines. The
first three patterns she designs are shown below.

(a) Draw the next two patterns and complete the table below.

No. of circles 1 2 3 4 5 … n

No. of squares 2 × (𝟏𝟏 + 1) 2 × (𝟐𝟐 + 1) 2 × (𝟑𝟑 + 1) 2 × (𝒏𝒏

…
=4 =6 =8 + 1)

No. of straight lines 3 × 𝟏𝟏 + 1 3 × 𝟐𝟐 + 1 3 × 𝟑𝟑 + 1 …

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New Syllabus Mathematics Workbook 1 6. Number Sequences

(b) How many circles, squares and straight lines are there in the

(i) 10th pattern, (ii) 105th pattern?

(c) Find the number of circles and the number of straight lines in a pattern which has 30 squares.

24. Raymond draws different sets of points in a plane, no three of which are lying on a straight line.
The first four sets of points are shown below.

When any two points are joined, a line segment is formed.

(a) Draw the next two sets of points and complete the table below.

No. of
1 2 3 4 5 … n
points

No. of line
1 × (1 − 1) 2 × (2 − 1) 3 × (3 − 1) 𝑛𝑛 × (𝑛𝑛 − 1)
segments =0 =1 =3
2 2 2 2
formed

(b) How many line segments can be formed in the pattern with

(i) 16 points (ii) 24 points?

(c) How many such points are needed to form 190 line segments?

Write down the next three two terms in each of the following number sequences. Hence, or otherwise,
write down an expression for the nth term of the sequence.

25. 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, _____, _____

26. 83, 77, 71, 65, 59, _____, _____

27. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, _____, _____

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28. 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, _____, _____

29. 2, 6, 18, 54, 162, _____, _____

30. 12, 36, 108, 324, 972, _____, _____

31. 7, 13, 19, 25, 31, _____, _____

32. 39, 35, 31, 27, 23, _____, _____

33. 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, _____, _____

34. The first five terms of a number sequence are 6, 15, 24, 33, 42. Write down an expression for the
nth term of the sequence. The kth term of the sequence is 159, find the value of k.

35. The first five terms of a number sequence are 4, 11, 18, 25, 32. Write down an expression for
the nth term of the sequence. The kth term of the sequence is 165, find the value of k.

36. The first five terms of a number sequence are 3, 6, 12, 24, 48. Write down, in terms of n, an
expression for the nth term of the sequence. The rth term of the sequence is 1536, find the value of r.

37. The first five terms of a number sequence are 747, 726, 705, 684, 663. Write down, in terms of
n, an expression for the nth term of the sequence. The rth term of the sequence is 390, find the value
of k.

38. The first five terms of a number sequence are 1024, 512, 256, 128, 64. Write down, in terms of
n, an expression for the nth term of the sequence. The hth term of the sequence is 1/4, find the value
of h.

=== END OF THE CHAPTER ===

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New Syllabus Mathematics Workbook 1 6. Number Sequences

=== ANSWERS ===

1. A 14. A 27. A

2. A 15. A 28. A

3. A 16. A 29. A

4. A 17. A 30. A

5. AA 18. A 31. A

6. A 19. A 32. A

7. A 20. A 33. A

8. F 21. A 34. A

9. A 22. A 35. A

10. A 23. A 36. A

11. A 24. A 37. A

12. A 25. A 38. A

13. A 26. A

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