Formula sheet of

Sequences and Series (Progressions)

1. Definition of Sequence and Series
a. Def sequence and series & general term
1. f : N R, then f(n) = tn, n ∈ N is called a sequence and is denoted by
{f(1), f(2), f(3), ...............} = {t1, t2, t3, ..................} = {tn}
2. Series is the indicated sum of terms of a sequence
t1 +t2 +t3 +t4 + . . . . .tn is a series of sequence t1, t2, t3, ..................tn
3. tn = Sn - Sn-1

2. Arithmetic Progressions (AP)

a. Definition , General term
1. General term of A.P. = Tn = a + (n - 1) d
2. if d > 0 ⇒ increasing A.P.
If d < 0 ⇒ Decreasing A.P.
If d = 0 ⇒ All terms remain same

b. Sum of n terms
n
Sum of 'n' terms of an AP with first term 'a' and common difference 'd' is Sn = [2a + (n - 1)d]
2
n n
Sn = [2a + (n - 1)d] Sn = (a + l) where last term, l = a + (n - 1)d
2 2

c. General term from sum of n terms

General Term From Sum Of n Terms:
1. If Sn is the sum of n terms of an A.P. then its general term is given by
tn = Sn - Sn-1 OR tn = 2S −a
n
2. tn = Sn - Sn-1 is valid for all types of sequences.

d. Properties of Arithmetic Progression

Properties of A.P. :
1.In general assume
Three numbers in A.P. : a - d, a, a + d
Four numbers in A.P. : a - 3d, a - d, a + d, a + 3d
Five numbers in A.P. : a - 2d, a - d, a, a + d, a + 2d
2. If a, b, c are in A.P., then 2b = a + c
3. The sum of the two terms of an AP equidistant from the beginning & end is constant and equal to the sum of first & last terms.
Tk + Tn-k+1 = constant = (a + l).
4. If each term of an A.P. is increased, decreased, multiplied, or divided by some nonzero number, then the resulting sequence is also an A.P.

e. Arithmetic mean,Inserting n A.M. B/w 2 Numbers

1. If a, b, c are in A.P. then b is called A.M. of a and c.
2. A.M. of n numbers is
a1 +a2 +a3 + . . . . . . . . . . +an
A.M. =
n
3. If A 1, A 2, A 3,. . . . . . . . .A n are n A.M's. inserted between a and b, then a, A1, A2,. . . . . . .An, b is an A.P.
k(b−a)
Also, kth mean, A k = a+
n+1

3. Geometric Progressions(GP)
a. Definition,General term
The general term of G.P. is tn = arn −1 where a is the first term and r is the common ratio.

b. Sum of n term
Sum of n terms of a G.P. is
⎪⎪ a(1−rn )
⎧⎪
⎪ r≠1
Sn = ⎪⎨⎪⎪ (1−r)
⎪⎪
⎪⎩ na r=1

c. Sum of infinite terms

a
1. The Sum of infinite terms of G.P. is S ∞ = where a is the first term and r is the common ratio. where -1< r <1
1−r

d. Properties of geometric Progression

1. In general, assume:
Three terms of a GP: a/r, a, ar
Four terms of a GP: a/r3, a/r, ar, ar3
2. If a, b, c are in GP, then b2 = ac
3. If all terms of a GP is multiplied/divided by a constant, the sequence remains a G.P.
4. Product of terms equidistant from beginning and end is constant and is equal to the product of the first and last term.

e. Geometric mean,Inserting n G.M. B/w 2 Numbers

1. If a, b, c are in G.P. then b is called G.M. of a & b; and b2 = ac
2. G.M. of n numbers is = (a1.a2.a3.............an)1/n
3. If G1, G2, G3, ...................Gn are n G.Ms. inserted between a and b then a ,G1, G2, G3, ...................Gn are in G.P.
1
⎛b⎞
and G1 = a.r , G2 = a.r2, G3 = a.r3 , ......., Gn = a.rn where r = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ n +1
⎝a⎠

