Geometric Sequence

Oren Yerushalmi

October 5, 2020

1 General properties
1.1 Definition
an+1
A sequence is called geometric if there exist q ∈ R s.t. an = q for any two consecutive
terms an and an+1 .

1.2 Remark
an+1
Note that if for any two consecutive terms an = q then for any three consecutive terms
an−1 , an and an+1 the following holds
an an+1
=q=
an−1 an
⇓
a2n = an−1 · an+1
Thus every term (excluding the fist and the last) is the geometric average of the term
preceding it and the consecutive term.

1.3 Examples
(a) The sequence 2, 6, 18, 54, ... has a common ratio q = 3.

(b) The sequence 1, −1, 1, −1, 1, ... has a common ratio q = 1.

√
(c) Let 21 , 8x , 3 2 for x ∈ R be a geometric sequence. Find x
Solution: According to remark 1.2 these three numbers satisfy the the relation
1 √
(8x )2 =
3
· 2
2

x 2 1
23 = 2−1 · 2 3

1
 2
26x = 2− 3
1
x=−
9

2 General term formula

Let {ak }nk=1 be a geometric sequence. then
a2 a3 an
= = ... = =q
a1 a2 an−1

hence
a2 a3 a4 an a2 Za3 Za4 an an
q n−1 = · · · ... · = Z · Z · Z · ... ·
Z
=
a1 a2 a3 an−1 a1 ZaZ
2 ZaZ
3 an−1
X X
X a1

Therefore we infer the formula an = a1 · q n−1

3 Sum formula
we would likePto derive a formula for Sn = nk=1 ak . Applying
P
P the general term formula
we get Sn = nk=1 a1 · q k−1 . Multiplying by q gives Sn · q = nk=1 a1 · q k . Therefore
n
X n
X n
X
k−1 k
a1 · q k−1 − a1 · q k =


Sn (1 − q) = sn − sn · q = a1 · q − a1 · q =
k=1 k=1 k=1

a1 − a2 + a2 − a3 + a3 − a4 + ... + an−1 − an + an − an+1 =

a1 − Z
aZ
2 +Z2 −Z
aZ aZ
3 +Z3 −Z
aZ aZ
4 + ... + X X−H
an−1
X aH
n +Hn − an+1 = a1 − an+1
aH
thus Sn (1 − q) = a1 − an+1 = a1 − a1 · q n = a1 (1 − q n ) If q 6= 1 we can divide by 1 − q and
get
a1 (q n − 1)
Sn =
q−1

If q = 1 then a1 = a2 = ... = an , hence Sn = n · a1

3.1 Examples
1. Prove the
Pnformula an − bn = (a − b)(an−1 + an−2 b + an−3 b2 + ... + bn−1 ) =
(a − b) k=1 an−k bk−1
Solution: First we will prove that (a − b) nk=1 an−k bk−1 is a sum of a geometric
P

2
 sequence. Define a sequence ck = an−k bk−1 . We will see if this sequence has a
common ratio:
ck+1 an−k−1 bk b
= n−k k−1 =
ck a b a
Therefore the sequence is geometric, the first term is c1 = an−1 , the common ratio is
q = ab and the number of terms is n. Now we have two cases. If q = 1 then ab = 1
and that means a = b. In this case it is obvious that the formula holds since both
a1 (q n − 1)
sides equal 0. If q 6= 1, then we can use the formula Sn = .
q−1
 b
 n
n−1 · b − 1
 
n−1 · n
n a − 1 a
a an
X
(a − b) an−k bk−1 = (a − b) · = (a − b) · =
b b
k=1 −1 −1
a a
 bn − an 
an−1 · an−1 · (bn − an ) · a
(a − b) · an = (a − b) · =
b−a (b − a) · an
a
Hn−1 n n n n
aHH · (b − a ) · a
A = (a − b) · (a − b ) = an − bn
(a − b) · n
(b − a) · Z
aZ (a − b)
2. Find a formula for the sum

Sn = 1 + 11 + 111 + ... + 11...1

| {z }
n

in terms of n

{z }. Then
Solution: Define Ak = |11...1
k
A1 = 1
A2 = 11 = 10 + 1
A3 = 100 + 10 + 1
..
.
Ak = 10k−1 + 10k−2 + ... + 101 + 100
Then each Ak isPthe sum of a geometric sequence of k terms and common ratio 10.
10k −1 10k −1
Therefore Ak = k−1 k
k=0 10 = 10−1 = 9 . Now for Sn

n n n n n
!
X X 10k − 1 1X k 1 X k X
Sn = Ak = = (10 − 1) = 10 − 1 =
9 9 9
k=1 k=1 k=1 k=1 k=1

10n − 1 10n+1 − 10 − 9n 10n+1 − 10 − 9n

   
1 1
10 · −n = =
9 10 − 1 9 9 81

3
 Pn Pn
3. Let {ak }nk=1 be a geometric sequence. k=1 ak = 20 and 2
k=1 ak = 205. Find n if
a1 = 0.5
Solution: First we prove {a2k }nk=1 is a geometric sequence. That is we will show
a
that there is a common ratio. If {ak }nk=1 is a geometric sequence, then k+1
ak = q.
Therefore
a2k+1 ak+1 2
 
= = q2
a2k ak
Furthermore, if a1 = 0.5 then a21 = 0.25 and thus if q = 1 then nk=1 ak ≥ nk=1 a2k ,
P P
in contradiction to what is given in the question, hence q 6= 1. Applying the sum
formula will give us two equations:
a1 · (q n − 1)

