tarter

What are the next two pictures in the sequence?

It’s the numbers

1, 2, 3, … but
reflected. Sneaky!
 Learn
Sequences
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Generate terms of a sequence from either a term-to-term or a position-to-term

rule

To recognise arithmetic sequences and find the nth term

To recognise quadratic sequences

Key Words: Sequences

Term to term, position to term,

arithmetic sequence, linear quadratic
 sequence is simply an ordered list of items (possibly infinitely long), usually with
ome kind of pattern.
nd the next two terms of the sequences:

6 , 13 , 20 ,27  
34, 41 3, 6,
15,9,
18 12,

1
4 , 2-½,  -2 ,1 5, 9,21,13,
25 17,
2

4 ,6 , 9 ,13  
18. 24 1, 4,
25,9,
36 16,

243 , 27 , 9 , 3 ,3
(Only 1 term needed. (Nicked off 2015’s ‘Child Genius’ on Channel
4

 
Divide one term by the next to get the one after that). 17, 11, 5, -1
-7, -13
erm to Term Rule to Generate a Sequence

A linear sequence (or ‘arithmetic sequence’) is one where the difference between terms is constant.

For example:
3, 5, 7, 9, 11… add 2 each time to the previous term (term to term rule)

You can also refer to terms by their

The numbers in a sequence position in the sequence (eg 7 is the 3rd
are known as the terms term)

Could you easily work out Could you easily say if, for
the 100th term in this example, 71 was a term in
sequence? the sequence?
What might be the disadvantage of using a term-to-term rule?
By obtaining an algebraic rule for an arithmetic sequence
To get a particular term in the sequence, we have to generate all the
we can answer
terms thesebefore
in the sequence questions
it. This iseasily!
rather slow if you say want to
(Position to 1000
know the termth
rule)
term!
enerate the first 5 terms of a sequence using the term
term rule

he first term of a sequence is 1.

1, 4, 7, 10, 1
3 to each term to get the next.
Arithmetic Sequenc

he first term of a sequence is 3.

3, 6, 12, 24, 4
o each term to get the next.
Geometric Sequenc
Finding any term in an Arithmetic Sequence

What is the 100th term in this sequence?

7, 12, 17, 22, 27 … Lets look at the pattern.
5
The first term is 7 The difference number is 5

Here is a pattern: Conclusion:

Term -1
Subtract 1 from the
The 2nd term is 7 + (1 ✕ 5) = 12 ‘position’ number
you are looking for,
The 3rd term is 7 + (2 ✕ 5) = 17 multiply this by the
The 4th term is 7 + (3 ✕ 5) = 22 ‘difference’ number
The 5th term is 7 + (4 ✕ 5) = 27 and add this to the
first term.
The 100th term is 7 + (99 ✕ 5) = 502
inding any term in an Arithmetic Sequence
Applying the rule and going straight to the answer:
what is the 100th term in this sequence?
9, 11, 13, 15, 17 …

The first term is 9 The difference number is 2

The 100th term is: 9 + (99 ✕ 2) = 207

100 -1
nd the 100 th term for the following sequences

, 7, 11, 15, 19 … The 100 th term is 3 + (99 ✕ 4) = 39

, 7, 12, 17, 22 … The 100 th term is 2 + (99 ✕ 5) = 49

, 6, 8, 10, 12 … The 100 th term is 4 + (99 ✕ 2) = 20

, 11, 14, 17, 20 … The 100 th term is 8 + (99 ✕ 3) = 30

2, 15, 18, 21, 24 … The 100 th term is 12 + (99 ✕ 3) = 30

, 13, 21, 29, 37 … The 100 th term is 5 + (99 ✕ 8) = 79

enerating a sequence Position to term rule

An nth term rule gives the term in the nth position

(the most examined questions in the sequences topic)

A sequence has an nth term rule

Write down the first five terms in the sequence

8 13 18 23 28

5(1)+3=8

To find the first five terms, substitute n = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 into the nth term rule
Using nth term rules
An nth term rule gives the term in the nth position