4. Harmonic progression(HP)
a. Definition,General term
1 1 1 1
1. If a1, a2, a3,................an, are in H.P. then , , ,. . . . . . . . . ., are in A.P.
a1 a2 a3 an
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2. tn = a n = where D= − = − = ..... −
1 a2 a1 a3 a2 an an −1
+ (n−1) D
a1
ab
3. If for a HP, first term is 'a' and second term is 'b', then tn =
b+ (n−1) (a−b)

b. Properties of Harmonic Progression

2ac a a−b
1.If a, b, c are in H.P. then b = OR =
a+c c b−c
1 1 1
2. Three consecutive terms of H.P: , ,
a−d a a+d
1 1 1 1
3. Four consecutive terms of H.P: , , ,
a−3d a−d a+d a+d

c. Harmonic mean,Inserting n H.M. B/w 2 Numbers

1. If a, b, c are in H.P. then b is H.M of a and b.
n
2. H.M of n numbers is H.M. =
1 1 1 1
+ + +.........+
a1 a2 a3 an
3. If H1, H2, H3..............Hn are n H.Ms inserted between a and b then a, H1, H2, H3..............Hn, b are in H.P.
⎛⎜ 1 1 ⎞⎟
⎜⎜ − ⎟⎟
1 1 ⎜⎜ b a ⎟⎟⎟
and kth HM is given by = +k ⎜⎜ ⎟
Hk a ⎝ n+1 ⎠

5. A.M. G.M and H.M

a. A.M, G.M, H.M of n positive numbers
Let a1, a2, a3.........an be n positive real numbers, then we define their AM, GM and HM as under.
a 1+a 2+a 3+ . . . . . . . . . . +a n
A .M . =
n
1
G.M . = (a 1 . a 2 . a 3 . . . . . . . . . a n ) n
n
H .M . =
1 1 1 1
+ + +.........+
a1 a2 a3 an

b. Relation Between A.M. G.M and H.M

1. For n positive numbers, we have A.M. ≥ G.M. ≥ H.M. where equality holds when numbers are equal.
2. For two positive numbers a and b, if A, G, and H are AM, GM, and HM respectively, then G2 = A.H
6. Arithmetic-geometric progression ( AGP)
a. Definition,General term
nth term of A.G.P., Tn = [a + (n - 1) d]rn-1
where a = first term, d = common difference of the corresponding AP and r = common ratio of corresponding GP.

b. Sum of n term
a ⎛⎜ 1−rn −1 ⎞⎟ ⎡⎢⎣ a+ (n−1)d ⎤⎥⎦rn
Sum to n terms, Sn = +dr ⎜⎜ 2 ⎟
⎟−
1−r ⎝ (1−r) ⎠ 1−r
where a = first term, d = common difference of the corresponding AP, and r = common ratio of the corresponding G.P.

c. Sum of infinite terms

a ⎛⎜ 1−rn −1 ⎞⎟ [a+ (n−1)d] rn
1.Sum of n terms of an A.G.P. =Sn = +dr ⎜⎜⎜ 2 ⎟
⎟⎟ −
1−r ⎝ (1−r) ⎠ 1−r
a dr
2.Sum to infinite terms of an A.G.P., S ∞ = + 2
, Where 0 <  r  <1
1−r (1−r)
where a = first term, d = common difference of the corresponding A.P., and r = common ratio of the corresponding G.P.

7. Miscellaneous series
a. Sum of squares of first n natural numbers
n
n(n+1) (2n+1)
1. ∑r2 = 12 +22 +32 + . . . . . . . . . . . +n2 =
r=1 6

b. Sum of cubes of first n natural numbers

n
n2 (n+1) 2
1. ∑r = 1 +2 +3 + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .n =
3 3 3 3 3
r=1 4

c. Difference of terms in AP
1. If the differences of consecutive terms of a series are in A.P., then its general term is of the form Tn = an2 + bn + c, where a, b, c are constants.
2. The general term can be obtained by writing the series twice, and subtracting:
S = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
S= a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
Subtracting, an = a1 + (a2 - a1) + (a3 - a2) + (a4 - a3)......[ series is A.P. ]
3. The sum of the series now can be obtained by taking summation of nth term.

d. Difference of Difference of terms in AP

1. If the difference of difference of consecutive terms of a series are in A.P., then it's general term is of the form Tn = an3 + bn2 + cn + d, where a, b, c, d
are constants.
2. The general term can be obtained by writing the series twice, and subtracting:
S = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
S= a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
Subtracting, an = a1 + (a2 - a1) + (a3 - a2) + (a4 - a3)......[ series is differences in A.P. ]
3. The sum of the series now can be obtained by taking the summation of nth term.​

e. Difference of terms in GP
1. If the difference of consecutive terms of a series is in G.P., then its general term is of the form Tn = arn + b, where r is the common ratio of that G.P.
2. The general term can be obtained by writing the series twice, and subtracting:
S = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
S= a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
Subtracting, an = a1 + (a2 - a1) + (a3 - a2) + (a4 - a3)......[ series is GP ]
3. The sum of the series now can be obtained by taking the summation of nth term.

