General Mathematics VU

Sequences and Series Topic 4

• Definition: Rows of numbers are called sequences, and the separate numbers are called terms of
the sequence.

• Notation: Usually the terms of the sequence are denoted by

a1 = First term of the sequence
a2 = second term of the sequence
…
an = nth term of the sequence

• Definition: An Arithmetic Sequence (or Arithmetic Progression) is a sequence in which each

term after the first term is found by adding a constant, called the common difference (d), to the
previous term.

• The inductive definition of an arithmetic sequence has the form

and

• Formula: The formula for finding any term in an arithmetic sequence is an = a + (n-1)d.

All you need to know to find any term is the first term in the sequence (a) and the common
difference, d.

• Example: Given the sequence, 1500, 3000, 4500, 6000, …, find the 16th term.

Solution: a = 1500, d = 1500, n -1 = 16 - 1 = 15 .

So a16 = 1500 + 1500(15) = 24000

• Definition: An Arithmetic Series is the sum of the terms in an arithmetic sequence.

• Example: Arithmetic sequence: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10,

Corresponding arithmetic series: 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10

• To find the sum of the first n terms on arithmetic sequence, we can use the formula:

Sn = n/2(a + an) = n/2(a + a + (n-1)d) = n/2(2a + (n-1)d)

• Example: Find the sum of the first 50 terms of an arithmetic series with a = 28 and d = -4

Solution: We need to know n, a, and a50. n= 50, a = 28, d = -4. The formula is Sn = n/2(2a + (n-
1)d) So, S50 = 50/2(2(28) + (50-1)(-4)) = 25(56 + 49 (-4)) = 25(56 – 196) = 25(-140) = -3500

• Definition: A sequence in which each term after the first is found by multiplying the previous
term by a constant value called the common ratio, is called a Geometric Sequence (or
Geometric Progression).

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• The formula for finding any term of a geometric sequence is an = arn-1

• Example: Find the 10th term of the geometric sequence with a = 2000 and a common ratio of 1/2.
• Solution: a10 = 2000• (1/2)9 = 2000 • 1/512 = 2000/512 = 500/128 = 250/64 = 125/32

• Definition: A Geometric Series is the sum of the terms in a arithmetic sequence.

• The formula for fining the sum of the first n terms of a geometric sequence is given by

• Example: Find the sum

Solution: This is a geometric series with first term -3 and common ratio 2.

• Definition: If a sequence of numbers approaches (or converges) to a finite number, we say that
the sequence is convergent. If a sequence does not converge to a finite number it is called
divergent.

• For the sequence of the geometric series, we know that and it is the expression

that determines if the series converges or diverges: If then increases indefinitely and
the series is divergent. However, if then tends to zero as n tends to infinity. So the

sum tends to . It is conventional to write

• Example: Evaluate

Solution: This is an infinite geometric series with a = 35 and r = -1/4. So,

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General Mathematics VU

Permutations and Combinations Topic 4

• Multiplication Principle: If two operations A and B are performed in order, with n possible
outcomes for A and m possible outcomes for B, then there are n x m possible combined outcomes
of the first operation followed by the second.

• Example: Basket A contains a mango (m) and a banana (b). Basket B contains an apple (a), an
orange (o) and a grapefruit (g). You draw one fruit from A and then one fruit from B. How many
different pairs of fruits can you have?

Solution: ma, mo, mg, ba, bo, bg = 6. Or, (2 from A) x (3 from B) = 6 according to the
multiplication principle.

• Difference between permutations and combinations: Both are ways to count the possibilities. The
difference between them is whether order matters or not. Consider a poker hand:

A♦, 5♥, 7♣, 10♠, K♠

Is that the same hand as:

K♠, 10♠, 7♣, 5♥, A♦

Does the order the cards are handed out matter?

o If yes, then we are dealing with permutations

o If no, then we are dealing with combinations

• Permutation Rules:

o To arrange n distinct objects in a row, the number of different arrangements is n! = n(n-1)

(n-2)…3.2.1

o The number of different permutations of r objects which can be made from n distinct
objects is given by

o The number of different permutations of n objects of which p are identical to each other,
and then q of the remainder are identical, and r of the remainder are identical is

o To arrange n objects in a line in which r of the objects have to be together we have r!( n
– r + 1)! Permutations

o To arranging n objects in a circle in which arrangements are considered to be the same if

they can be obtained from each other by rotation, we get n!/n = (n – 1)! Permutations.

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• Example: Suppose you have 4 pictured cards that have the pictures of the letters A, B, C and D,
and you want to arrange them in a row to form “words”. How many 4-letter words are there?

Solution: here we are arranging four distinct objects in a line. The number of permutations is 4! =
24

• Example: Eight runners are hoping to take part in a race, but the track has only six lanes. In how
many ways can six of the eight runners be assigned to lanes.

Solution: This is a permutation of six lane assignments from 8 people:

• Example: Find the number of distinct permutations of the letters of the word MISSISSIPPI

Solution: The total number of letters = 11, Number of S’s = 4, Number of I’s = 4, Number of P’s

= 2. The total number of distinct permutations is

• Example: Five people, A, B, C, D and E are arranged randomly in a line. Find the possible
permutations when A and B are next to each other

Solution: Imagine A and B are stuck together in the order AB. Treat them as one unit. Then there
are 4 unites to permute (AB, C, D and E) in a line and we know there are 4! = 24 ways to arrange
4 units. But A and B could also be stuck together in the order BA, and there will be another 4!
arrangements in that case. Therefore, there will be a total of 2 x 4! = 48 arrangements of the 5
people in the line where A and B are always together.

• Example: How many ways are there to sit 6 people around a circular table, where seatings are
considered to be the same if they can be obtained from each other by rotating the table?

Solution: First, place the first person in the north-most chair. This has only one possibility. Then
place the other 5 people. There are 5P5 = 5! = 120 ways to do that By the product rule, we get
1x120 =120.

Alternatively, there are 6P6 = 720 ways to seat the 6 people around the table. For each seating,
there are 6 “rotations” of the seating. Thus, the final answer is 720/6 = 120

• Formula for Combinations: In general, to find the number of combinations of r objects taken
from n objects, we divide the number of permutations nPr by r!. The total number of

combinations is given by:

• Example: The manager of a football team has a squad of 16 players. He needs to choose 11 to
play in a match. How many possible teams can be chosen?

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Solution: This is a combination problem as the order in which the teams are chosen is not

important. The number of combinations is

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