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ILLUSTRATING A SERIES
for Pre Calculus
Senior High School (STEM)
Quarter 1 / Week 6

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 OBJECTIVES:
K. Define arithmetic and geometric series;
S. Illustrate a series;
A. Appreciate the lesson by understanding some real world
problems to which it is applied.

I. What Happened
REVIEW:
We will start our discussion by recalling some concepts of sequences
which you have learned in your Math-10.

Sequence
We recall that a sequence is a function whose domain is a set of positive
integers. If the domain is the set of positive integers, {1, 2,3, … , 𝑛, … }, then the
sequence is called an infinite sequence. The case when the domain is a finite
subset of the positive integers, {1,2,3, … , 𝑛}, the sequence is called a finite
sequence.

For instance, if 𝑓 (𝑛) = 3𝑛, then we have the following terms of the
sequence,

𝑓 (1) = 3(1) = 3, 𝑓 (2) = 3(2) = 6, 𝑓(3) = 3(3) = 9, … , 𝑓 (𝑛) = 3(𝑛) = 3𝑛, … .

In a sequence, the notation 𝑎1 is often used instead of 𝑓(1). Thus, we can
rewrite the above terms as
𝑎1 = 3(1) = 3, 𝑎2 = 3(2) = 6, 𝑎3 = 3(3) = 9, … , 𝑎𝑛 = 3(𝑛) = 3𝑛, … .
The first term of the sequence above is 3, the second term is 6, and the
𝑛𝑡ℎ term is 3𝑛.

Challenge 1: Can you find the first five terms of the sequence 𝑎𝑛 = 2𝑛 ?

Arithmetic Sequence

Consider the sequence 1,2 3, … , 𝑛, ….

Note that in any consecutive terms we get that difference of 1. That is if

we subtract the consecutive terms,

𝑎2 − 𝑎1 = 2 − 1 = 1, 𝑎3 − 𝑎2 = 3 − 1 = 1

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and continuing in that manner for some of the consecutive terms of the
sequence, we get a constant difference, that is, 1.

This sequence whose consecutive terms have a common difference

throughout the sequence is called an arithmetic sequence.

If we find the difference of the consecutive terms of the sequence

3,9,27,81, … , 3𝑛 , … we will get the following

𝑎2 − 𝑎1 = 9 − 3 = 6,

𝑎3 − 𝑎2 = 27 − 9 = 18,

𝑎4 − 𝑎3 = 81 − 27 = 54,

Clearly, we do not get the same difference for these terms. Thus, the
sequence is not an arithmetic sequence.

Challenge 2: Is the sequence −1,1, −1,1, … (a sequence of alternating −1s

and 1s) an arithmetic sequence?

Remark 1: If the common difference among consecutive terms is 𝑑 then the

𝑛𝑡ℎ term is

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑.

Geometric Sequence

Let us consider again the sequence 3,9,27,81 … , 3𝑛 , … . This sequence has

no common difference and thus not an arithmetic sequence. But if we divide
each term from the previous term,
𝑎2
⁄𝑎1 = 9⁄3 = 3,

𝑎3
⁄𝑎2 = 27⁄9 = 3,

𝑎4
⁄𝑎3 = 81⁄27 = 3,

and continuing in that manner for some of the consecutive terms of the
sequence, we get a common ratio of 3.

This kind of sequence with a common ratio among consecutive terms of

the sequence is called a geometric sequence.

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 Challenge 3: Is the sequence −1,1, −1,1, … (a sequence of alternating −1s
and 1s) a geometric sequence?

Remark 2: If the common ratio among consecutive terms is 𝑟 then the 𝑛𝑡ℎ
term is

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛−1 .

II. What You Need to Know

DISCUSSION:
After reorienting ourselves with sequences, let us, at this point, define the
term series.

Definition 1: A series is the sum of the terms of the sequence.

Example 1: Given the finite sequence 9, 16, 25, 36, 49 find the corresponding
series.

Solution: The corresponding series of the finite sequence 9, 16, 25, 36, 49 is 9 +
16 + 25 + 36 + 49 = 135.

Arithmetic series

Definition 2: When we add up the terms of an arithmetic sequence

the sum is called arithmetic series.

Example 2: Find the sum of all odd numbers between 1 and 100.

Solution: Let 𝑠 be the sum of all odd numbers between 1 and 100. To finds such
sum, the following trick is employed. We will write 𝑠 in two ways. The second
time will be the reverse order of the first.

Thus,

𝑠 = 1 + 3 + 5 + ⋯ + 95 + 97 + 99

and

𝑠 = 99 + 97 + 95 + ⋯ + 5 + 3 + 1.

