Finding the Nth
Term in a Sequence
1, 3, 5, 7, ___, ___
What is a sequence?
Sequence
A sequence is a set of numbers written in a special order
by the application of a definite rule.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th …nth
1, 3, 5, 7, ___, ___, ___, …
Each number in the sequence is called a term.
Sequence
A sequence is a set of numbers written in a special order
by the application of a definite rule.
n = term 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th …nth
1, 3, 5, 7, ___, ___, ___, …
Each number in the sequence is called a term.
Sequence
A sequence is a set of numbers written in a special order
by the application of a definite rule.
n = term 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th …nth
1, 3, 5, 7, ___, ___, ___, …
An = value A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 An
Each number in the sequence is called a term.
1, 3, 5, 7, ___, ___, ___, …
If the terms of a sequence increase, it may involve
addition or multiplication.
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
1, 3, 5, 7, __,
9 11__, 13
__, …
If the terms of a sequence increase, it may involve
addition or multiplication.
Common difference (d) d = 2
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
1, 3, 5, 7, __,
9 11__, 13
__, …
Common difference (d) d = 2
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
1, 3, 5, 7, __,
9 11__, 13
__, …
Rule: Every term after the first is
obtained by adding 2 to the number
before it.
Common difference (d) d = 2
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
1, 3, 5, 7, __,
9 11__, 13
__, …
What is the 10th term of this sequence?
What is the 10th term of this sequence?
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
d=2
1, 3, 5, 7, __,
9 11__, 13
__, …
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 … An
A1 = 1 A1 + 2 (0) An = A1 + d (n − 1)
A2 = A1 + 2 (1) A10 = 1 + 2 (9)
A3 = A1 + 2 (2) = 1 + 18
A4 = A1 + 2 (3) = 19
An =?
What is the 10th term of this sequence?
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
d=2
1, 3, 5, 7, __,
9 11__, 13
__, …
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 … An
A1−1 = 1 A1 + 2 (0) An = A1 + d (n − 1)
A2−1 = A1 + 2 (1) A10 = 1 + 2 10 − 1
A3−1 = A1 + 2 (2) = 1 + 2 (9)
A4−1 = A1 + 2 (3) = 1 + 18
An = A1 + 𝑑 (𝑛 − 1) = 19
What is the 17th term of this sequence?
+3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3
d=3
2, 5, 8, 11, ___,
14 ___,
17 ___,
20 …
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 … An
An = A1 + d (n − 1)
A17 = 2 + 3 (17 − 1)
A17 = 2 + 3 (16)
A17 = 2 + 48
A17 = 50
What is the 12th term of this sequence?
-1 -1 -1 -1 -1
d=1
26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 … An
An = A1 − d (n − 1)
A12 = 26 − 1 (12 − 1)
A12 = 26 − 1 (11)
A12 = 26 − 11
A12 = 15
Counting numbers
are whole numbers but
without the zero.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… and so on
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 …n
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49
1x1 2x2 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 7x7 nxn
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49
12 22 32 42 52 62 72 n2
1x1 2x2 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 7x7 nxn
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49
Nth term rule: n x n or 𝑛 2
12 22 32 42 52 62 72
1x1 2x2 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 7x7
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49
Nth term rule: n x n or 𝑛 2
10 term = 10 x 10 = 100
th
12 22 32 42 52 62 72
1x1 2x2 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 7x7
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49
Nth term rule: n x n or 𝑛 2
9 term = 9 x 9 = 81
th
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 …n
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
2x1 2x2 2x3 2x4 2x5 2x6 2x7 …2 x n
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
2x1 2x2 2x3 2x4 2x5 2x6 2x7 …2 x n
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
Nth term rule: 2 x n or 2n
2x1 2x2 2x3 2x4 2x5 2x6 2x7 …2 x n
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
Nth term rule: 2 x n or 2n
10 term = 2 x 10 = 20
th
2x1 2x2 2x3 2x4 2x5 2x6 2x7 …2 x n
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
Nth term rule: 2 x n or 2n
17 term = 2 x 17 = 34
th
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
…
𝟏+𝟏 𝟏+𝟐 𝟏+𝟑 𝟏+𝟒 𝟏+𝟓 𝟏+𝟔 𝟏+𝟕 𝟏+𝐧
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
, , , , , , ,
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1
Nth term rule:
1+𝑛
1 1
15th term = =
1+15 16
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
…
𝟏+𝟏 𝟏+𝟐 𝟏+𝟑 𝟏+𝟒 𝟏+𝟓 𝟏+𝟔 𝟏+𝟕 𝟏+𝐧
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
, , , , , , ,
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1
Nth term rule:
1+𝑛
1 1
23rd term = =
1+23 24
Sequence
• Sequence is a set of numbers written in a special order
by the application of a definite rule.
• Each number in a sequence is called a term.
• To formulate the rule in finding the nth term of a
sequence, we can look for a pattern, guess and check,
or work backwards.
