Notes: (Topic 2.

1) Change in Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences Solutions

A sequence is a function from the whole numbers to the real numbers.

This means that we are only able to “plug” in whole numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, …) into a sequence but we can get any real
number as the output.

As a result, when we graph a sequence, we will have points but we cannot “connect” them together to form a line or
curve.

Example 1: Consider the sequence defined by 𝑎! = 4𝑛 − 3. Find 𝑎" and 𝑎# .

𝑎" = 4(1) − 3 = 1 𝑎# = 4(7) − 3 = 28 − 3 = 25

In this course, we will study two important types of sequences: arithmetic sequences and geometric sequences.

Arithmetic Sequences
Property of Successive Terms Formulas/Equations Notes

Successive terms have a common 𝑎! = 𝑎$ + 𝑑𝑛 Arithmetic sequences behave like

difference, or constant rate of or linear functions, except they are not
change. continuous.
𝑎! = 𝑎% + 𝑑(𝑛 − 𝑘)

an = the nth term of an arithmetic where 𝑎$ = initial value Increasing arithmetic sequences
sequence. increase equally each step. (slope
𝑑 = common difference
always stays the same!)
𝑎% = 𝑘th term of the sequence
Example
𝑛 𝑎!
𝑎! = 3𝑛 + 1 0 1
1 4
2 7
3 10
⋮ ⋮

Example 2: For each of the following, determine if the sequence could be arithmetic. If yes, identify the common
difference.
a) sn = n 2 - 3 b) sn = 6 - 2n c) -7, - 2, 3, 8, 13, ... d) 1, - 2, 3, - 4, 5, ...
𝑛 𝑠! 𝑛 𝑠! arithmetic, 𝑑 = 5 not arithmetic, no common
0 –3 0 6 difference
1 –2 1 4
2 1 2 2
3 6 3 0
⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮
not arithmetic arithmetic
no common difference 𝑑 = −2

Notes: Topic 2.1 Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences Created by Bryan Passwater
Solutions by Ted Gott [email protected]
Example 3: Let an be an arithmetic sequence with a3 = 8 and d = -3 . Find an expression for an , and use the
expression to find a12 .

𝑎! = 𝑎& + (−3)(𝑛 − 3) = 8 − 3𝑛 + 9 = 17 − 3𝑛 𝑎"' = 17 − 3(12) = 17 − 36 = −19

Example 4: Let an be an arithmetic sequence with a2 = 7 and a6 = 9 . Find an expression for an , and use the
expression to find a24 .
4 1
𝑎( = 𝑎' + 𝑑(6 − 2) ⇒ 9 = 7 + 4𝑑 ⇒ 4𝑑 = 2 ⇒ 𝑑 = =
2 2
1 18
𝑎') = 𝑎( + (24 − 6) = 9 + = 18
2 2

Example 5: Several terms of the arithmetic sequence an are shown above. Find an expression for an and use the
expression to find a17 .

𝑎" − 𝑎$ = 6 − 8 = −2 = 𝑑 𝑎! = 𝑎$ + (−2)𝑛 = 8 − 2𝑛
𝑎"# = 8 − 2(17) = 8 − 34 = −26

Notes: Topic 2.1 Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences Created by Bryan Passwater
Solutions by Ted Gott [email protected]
 Geometric Sequences
Property of Successive Terms Formulas/Equations Notes
𝑔! = 𝑔$ 𝑟 !
Successive terms have a common Geometric sequences behave like
ratio, or constant proportional or exponential functions, except they
change. 𝑔! = 𝑔% 𝑟 (!+%) are not continuous.

gn = the nth term of a geomtric where 𝑔$ = initial value Increasing geometric sequences
𝑟 = common ratio increase by a larger amount each step.
sequence. (% increase always stays the same!)
𝑔% = 𝑘th term of the sequence

Example
𝑛 𝑔!
!
1 0 8
𝑔! = 8 = > 1 4
2
2 2
3 1
1
4
2
⋮ ⋮

Example 6: For each of the following, determine if the sequence could be geometric. If yes, identify the common ratio.
sn = 4 ( 2)
n -1
a) sn = 3n 2 b) c) 1, 3, 2, 6, 4,12, 8, 24, ... d) 16, - 8, 4, - 2,1, ...
𝑛 𝑠! 𝑛 𝑠! 𝑠! 𝑟 𝑠! 𝑟
0 0 0 2 1 16
3 3/1 "
1 3 1 4 –8 −'
2 12 2 8 2 2/3 "
3 27 3 16 6 6/2 4 −'
⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮ –2 −'
"

not geometric geometric not geometric

no common ratio ⋮ ⋮
no common ratio 𝑟=2 "
geometric 𝑟 = −
'
Example 7: Let g n be a geometric sequence with g1 = 12 and r = 2 . Find an expression for g n , and use the
expression to find g 4 . 𝑔! = 𝑔" 𝑟 (!+") = 12(2)(!+") ⇒ 𝑔) = 12(2)()+") = 12(8) = 96

Example 8: Several terms of the geometric sequence g n are shown above. Find an expression for g n and use the
-! ) " " ! " "$ . "
expression to find g10 . -"
= . = ' ⇒ 𝑔! = 8 ?'@ 𝑔"$ = 8 ?'@ = "$') = "'.

Notes: Topic 2.1 Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences Created by Bryan Passwater
Solutions by Ted Gott [email protected]