DP IB Applications & Your notes

Interpretation (AI): SL
Sequences & Series
Contents
Language of Sequences & Series
Arithmetic Sequences & Series
Geometric Sequences & Series
Applications of Sequences & Series

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 Language of Sequences & Series
Your notes
Language of Sequences & Series
What is a sequence?
A sequence is an ordered set of numbers with a rule for finding all of the numbers in the
sequence
For example 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, … is a sequence with the rule ‘start at one and add two to
each number’
The numbers in a sequence are often called terms
The terms of a sequence are often referred to by letters with a subscript
In IB this will be the letter u
So in the sequence above, u1 = 1, u2 = 3, u3 = 5 and so on
Each term in a sequence can be found by substituting the term number into formula for
the nth term

What is a series?
You get a series by summing up the terms in a sequence
E.g. For the sequence 1, 3, 5, 7, … the associated series is 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + …
We use the notation Sn to refer to the sum of the first n terms in the series
Sn = u 1 + u 2 + u 3 + … + u n
So for the series above S5 = 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 = 25

Worked Example
Determine the first five terms and the value of S5 in the sequence with terms defined
by un = 5 - 2n.

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 Your notes

Sigma Notation
What is sigma notation?
Sigma notation is used to show the sum of a certain number of terms in a sequence
The symbol Σ is the capital Greek letter sigma
Σ stands for ‘sum’

The expression to the right of the Σ tells you what is being summed, and the limits
above and below tell you which terms you are summing

Be careful, the limits don’t have to start with 1

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 ∑= 2k + 1 ∑= 2k − 13
4 14
For example or
Your notes
( ) ( )

k 0 k 7

r and k are commonly used variables within sigma notation

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Your GDC will be able to use sigma notation, familiarise yourself with it and
practice using it to check your work

Worked Example
A sequence can be defined by u
n
= 2 × 3n −1 for n ∈ ℤ+ .
a) Write an expression for u
1
+ u 2 + u 3 + ... + u 6 using sigma notation.

b) Write an expression for u

7
+ u 8 + u 9 + ... + u 12 using sigma notation.

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 Your notes

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 Arithmetic Sequences & Series
Your notes
Arithmetic Sequences
What is an arithmetic sequence?
In an arithmetic sequence, the difference between consecutive terms in the sequence
is constant
This constant difference is known as the common difference, d, of the sequence
For example, 1, 4, 7, 10, … is an arithmetic sequence with the rule ‘start at one and add
three to each number’
The first term, u1, is 1
The common difference, d, is 3
An arithmetic sequence can be increasing (positive common difference) or
decreasing (negative common difference)
Each term of an arithmetic sequence is referred to by the letter u with a subscript
determining its place in the sequence

How do I find a term in an arithmetic sequence?

The nth term formula for an arithmetic sequence is given as

un = u1 + n − 1 d
( )

Where u is the first term, and d is the common difference

1

This is given in the formula booklet, you do not need to know how to derive it
Enter the information you have into the formula and use your GDC to find the value of the
term
Sometimes you will be given a term and asked to find the first term or the common
difference
Substitute the information into the formula and solve the equation
You could use your GDC for this
Sometimes you will be given two terms and asked to find both the first term and the
common difference
Substitute the information into the formula and set up a system of linear equations
Solve the simultaneous equations
You could use your GDC for this

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 Examiner Tips and Tricks Your notes
Simultaneous equations are often needed within arithmetic sequence questions,
make sure you are confident solving them with and without the GDC

Worked Example
The fourth term of an arithmetic sequence is 10 and the ninth term is 25, find the first
term and the common difference of the sequence.

Arithmetic Series
How do I find the sum of an arithmetic series?
An arithmetic series is the sum of the terms in an arithmetic sequence
For the arithmetic sequence 1, 4, 7, 10, … the arithmetic series is 1 + 4 + 7 + 10 + …
Use the following formulae to find the sum of the first n terms of the arithmetic series:

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 n n
Sn = 2u 1 + n − 1 d ; Sn = u + un
2 2 1
( ( ) ) ( )

Your notes
u 1 is the first term

d is the common difference

u n is the last term
Both formulae are given in the formula booklet, you do not need to know how to derive
them
You can use whichever formula is more convenient for a given question
If you know the first term and common difference use the first version
If you know the first and last term then the second version is easier to use
A question will often give you the sum of a certain number of terms and ask you to find
the value of the first term or the common difference
Substitute the information into the formula and solve the equation
You could use your GDC for this

Examiner Tips and Tricks

The formulae you need for arithmetic series are in the formula book, you do not
need to remember them
Practice finding the formulae so that you can quickly locate them in the exam

Worked Example
The sum of the first 10 terms of an arithmetic sequence is 630.
a) Find the common difference, d, of the sequence if the first term is 18.

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 Your notes

b) Find the first term of the sequence if the common difference, d, is 11.

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 Geometric Sequences & Series
Your notes
Geometric Sequences
What is a geometric sequence?
In a geometric sequence, there is a common ratio, r, between consecutive terms in the
sequence
For example, 2, 6, 18, 54, 162, … is a sequence with the rule ‘start at two and multiply
each number by three’
The first term, u1, is 2
The common ratio, r, is 3
A geometric sequence can be increasing (r > 1) or decreasing (0 < r < 1)
If the common ratio is a negative number the terms will alternate between positive and
negative values
For example, 1, -4, 16, -64, 256, … is a sequence with the rule ‘start at one and multiply
each number by negative four’
The first term, u1, is 1
The common ratio, r, is -4
Each term of a geometric sequence is referred to by the letter u with a subscript
determining its place in the sequence

How do I find a term in a geometric sequence?