A sequence has an nth term rule

Write down the 3rd and 10th terms in the sequence

3rd term

10th term

An nth term rule can find any

term in the sequence directly
opy and Complete

nd the first 7 terms of the following

2, 5, 8, 11, 1
equence: 3n -1

sing the nth term rule 4n+2 find the 10 th 10 th term = 4(10)+2=4
erm and the 100 th term of the sequence. 100 th term = 4(100)+2=40
 recognise arithmetic sequences and find the nth term
Method 1: Zero Term)
It is easy to find the nth term rule of an arithmetic sequence:
0th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Term
Eg 3 7 11 15 19 23

nth term =

Eg -5 2 9 16 23 30

nth term =
o recognise arithmetic sequences and find the nth term
Method 2: Substitution)
1)Find the constant difference.

Ter 3 5 7 9 11
mDifference +2 +2 +2 +2

The difference between the consecutive

numbers is +2, so the nth term is the
form of 2n+b
o recognise arithmetic sequences and find the nth term
Method part 2

The difference between the consecutive numbers is

+2, so the nth term is the form of 2n+b

2) Use the first term in the sequence to find the value

of b.
(2x1)+b=3
2+b=3
b=1
3) Use other terms to check your answer.

n=2 (2x2)+1= 5 n=3 (2x3)+1 = 7

 Testing whether a given term is in a sequence
Example: The first five terms of an arithmetic sequence are 3, 11, 19, 27, 35

) Find, in terms of n, an expression for the nth term of the sequence

h term: 8n-5

) George says 155 is a term in the arithmetic sequence, Is George correct? You
ust justify your answer.
8n-5=155
=160
=20 So George is right, the 20th term is 155

) Brian claims that 309 is also a term in the sequence. Is he right?

8n-5=309
=314
314/8
39.25 The 39th term is less than 309 and the 40th term is bigger than 309
 Copy and complete:
The first five terms of an arithmetic sequence are 7, 13, 19, 25, 31

a) Find, in terms of n, an expression for the nth term of the sequence

6n + 1

b) Barry says that 299 is a term in the sequence. Is Barry correct? You must justify your answer

6n+1=299

6n= 298

n = 49.6 so Barry is wrong

2) The nth term of an arithmetic sequence is 3n+7.

nd the position of the first term greater than 82

3n+7=82

n = 25 So the 26 t h term is the first term bigger than 82.

o recognise quadratic sequences
Quadratic
Sequences -1 5 15 29 47
How to recognise a Quadratic Sequence
Because the second Extension task how
difference is the
same, we call the to find the nth term
sequence quadratic,
and we know the
6 10 14 18 of a quadratic
sequence
equation will have n2
in it
4÷2=2
Sequence
4 4 4 has 2n2

term -1 5 15 29
2n2 2 8 18 32
subtract -3 -3 -3 -3

Sequence is 2n2-3
Recognise quadratic equations
Quadratic
Sequences 5 14 29 50 77

9 15 21 27
6÷2=3
Sequence
6 6 6 has 3n2

term 5 14 29 50
3n2 3 12 27 48
subtract 2 2 2 2

Sequence is 3n2+2
xt: Recognise quadratic Sequences
Quadratic
Sequences 4 13 26 43 64

9 13 17 21
4÷2=2
Sequence has 2n2
4 4 4
term 4 13 26 43
2n2 2 8 18 32
subtract 2 5 8 11

This sequence is 3n - 1

This overall sequence is 2n2 + 3n -1

re these Quadratic Sequences? If so have ago at
nding the nth term.

Ye
Nth term =

, 50, 75, 87.5, 93.75 No. not a quadratic sequenc

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Generate terms of a sequence from either a term-to-term or a position-to-term

rule

To recognise arithmetic sequences and find the nth term

To recognise quadratic sequences

Sequences

Term to term, position to term,

arithmetic sequence, linear quadratic
 LESSON COMPLETE!
SEE YOU NEXT LESSON