Next, we add the two equations above, getting

2𝑠 = 100 + 100 + 100 + ⋯ + 100 + 100 + 100.

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Note that there are 50 terms on the right side of the equation. And so,

2𝑠 = 50(100) = 5000.

Simplifying, we get, 𝑠 = 2500.

Now, let us generalize the technique we have just used above.

Let 𝑎𝑘 denote a term of an arithmetic sequence with a common

difference 𝑑 and let 𝑠 denote the sum of the first 𝑛 terms of the series.
Proceeding just like in Example 2, we write 𝑠 in two ways:

𝑠 = 𝑎1 + (𝑎1 + 𝑑) + (𝑎1 + 2𝑑) + ⋯ + (𝑎𝑛 − 2𝑑) + (𝑎𝑛 − 𝑑) + 𝑎𝑛

and

𝑠 = 𝑎𝑛 + (𝑎𝑛 − 𝑑) + (𝑎𝑛 − 2𝑑) + ⋯ + (𝑎1 + 2𝑑) + (𝑎1 + 𝑑) + 𝑎1 .

Then, adding the two equations, we obtain,

2𝑠 = (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ) + (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ) + (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ) + ⋯ + (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ) + (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ) + (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ).

Since the term (𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ) occurs 𝑛 times on the right side of the equation above,
it can be rewritten as

2𝑠 = 𝑛(𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 ).

Simplifying, we get,

(𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 )
𝑠=𝑛 .
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Remark 3: In an arithmetic sequence, the sum of

𝑎1 + 𝑎2 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛

is given by

(𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 )
𝑛 .
2

Challenge 4: Find the sum for the first 𝑛 positive integer:

1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ + 𝑛.

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Example 3: The Osmeña Theater has 21 seats in the first row and has 27 rows in
all. Each successive row contains 2 additional seats. How many seats are in the
theater?

Solution: From the problem, we know that 𝑎1 = 21, 𝑛 = 27 and 𝑑 = 2. Let 𝑠 be

the total number of seats in the theater. To solve for 𝑠, we will use the formula
𝑎1 +𝑎𝑛 21 +𝑎27
𝑠 = 𝑛( ) = 27 ( ).
2 2

In order to find the value of 𝑠, we need to solve, first, for 𝑎27 . To that end,
we have

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

𝑎27 = 21 + (27 − 1)(2) = 73.

Solving for 𝑠,

𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛 21 + 𝑎27 21 + 73
𝑠 = 𝑛( ) = 27 ( ) = 27 ( ) = 27(47) = 1269.
2 2 2

Thus, there are 1269 seats in the theater.

Geometric Series

Definition 3: The sum obtained adding the terms of a geometric

sequence is called a geometric series.

Example 4: Evaluate the geometric series 1 + 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 247 + 248 + 249 .

Solution: Let 𝑠 = 1 + 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 247 + 248 + 249 . Then, we multiply 𝑠 by 2, and we

have,

2𝑠 = 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 247 + 248 + 249 + 250 .

We shall align the terms in 2𝑠 to those that are similar with that of 𝑠.

𝑠 = 1 + 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 247 + 248 + 249

2𝑠 = 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 247 + 248 + 249 + 250 .

We then find the difference of 2𝑠 − 𝑠. That is,

𝑠 = 250 − 1.

At this point, we shall generalize the trick we did in Example 2 for any
geometric series.

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 Let 𝑎𝑘 denote a term in the geometric sequence with a common ratio
𝑟. By Remark 2, 𝑎𝑘 = 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑘−1 . If 𝑠 is the sum of the first 𝑛 terms of the series

𝑠 = 𝑎1 + 𝑎1 𝑟 + 𝑎1 𝑟 2 + ⋯ + 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛−1 .

Multiplying 𝑟 to both sides of the equation above, then aligning the terms
in 𝑟𝑠 to those that are similar in 𝑠.

𝑠 = 𝑎1 + 𝑎1 𝑟 + 𝑎1 𝑟 2 + ⋯ + 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛−1

𝑟𝑠 = 𝑎1 𝑟 + 𝑎1 𝑟 2 + ⋯ + 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛−1 + 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛

Now, subtracting 𝑟𝑠 from 𝑠, we get 𝑠 − 𝑟𝑠 = 𝑎1 − 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛 .

Factoring, we have, 𝑠 (1 − 𝑟) = 𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 ).

Dividing both sides by 1 − 𝑟, we have

𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠= , 𝑟 ≠ 1.
1−𝑟

Remark 4: In a geometric sequence, the sum of

𝑎1 + 𝑎2 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛

is given by

𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠= , 𝑟 ≠ 1.
1−𝑟

Example 5: A worker is hired in a company at an annual salary of 𝑃216,000

with an annual increase of 0.5%. What would be his aggregate salary over a
15-year period?

