PATTERNS IN SEQUENCE

•Sequence is a function whose domain is the set of positive integers. It also means an ordered list
of numbers.
•The general term (sometimes called the nth term) is a formula that defines a sequence.

We have two kinds of sequences:

 A sequence is infinite if its domain is the set of positive integers without a last term.
For example: {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …}
The three dots show that the sequence goes on and on indefinitely.
 A sequence is finite if its domain is the set of positive integers which has a last term, n.
For example: {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …, n}

Each number in a sequence is called term.

Example: 5, 15, 25, 35, 45.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

REMEMBER: The n is represented by the order.

In the sequence 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, … we can denote the term as follows:

a1 = 1 a2 = 3 a3 = 6 a4 = 10 a5 =
15

What is the 20th term for this sequence?

To solve this kind of problem, we can use the general term or rule.
Rule: an = n/2 (n + 1)

Let's check first:

Rule: an = n/2 (n + 1)
a1 = ½ (1 + 1) = 1
a2 = 2/2 (2 + 1) = 3
a3 = 3/2 (3 + 1) = 6
a4 = 4/2 (4 + 1) = 10
a5 = 5/2 (5 + 1) = 15
Therefore, we can conclude that the rule is correct. Now, we can find for its 20 th term.

Rule: an = n/2 (n + 1)
a20 = 20/2 (20 + 1) = 210

EXERCISE 1: Find the first 5 terms of the sequence whose general term is given by an = (n – 3) n
a1 = (1 – 3)1= -2
a2 = (2 – 3)2= -1
a3 = (3 – 3)3= 0
a4 = (4 – 3)4= 1
a5 = (5 – 3)5= 32
EXCERCISE 2: Find the first 4 terms and the 20th term of the sequence whose general term is
given by an = (-1)n/2n-1
a1 = (-1)1/2(1) - 1 = -1
a2 = (-1)2/2(2) - 1 = 1/3
a3 (-1)3/2(3) - 1 = - 1/5
a4 = (-1)4/2(4) - 1 = 1/7
a20 = (-1)20/2 (20) - 1 = 1/39
REMEMBER: If you have the (-1)n, the general term causes the signs of the terms
to alternate between positive and negative.

EXERCISE 3: For each sequence, make a guess at the general term.

1, 8, 27, 64, 125, …

Ans: an = n3

1, ½. 1/3, ¼, 1/5, …
Ans: an = 1/n

-5, 10, 15, 20, -25, …

Ans: an = (-1)n 5n

1, 4, 9, 16, 25, …
Ans: an = n2

3, -6, 9, -12, 15, …

Ans: (-1)n (-3n)

ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE

A sequence which a constant, d (common difference), is added to the previous term to get the
next term is called an arithmetic sequence. The constant is called the common difference.

For each arithmetic sequence, identify the first term a1, the common difference d1, and the next
term in the sequence.
Sequence First term, a1 d Next term

2, 5, 8, 11, … 2 3 14
1, 1 1/3, 1 2/3, 2, 2 1/3, … 1 1/3 2 2/3
17, 12, 7, 2, -3, … 17 -5 -8

2, 5, 8, 11, …
a1= 2
d= 3
a1= a1
a2= a1 + d
a3= a2 + d = (a1 + d) + d= a1 + 2d
a4= a3 + d = (a1 + 2d) +d= a1 + 3d
an= a1 + (n-1) d -----> nth term of an arithmetic sequence

Find the16th term of the sequence 1, 5, 9, 13, …

a1= 1
d= 4
Since 9-5=4
n= 16
a16=?
an= a1 + (n-1) d
a16= 1 + (16-1) 4
a16= 1 + (15) 4
a16= 1 + (60)
a16= 1 + 60
a16= 61

Find the 20th term of the sequence 25, 23, 21, 19, 17, …
a1= 25
d= -2
Since 25-23=2
n= 20
a20=?
an= a1 + (n-1) d
a20= 25 + (20 - 1) -2
a20= 25 + (19) -2
a20= 25 + (-38)
a20= -13

Find the nth term of the sequence 3, 7, 11, 15, …

a1= 3
d= 4
Since 7-3=4
an= a1 + (n-1) d
an= 3 + (n-1) 4
an= 3 + 4n - 4
an= 4n - 1