 = 20
q−1


2 2 n
 a1 · ((q ) − 1) = 205


q2 − 1
We can simplify the second equation
n

 a1 · (q − 1) = 20

q−1


 a21 · (q n − 1)(q n + 1)
= 205


(q − 1)(q + 1)


Divide each equation by a1 = 0.5 and a21 = 0.25 respectively

 n
(q − 1)
 q − 1 = 40



 (q n − 1)(q n + 1)

 = 820
(q − 1)(q + 1)
(q n −1)
Plug q−1 = 40 into the second equation

40(q n + 1)
= 820
(q + 1)
Solving for q n
2q n = 41q + 39
From the first equation we will get

q n = 40q − 39

These two simple equations will yield q = 3, n = 4

4
 4. The sum of the first 10 terms of an arithmetic sequence is 300. The first, second and
fifth terms are three consecutive terms of a geometric sequence. Find the terms of
the arithmetic sequence in terms of their place in the sequence.
Solution: Let {ai }10
i=1 be an arithmetic sequence. Their sum is 300. Applying the
formula for the sum of an arithmetic sequence we get
2a1 + 9d
· 10 = 300
2
and after simplifying
2a1 + 9d = 60
Since a1 , a2 , a5 constitute a geometric sequence, according to remark 1.2 we get

a22 = a1 · a5

Each of those terms is a term in the same arithmetic sequence and we can write down
each one in terms of a1 and d

(a1 + d)2 = a1 (a1 + 4d)

and after simplifying

d(d − 2a1 ) = 0
If d = 0, then an = 30 for every 1 ≤ n ≤ 10. If d = 2a1 , plugging in 2a1 + 9d = 60
will yield a1 = 3 and d = 6 and thus an = 3 + (n − 1)6 for every 1 ≤ n ≤ 10.

4 Exercises
1. The sum of the second, third and fourth terms of a geometric sequence is 42. The
difference between the fourth and the third terms is 12 times greater than the second
term. Find the first term

2. Let a1 , a2 , a3 ∈ R \ {0}. If we multiply a3 by 5 we will have a geometric sequence. If

instead we add 6 to a1 we will have another geometric sequence. Find a1

3. The third term of a geometric sequence is greater than the second term by 6. The
forth term is greater than the first term by 21. Find the common quotient and the
first term

4. Let {ai }∞
i=1 be a geometric sequence and let q 6= 0 be its quotient. Prove that
{Πni=1 am+i }∞
m=0 is also a geometric sequence

5. The product of the terms in the odd places of the geometric sequence {q i }2n
i=0 is 243.
The product of the terms in the even places is 81. Find n and q

5
 6. Find four numbers s.t. the first three have a common difference and the last three
have a common quotient, while the sum of the first and last is 66 and the sum of the
second and third is 60.

∗7. The sum of the first five terms of a geometric sequence is 93. The sum of the second
and fourth is 30. Find these first five terms

8. {bai }ni=1 is a geometric sequence

√
(a) Π8i=1 bai = b19 and ba9 = b3 b. Find the exponent of the first term
√
(b) ba1 = 8, ban = 512 2. Find n

9. Let {ai }2n+1

i=1 be a geometric sequence. The sum of the first n terms is 6 times smaller
than the sum of the next n terms. The last term is greater buy 105 than the first.
Find the first term

10. Prove that (5n + 7)(1 + 5 + 25 + ... + 5n−1 ) + 4 is a square of a natural number for
any n ∈ N

∗11. Prove that the number |44...4 | {z } 9 is a square of a natural number for any n ∈ N
{z } 88...8
n n−1

12. Let {ai }2n

i=1 be a geometric sequence. The common quotient of the sequence is 2 and
the sum equals 255. The sum of the sequence {a2i−1 · a2i }ni=1 is 8738. Find n

13. Let {ai }ni=1 be a geometric sequence. Denote ni=1 ai = S and ni=1 a1i = T . Prove
P P

n
that ni=1 ai = TS 2
Q

i−1 = 1−q n − nq n for q 6= 1

Pn
14. Prove: i=1 iq (1−q)2 1−q

15. We group together the terms of the sequence {2i }∞

i=0 as follows: (1, 2), (4, 8, 16, 32), ....
In the first group there are 2 terms and in any group thereafter there are 2 terms
more than in the previous one. Find

(a) The first term of the n-th group

(b) The sum of the terms of the n-th group
Pk Pn
16. Let {ai }ni=1 be a geometric sequence. Denote i=1 ai = Sk . Prove that i=1 Si =
a1
(1−q)2
(q n+1 − nq + n − q)

17. {a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5 } is an arithmetic sequence. {a1 , a4 , a5 } is a geometric sequence.

Find the common quotient of the sequence {a1 , a4 , a5 }

6
4.1 Answers
1.
√ 0.5 or −2 2. 1.5 3. 2, 3 or 0.5, −24 4. q k 5. n = 4, q =
4
3 6. 52.5, 37.5, 22.5, 13.5 or 12, 24, 36, 54 7. 48, 24, 12, 6, 3 or 3, 6, 12, 24, 48
8. (a) 1.5 (b) 14 9. 3 10. Proof 11. Proof 12. 4 13. Proof
n 2 −n n2 +n n 2 −n 1
14. Proof 15. (a) 2 (b) 2 −2 16. Proof 17. 3 or 1