Solution: Let us consider the worker’s salaries for the first 3 years, as shown in
the table:
Year Salary
1 216,000
2 216,000 + 216,000 0.05) = 216,000(1 + 0.05)
(
3 216,000(0.05) + 216,000(0.05)(0.05) = 216,000(0.05)(1 + 0.05)

Clearly, we have a geometric series with the first term as 216,000 and a
common difference 1 + 0.05 = 1.05. To find the sum for 𝑛 = 15, we have, from
Remark 4,

216,000[1 − (1.05)15 ]
≈ 4,660,970.
1 − 1.05

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 𝑎1 (1−𝑟𝑛 )
Remark 5: The expression, when 𝑟 ≠ 1, 𝑠 = in Remark 4
1−𝑟
can be rewritten as

𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 ) 𝑎1 − 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛
𝑠= = .
1−𝑟 1−𝑟

That is the sum of a finite geometric sequence is equal to the first term
minus the next term that would follow after the last term, divided by 1 minus
the common difference.

Example 6: Evaluate the geometric series 1 + 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 298 + 299 + 2100 .

Solution: The first term of the geometric sequence is 1 with 𝑟 = 2. The last term
of the series is 2100, thus, the next term of the series is 2101. Using Remark 5, we
have

98 99 100
1 − 2101
1 + 2 + 4 + ⋯+ 2 +2 +2 = = 2101 − 1.
1−2

III. What Have I Learned

POST TEST:
Exercises
In Exercises 1-3, evaluate the arithmetic series.

1. 1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ + 98 + 99 + 100
2. 500 + 490 + 480 + ⋯ + 320 + 310 + 300
3. 2001 + 2002 + 2003 + ⋯ + 4998 + 4999 + 5000
4. Find the sum of all 3-digit even positive integers.
5. Find the sum of all 3-digit odd positive integers.
6. An amphitheater has 15 seats in the first row, 17 in the second row, 19 in
the third row, and so on. There are 20 rows altogether. How many can
the amphitheater seat?

In Exercises 7-9, evaluate the geometric series.

7. 1 + 2 + 4 + ⋯ + 248 + 249 + 250

8. 1 + 4 + 16 + ⋯ + 413 + 414 + 415
1 1 1 1 1 1
9. + 9 + 27 + ⋯ + 398 + 399 + 3100
3
10. Find 𝑥 so that 𝑥, 𝑥 + 4 and 𝑥 + 7.

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 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL

SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

JOELYZA M. ARCILLA, EdD

Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

MARCELO K. PALISPIS, EdD

Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

NILITA L. RAGAY, EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
CID Chief

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ELISA L. BAGUIO, EdD

Division Education Program Supervisor – MATHEMATICS

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

GIL S. DAEL
Writer

LITTIE BETH S. BERNADEZ

Lay-out Artist
_________________________________

ALPHA QA TEAM
LITTIE BETH S. BERNADEZ
RONALD TOLENTINO
DIDITH T. YAP

BETA QA TEAM
ELIZABETH A. ALAP-AP
EPIFANIA Q. CUEVAS
NIDA BARBARA S. SUASIN
VRENDIE P. SYGACO
MELBA S. TUMARONG
HANNAHLY I. UMALI

ENHANCEMENT TEAM
RADHIYA A. ABABON
LITTIE BETH S. BERNADEZ
GIL S. DAEL
DISCLAIMER

The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide accessible learning modality to the teachers
and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The contents of this module are carefully researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the
set learning competencies. The writers and evaluator were clearly instructed to give credits to information and illustrations used to substantiate this
material. All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.

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 SYNOPSIS AND ABOUT THE AUTHOR

We have discussed ANSWER KEY

arithmetic and geometric
series. We have presented it
with some related formulas to
make it as comprehensive as
possible. Some real word
problems are presented as
examples for you to
appreciate the concept much
more.

AUTHOR
Gil S. Dael earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree and
Master of Science in Mathematics graduate program at Negros
Oriental State University. He is presently finishing his Doctor of Philosophy
in Mathematics from the same university. At present, he is currently
teaching mathematics and research subjects at Crisostomo O. Retes
National High School.

REFERENCES
Axler, S. (2016). Precalculus: A Prelude to Calculus (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Rees, P. K., Sparks, F. W., & Rees, C. (2003). (10th ed.). Manila, Philippines: McGraw-Hill
Publishing.

Ryan, M., Doubet, M. E., Fabricant, M., & Rockhill, T. (1993). Advanced Mathematics: A
Precalculus Approach. Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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