Find the nth term of the sequence 1, 5, 9, 13, …

a1= 1
d= 4
Since 9-5=4
an= a1 + (n-1) d
an= 1 + (n-1) 4
an= 1 + 4n- 4
an= 4n - 3

In the sequence 50, 45, 40, 35, …, which term is 5?

a1= 50
d= -5
Since 45-50=-5
an= 5
n=?
an= a1 + (n-1) d
5= 50 + (n-1) -5
5= 50 - 5n + 5
5n= 50 + 5 - 5
5n= 50
n= 50/5
n= 10
5 is the 10th term or a10= 5

In the sequence 7, 10, 13, 16, …, which term is 43?

a1= 7
d= 3
Since 10-3=7
an= 43
n=?
an= a1 + (n-1) d
43= 7 + (n-1) 3
43= 7 + 3n - 3
-3n= 7 - 3 - 43
-3n= 7 - 46
-3n= -39
n= -39/-3
n= 13
43 is the 13th term or a13= 43

The 4th term of an arithmetic sequence is 34 and the 10th term is 22. Find a 1, d, and the nth term.
__, __, __, 34, __, __, __, __, __, 22
a1=?
d=?
an=?
34 + 6d= 22
6d= 22 - 34
6d= -12
d= -12/6
d= -2
a1= a4 - (n - 1) d
= 34 - (n - 1) -2
= 34 - (3) (-2)
=34 + 6
a1=40
an= a1 + (n-1) d
an= 40 + (n-1) -2
an= 40 - 2n + 2
an= -2n + 42

PROBLEM SOLVING: A company offers Jeffrey a starting yearly salary of Php240,000 with raises
of Php20,000 per year. What will be his salary on the 10th year?
a1= 240,000
d= 20,000
a10=?
a10= 240,000 + (10-1) 20,000
a10= 240,000 + (9) 20,000
a10= 240,000 + 180,000
a10= 420,000

Arithmetic Series- is the sum of the terms of an arithmetic sequence.

Geometric Series- is the sum of the terms of a Geometric sequence.
 GEOMETRIC SEQUENCE

Geometric sequences (geometric progressions) are ordered sets of numbers that progress by
multiplying or dividing each term by the same amount each time- this amount is called a common
ratio.

Find the ratio of the second number to the second number.

1) 2, 8
Sol: 8 ÷ 2 =4

2) -3, 9
Sol: 9 ÷ -3 =-3

3) 1, 1/2
Sol: 1/2 ÷ 1 = 1/2

A sequence is geometric if there exist a number r, called the common ratio. The common ratio, r
can be determined by dividing any term in the sequence by the term that precedes it.

Identify the common ratio and the next term in the following sequences.
1, 2, 4, 8, …
Sol: r= 2÷1 = 2
8 × 2 =16
The next term is 16, since 8(2) = 16

80, 20, 5, …
Sol: r= 20 ÷ 80=1/4
5 × 1/4 =5/4
The next term is 5/4, since 5(1/4) =5/4

2, -8, 32, -128, …

Sol: r= -8 ÷ 2 =-4
-128 × -4 = 512
The next term is 512, since -128(-4) = 512

State whether each of the following sequences is geometric or not.

5, 20, 80, 320, …
Sol:
20÷5 = 4 80÷20 = 4 320÷80 = 4
We can therefore conclude that this sequence is geometric.

7√2, 5√2, 3√2, √2, …

Sol:
5√2 ÷ 7√2= 5/7 3√2 ÷ 5√2= 3/5
We can therefore conclude that this sequence is not geometric.

5, -10, 20, -40, …

Sol:
-10 ÷ 5=-2 20 ÷ -10=-2 -40 ÷ 20=-2
We can therefore conclude that this sequence is geometric.

10/3, 10/6, 10/9, 10/15, …

Sol:
10/6 ÷ 10/3=1/2 10/9 ÷ 10/6=2/3 10/15 ÷ 10/9=3/5
We can therefore conclude that this sequence is not geometric.

The nth term of a geometric sequence is given by an= a1 rn-1, r ≠ 0. Where a1 is the first term and r
is the common ratio.

Activity 1: What is the 10th term of the geometric sequence 8, 4, 2, 1, …?

