Finding the nth term of sequence
Linear Sequences
Method 1
Method 2
Quadratic
Sequences
Method 1
Method 2
Cubic Sequences
Introducing
sequences
In maths, we call a list of numbers in order a sequence.
Each number in a sequence is called a term.
4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, . . .
1st term
6th term
If terms are next to each other they are referred to as
consecutive terms.
When we write out sequences, consecutive terms are
usually separated by commas.
Infinite and finite sequences
A sequence can be infinite. That means it continues forever.
For example, the sequence of multiples of 10,
10, 20 ,30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 . . .
is infinite. We show this by adding three dots at the end.
If a sequence has a fixed number of terms it is called a
finite sequence.
For example, the sequence of two-digit square numbers
16, 25 ,36, 49, 64, 81
is finite.
Sequences and rules
Some sequences follow a simple rule that is easy to describe.
For example, this sequence
2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29,
continues by adding 3 each time. Each number in this
sequence is one less than a multiple of three.
Other sequences are completely random.
For example, the sequence of winning raffle tickets in a
prize draw.
In maths we are mainly concerned with sequences of
numbers that follow a rule.
Naming sequences
Here are the names of some sequences which you may
know already:
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, . . .
Even Numbers (or multiples of 2)
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, . . .
Odd numbers
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, . . .
Multiples of 3
5, 10, 15, 20, 25 . . .
Multiples of 5
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, . . .
Square numbers
1, 3, 6, 10,15, . . .
Triangular numbers
Ascending sequences
When each term in a sequence is bigger than the one
before the sequence is called an ascending sequence.
For example,
The terms in this ascending sequence increase in equal
steps by adding 5 each time.
2,
7,
12, 17, 22, 27, 32, 37, . . .
+5
+5
+5
+5
+5
+5
+5
The terms in this ascending sequence increase in unequal
steps by starting at 0.1 and doubling each time.
0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2, 6.4, 12.8, . . .
2
Descending sequences
When each term in a sequence is smaller than the one
before the sequence is called a descending sequence.
For example,
The terms in this descending sequence decrease in equal
steps by starting at 24 and subtracting 7 each time.
24, 17, 10,
3, 4, 11, 18, 25, . . .
7
The terms in this descending sequence decrease in unequal
steps by starting at 100 and subtracting 1, 2, 3,
100, 99, 97, 94, 90, 85, 79, 72, . . .
1
Sequences from reallife
Number sequences are all
around us.
Some sequences, like the ones
we have looked at today follow
a simple rule.
Some sequences follow more
complex rules, for example, the
time the sun sets each day.
Some sequences are completely random, like the sequence of
numbers drawn in the lottery.
What other number sequences can be made from real-life
situations?
nth term of linear sequences
n
an
an + b
a
1 2
12
16
20
3 7 11 15
4
a=4
19
b = -1
th
n
nth
term
term is
is an
4n +
- 1b
HOME
nth term of linear sequences
n
an
an + b
a
1 2
14
21
28
35
1 8 15 22 29
7
a=7
b = -6
th
n
nth
term
term is
is an
7n +
- 6b
HOME
nth term of linear sequences
nth term : an + b
1
9
8
17 ..a + b
b
2a + b
a
a=
8
3a +
a
a+b=
1
8+b=
1
b=
-7
nth term => 8n - 7
HOME
Objective
Finding the nth term of a
quadratic sequence
n -n+2
2
4
2
14
4
2
6
2
22
8
2n - 2n - 3
2
-3
1
4
9
8
21
12
37
16
an + bn + c
2
a+b+c
4a+2b+c
9a+3b+c
5a + b
3a + b
2a
Copy this down and learn it
an + bn + c
2
4
1
11
7
13
6
6
a+b+c
24
4a+2b+c
3a + b
9a+3b+c
5a + b
2a
an + bn + c
2
6 = 2a
1
6
1 = 3a + b
a+b+c
3 = a + b + c
3a + b
2a
b
2
3a n -+ 8 n + c8
2
a = 3
6 = 2a
b = -8
1 = 3a + b
c = 8
3 = a + b + c
nd the nth terms of these sequence
3
15
23
10
22
38
58
-1
10
20
33
50
40
31
23
16
an + bn + c
2
a+b+c
4a+2b+c
9a+3b+c
5a + b
3a + b
2a
A cubic sequence is given by
3
an + bn + cn + d
Can you find the algebraic
difference table for it?
an + bn + cn + d
a+b+c+d
8a+4b+2c+d
7a+3b+c
27a+9b+3c+d
19a+5b+c
64a+16b+4c+d
37a+7b+c
12a+2b 18a+2b
an + bn + cn + d
a+b+c+d
8a+4b+2c+d
7a+3b+c
27a+9b+3c+d
19a+5b+c
12a+2b
64a+16b+4c+d
37a+7b+c
18a+2b
6a
Copy this down and learn it
an + bn + cn + d
1
-1
-2
5
6
20
6
8a+4b+2c+d
27a+9b+3c+d
65
40
20
14
8
a+b+c+d
25
6
64a+16b+4c+d
125a+25b+5c+d
7a+3b+c 19a+5b+c 37a+7b+c 61a+9b+c
12a+2b
18a+2b
24a+2b
6a
6a
an + bn + cn + d
6 = 6a
1
-2
8
6
a+b+c+d
8 = 12a + 2b
-2 = 7a + 3b + c
1 = a + b + c + d
7a+3b+c
12a+2b
6a
2
5
b n -+ 3c n + d
a n +- 2
3
a = 1
6 = 6a
b = -2
8 = 12a + 2b
c = -3
-2 = 7a + 3b + c
d = 5
1 = a + b + c + d
nd the nth terms of these sequence
-11
-13
61
161
9
-7
5
-3
-19
9
-81
35
-199
81
17
-3
17
81
207
32
37
24
-19
-104