f. Difference of Difference of terms in GP

1. If the difference of difference of consecutive terms of a series are in G.P., then its general term is of the form Tn = arn + bn + c, where r is the common
ratio of that GP.
2. The general term can be obtained by writing the series twice, and subtracting:
S = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
S= a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5.........+ an
Subtracting, an = a1 + (a2 - a1) + (a3 - a2) + (a4 - a3)......[ series is differences in GP ]
3. The sum of the series now can be obtained by taking the summation of nth term.

g. Vn Method in Progression
When the rth term of a sequence T(r) can be expressed as t(r) - t(r-1), where t(r) is rth term of some other sequence, then,
b b
∑ T(r) = ∑ (t(r)−t(r−1) ) = t(b)−t(a−1)
r=a r=a

8. Various Inequalities
a. Cauchy's Inequality
⎛⎜ n ⎞⎟ ⎛⎜ n ⎞⎟ ⎛⎜ n ⎞⎟ 2
If ai's and bi's are real numbers, then ⎜⎜ ∑ai ⎟⎟ ⎜⎜ ∑bi ⎟⎟ ≥ ⎜⎜⎜
2 ⎟⎟ ⎜⎜ 2 ⎟⎟
∑aibi ⎟⎟⎟
⎜⎜ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ i =1 ⎠ ⎝ i =1 ⎠ ⎝ i =1 ⎠
a1 a2 a3
The equality exists when, = = = .....
b1 b2 b3

9. Special Concepts
a. Recursion
Recursion is the process in which the nth term can be expressed in terms of its previous terms i.e. if Tn can be written in terms of all or some of Tn-1, Tn-2,
etc.
Please note that AP (tn = tn-1 + d) and GP (tn = r tn-1) are also recursive.

b. Use of Rationalisation in Series

To make calculations easier, we eliminate radicals present in the denominators of fractions by rationalization.
1
--> For tn = , rationalization can be done by multiplying n − n+r ( or n+r − n ) in numerator and denominator.
n + n+r
1 1 3 1 3
--> Similarly, for tn = 2 1 3 2 3
rationalization can be done by multiplying by (r+1) −r in numerator and denominator.
3
r + (r(r+1) ) + (r+1)

c. Weighted Mean
Let a1,a2, a3 . . . . . . . . .an be n positive real numbers and x1, x2, x3 . . . . . . .xn be n positive rational numbers,
x1a1 +x2a2 +x3a3 . . . . . . . +xnan
1. Weighted A.M. =
x1 +x2 +x3 . . . . . . . +xn
1
xn x1 +x2 + . . . . . . . +xn
2. Weighted G.M. = (a1 .a2 . . . . . .an )
x1 x2

x1 +x2 + . . . . . . . . +xn
3. Weighted H.M. =
x1 x2 xn
+ +........+
a1 a2 an

d. Use of Calculus in Series

This method can prove to be helpful when from an existing known result we can obtain a new result just by differentiating (or integrating) the known
series.
If, Sn(x) = a1(x) + a2(x) + a3(x) +.......+an(x)
then, Sn'(x) = a1'(x) + a2'(x) + a3'(x) +.......+an'(x)
If one of the above series is known, the other series can be obtained by just differentiating (or integrating) the known series.

e. Exponential Series
x2 x3
1. e x = 1+x+ + +..... ∞
2! 3!

2 3
x
xlogea (xlogea) (xlogea)
2. a = 1+ + + ....... ∞
1! 2! 3!

f. Logarithmic Series
x2 x3 x4
1. loge (1+x) = x− + − . . . . . . . ∞ (−1 < x ≤1)
2 3 4

⎛⎜ x2 x3 x4 ⎞⎟
2. loge (1−x) = − ⎜⎜ x+ + + . . . . . . . ∞ ⎟⎟ (−1 ≤ x <1)
⎝ 2 3 4 ⎠
⎛⎜ x 2
x 4
x 6 ⎞⎟
3. loge (1−x 2 ) = −2 ⎜⎜ + + . . . . . . . ∞ ⎟⎟ (−1 < x <1)
⎝ 2 4 6 ⎠
⎛ 1+x ⎞⎟ ⎛ x 3
x 5 ⎞
⎟ = 2 ⎜⎜ x+ + + . . . . . . . ∞ ⎟⎟ (−1 < x <1)
⎜ ⎟
4. loge ⎜⎜
⎝ 1−x ⎠ ⎝ 3 5 ⎠