First, let's look for the common ratio.
4 ÷ 8=1/2
a1=8
Let's solve for the 10th term using the given formula an= a1 rn-1
a10= 8 (1/2)10-1
a10= 8 (1/2)9
a10= 8 (1/512)
a10= 8/512
a10= 1/64
Our 10th term for our geometric sequence is 1/64.

Activity 2:
Find the missing term in 3, 12, 48, __, __,

Let's look for the common ratio.

12 ÷ 3=4
Let's multiply our common ratio into 48 to get the next missing term.
48 × 4=192
192 is our 4th term.
Let's multiply our common ratio into 192 to get the next missing term.
192 × 4=768
768 is our 5th term.

Find the missing term in __, __, 32, 64, 128, …

Let's look for our common ratio.

64÷32=2
Since we are looking for the first and second term, we need to divide 32 into our common ratio to
get the second term.
32÷2=16
16 is our 2nd term.
For our first term, we need to divide our second term (16) into our common ratio.
16÷2=8
8 is our 1st term.

PROBLEM SOLVING: During the initial phase of an outbreak of measles, the number of infections
can grow geometrically. If there were 4, 8, 16, … on the first three days of an outbreak of measles,
how many will be infected on the 6th day?

Using the formula an= a1 rn-1, let’s define the given first.
Look for the common ratio.
8÷4=2 a6= 4 (2)5
a1= 4 a6= 4 (32)
n-1
an= a1 r a6= 128
a6= 4 (2)6-1 Therefore, there will be 128 people infected with measles on the 6th day.
SUMMATION NOTATION
Sigma notation- A more concise way to express the sum of a1 + a2 + a3 + … + an is to use the
summation notation or sigma notation.
The Greek letter Ʃ (sigma) tells us to sum or add up the terms.

Ʃ 3k (substitute)
k

k- index of summation/start (lower limit)

n- end (upper limit)

Example: Find and evaluate.

4

Ʃ 3k
k= 1
=5( )+5( )+5( )+5( )
= 5 (1) + 5 (2) + 5 (3) + 5 (4)
= 5 + 10 + 15 + 20
= 50

Ʃ 3k + 1
k= 1
= [3 ( ) + 1] + [3 ( ) + 1] + [3 ( ) + 1] + [3 ( ) + 1] + [3 ( ) + 1] + [3 ( ) + 1]
= [3 (1) + 1] + [3 (2) + 1] + [3 (3) + 1] + [3 (4) + 1] + [3 (5) + 1] + [3 (6) + 1]
= 4 + 7 + 10 + 13 + 16 + 19
= 69

Ʃk 2

k= 0
= ( )2 + ( )2 + ( )2 + ( )2 + ( )2
= 02 + 12 + 2 2 + 3 2 + 42
= 0 + 1 + 4 + 9 + 16
= 30

Ʃ (-1) k+1

k= 1
= [(-1)( )+ 1] + [(-1)( ) + 1] + [(-1)( ) + 1] + [(-1)( ) + 1] + [(-1)( )+1
]
= [(-1)1 + 1] + [(-1)2 + 1] + [(-1)3 + 1] + [(-1)4 + 1] + [(-1)5 + 1]
= 1 + -1 + 1 + -1 + 1
=1
 3

Ʃ k /k + 1
3

k= 0
= [( )3/ ( ) + 1] + [( )3/ ( ) + 1] + [( )3/ ( ) + 1] + [( )3/ ( ) + 1]
= [(0)3/ (0) + 1] + [(1)3/ (1) + 1] + [(2)3/ (2) + 1] + [(3)3/ (3) + 1]
= 0/1 + 1/2 + 8/3 + 27/4
= 0/12 + 6/12 + 32/12 + 81/12
= 119/12

Ʃ (-1) /k k

k= 1
= [(-1)( )/( )] + [(-1)( )/( )] + [(-1)( )/( )] + [(-1)( )/( )] + [(-1)( )/( )]
= [(-1)1/1] + [(-1)2/2] + [(-1)3/3] + [(-1)4/4] + [(-1)5/5]
= -1 + 1/2 - 1/3 + 1/4 - 1/5
= -1/60 + 30/60 - 20/60 + 15/60 - 12/60
= 12/60
=1/5