The n th term formula for a geometric sequence is given as

u n = u 1rn −1

Where u is the first term, and r is the common ratio

1

This formula allows you to find any term in the geometric sequence
It is given in the formula booklet, you do not need to know how to derive it
Enter the information you have into the formula and use your GDC to find the value of the
term
Sometimes you will be given a term and asked to find the first term or the common ratio
Substitute the information into the formula and solve the equation
You could use your GDC for this
Sometimes you will be given two or more consecutive terms and asked to find both the
first term and the common ratio
Find the common ratio by dividing a term by the one before it

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 Substitute this and one of the terms into the formula to find the first term
Sometimes you may be given a term and the formula for the nth term and asked to find
the value of n Your notes
You can solve these using logarithms on your GDC

Examiner Tips and Tricks

You will sometimes need to use logarithms to answer geometric sequences
questions
Make sure you are confident doing this
Practice using your GDC for different types of questions

Worked Example
The sixth term, u , of a geometric sequence is 486 and the seventh term, u , is 1458.
6 7

Find,

i) the common ratio, r , of the sequence,

ii) the first term of the sequence, u .

1

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 Your notes

Geometric Series
How do I find the sum of a geometric series?
A geometric series is the sum of a certain number of terms in a geometric sequence
For the geometric sequence 2, 6, 18, 54, … the geometric series is 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + …
The following formulae will let you find the sum of the first n terms of a geometric series:

u 1 rn − 1 u 1 1 − rn
Sn = =
( ) ( )

r−1 1−r
u 1 is the first term

r is the common ratio

Both formulae are given in the formula booklet, you do not need to know how to
derive them
You can use whichever formula is more convenient for a given question

The first version of the formula is more convenient if r > 1 and the second is more
convenient if r < 1
A question will often give you the sum of a certain number of terms and ask you to find
the value of the first term, the common ratio, or the number of terms within the sequence
Substitute the information into the formula and solve the equation
You could use your GDC for this

Examiner Tips and Tricks

The geometric series formulae are in the formulae booklet, you don't need to
memorise them

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 Make sure you can locate them quickly in the formula booklet

Your notes

Worked Example
A geometric sequence has u
1
= 25 and r = 0 . 8 . Find the value of u 5 and S5 .

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 Applications of Sequences & Series
Your notes
Applications of Arithmetic Sequences & Series
Many real-life situations can be modelled using sequences and series, including but not
limited to: patterns made when tiling floors; seating people around a table; the rate of
change of a population; the spread of a virus and many more.

What do I need to know about applications of arithmetic

sequences and series?
If a quantity is changing repeatedly by having a fixed amount added to or subtracted
from it then the use of arithmetic sequences and arithmetic series is appropriate to
model the situation
If a sequence seems to fit the pattern of an arithmetic sequence it can be said to be
modelled by an arithmetic sequence
The scenario can be modelled using the given information and the formulae from
the formula booklet
A common application of arithmetic sequences and series is simple interest
Simple interest is when an initial investment is made and then a percentage of the
initial investment is added to this amount on a regular basis (usually per year)
Arithmetic sequences can be used to make estimations about how something will
change in the future

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Exam questions won't always tell you to use sequences and series methods,
practice spotting them by looking for clues in the question
If a given amount is repeated periodically then it is likely the question is on
arithmetic sequences or series

Worked Example
Jasper is saving for a new car. He puts USD $100 into his savings account and then
each month he puts in USD $10 more than the month before. Jasper needs USD $1200
for the car. Assuming no interest is added, find,
i) the amount Jasper has saved after four months,

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 Your notes

ii) the month in which Jasper reaches his goal of USD $1200.

Applications of Geometric Sequences & Series

What do I need to know about applications of geometric
sequences and series?

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If a quantity is changing repeatedly by a fixed percentage, or by being multiplied
repeatedly by a fixed amount, then the use of geometric sequences and geometric
series is appropriate to model the situation Your notes
If a sequence seems to fit the pattern of a geometric sequence it can be said to be
modelled by a geometric sequence
The scenario can be modelled using the given information and the formulae from
the formula booklet
A common application of geometric sequences and series is compound interest
Compound interest is when an initial investment is made and then interest is paid on
the initial amount and on the interest already earned on a regular basis (usually
every year)
Geometric sequences can be used to make estimations about how something will
change in the future
The questions won’t always tell you to use sequences and series methods, so be
prepared to spot ‘hidden’ sequences and series questions
Look out for questions on savings accounts, salaries, sales commissions, profits,
population growth and decay, spread of bacteria etc

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Exam questions won't always tell you to use sequences and series methods,
practice spotting them by looking for clues in the question
If a given amount is changing by a percentage or multiple then it is likely the
question is on geometric sequences or series

Worked Example
A new virus is circulating on a remote island. On day one there were 10 people
infected, with the number of new infections increasing at a rate of 40% per day.
a) Find the expected number of people newly infected on the 7th day.

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 Your notes

b) Find the expected number of infected people after one week (7 days), assuming no
one has recovered yet.

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