Geometric Sequences

Acitvity 1: DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Find the ratio of the 2nd number to the 1st number.

1) 2 and 8
2) -3 and 9
3) 1 and 1/2
4) -5 and -10
5) 12 and 4
6) -49 and 7
7) 1/4 and 1/2
8) a2 and a3
9) k-1 and k-2
10) 3m and 3mr
 DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Find the ratio of the 2nd number to the 1st number.

1) 2 and 8 answer: 4
2) -3 and 9 answer: -3
3) 1 and 1/2 answer: 1/2
4) -5 and -10 answer: 2
5) 12 and 4 answer: 1/3
6) -49 and 7 answer: 1/7
7) 1/4 and 1/2 answer: 2
8) a2 and a3 answer: a
9) k-1 and k-2 answer: k/k-1
10) 3m and 3mr answer: r
 What is Geometric Sequence?
The sequence 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 is
called a geometric sequence.
A geometric sequence is a sequence
where each term after the first is
obtained by multiplying the preceding
term by a nonzero constant called the
common ratio.
 The next activity will test whether

you can identify geometric

 What is common ratio?
The common ratio, r, can be determined
by dividing any term in the sequence by
the term that precedes it. Thus, in the
geometric sequence 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, ...,
the common ratio is 1/2 since 16/32 =
1/2
 What is a Geometric Sequence?
 In a geometric sequence, the ratio
between consecutive terms is
constant. This ratio is called the
common ratio.
 Unlike in an arithmetic sequence, the
difference between consecutive
terms varies.
 We look for multiplication to
identify geometric sequences.
Activity 2: I’ll tell you what you are
State whether each of the following
sequence is geometric or not.
1) 5, 20, 80, 320, ...
2) 5, -10, 20, -40, ...
3) 1, 0.6, 0.36, 0.216...
4) 10/3, 10/6, 10/9, 10/15,...
5) 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, ...
Activity 2: I’ll tell you what you are
State whether each of the following
sequence is geometric or not.
1) 5, 20, 80, 320, ... ans. yes
2) 5, -10, 20, -40, ... ans. yes
3) 1, 0.6, 0.36, 0.216... ans. yes
4) 10/3, 10/6, 10/9, 10/15,... NO
5) 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, ... ans. NO
 Activity 3: Missing You
Find the missing terms in each
geometric sequence.

1) 3, 12, 48, __, __

2) __, __, 32, 64, __, ...
3) 120, __, 30, __, __, ___, ...
4) 5, __, 20, 40, __, __, ...
5) __, 4, 12, 36, __, __, ...
 Activity 3: Missing You
Find the missing terms in each
geometric sequence.

1) 3, 12, 48, 192, 768

2) 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, ...
3) 120, 60, 30, 15, 15/2, 15/4, ...
4) 5,10, 20, 40, 80, 160, ...
5) 4/3, 4, 12, 36, 108, 324, ...
 Determine if the sequence is geometric. If
so, identify the common ratio
 1,
-6, 36, -216
yes. Common ratio=-6

 2,4, 6, 8
no. No common ratio
The rule of a Geometric Sequence
What are the first 5 terms of geometric
sequence whose first term is 2 and whose
common ration is 3?
Term Other ways write the term
to In Exponencial
InFactored Form Form

a1 = 2 2 2 x 30
a2 = 6 2x3 2 x 31
a3 = 18 2x3x3 2 x 32
a4 = 54 2x3x3x3 2 x 33
a5 = 162 2x3x3x3x3 2 x 34
an = ? an = (an – 1) r an = a1 x r n-1
a6 = 486 a6 = a5 x r a6 = 2 x 35
a6 = 162 x 3 a6 = 2 x 243
 Important Formulas for
Geometric Sequence:
 Recursive Formula  Explicit Formula
an = (an – 1 ) r an = a1 * r n-1

Where:
an is the nth term in the
sequence
a1 is the first term
n is the number of the term
r is the common ratio
 Activity 4: Write the recursive
formula for each sequence
First term: a1 = 7
Common ratio = 1/3

Recursive: an = an-1 * r an = an-1 * (1/3)

a1 = 7
Now find the first five
a2 = 7(1/3) = 7/3
terms:
a3 = 7/3(1/3) = 7/9
a4 = 7/9(1/3) = 7/27
a5 = 7/27(1/3) = 7/81
 Ex: Write the explicit formula for
each sequence
First term: a1 = 7
Common ratio = 1/3

Explicit: an = a1 * r n-1

a1 = 7(1/3) (1-1)
= 7
Now find the first five
a2 = 7(1/3) (2-1)
= 7/3
terms:
a3 = 7(1/3) (3-1)
= 7/9
a4 = 7(1/3) (4-1)
= 7/27
a5 = 7(1/3) (5-1)
= 7/81
 Recursive Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 5th and 6th term in the
sequence of 11,33,99,297 . . .

an = an-1 * r Start with the recursive sequence

formula

Find the common ratio

Common ratio = 3 between the values.

a5 = 297 (3) = 891 Plug in known values

a6 = 891(3) = 2673 Simplify

 Explicit Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 19th term in the sequence of
11,33,99,297 . . .

an = a1 * r n-1 Start with the explicit sequence formula

Find the common ratio

Common ratio = 3 between the values.

a19 = 11 (3) (19-1) Plug in known values

a19 = 11(3)18 =4,261,625,379 Simplify

 Let’s try one
Find the 10th term in the sequence of
1, -6, 36, -216 . . .

an = a1 * r n-1 Start with the explicit sequence formula

Find the common ratio

Common ratio = -6 between the values.

a10 = 1 (-6) (10-1) Plug in known values

a10 = 1(-6)9 = -10,077,696 Simplify

 Activity 5:
Recursive Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 5th and 6th term in the
sequence of -2, -4, -8, -16 . . .

an = an-1 * r Start with the recursive sequence

formula

Find the common ratio

Common ratio = 2 between the values.

a5 = -16 (2) = -32 Plug in known values

a6 = -32(2) = -64 Simplify

 Recursive Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 5th, 6th and 7th term in the
sequence of 256,-128, 64,-32 . . .

an = an-1 * r Start with the recursive sequence

formula

Find the common ratio

Common ratio = -1/2 between the values.

a5 = -32(-1/2) = 16 Plug in known values

a6 = 16(-1/2) = -8
Simplify
a7 = -8(-1/2) = 4
 Recursive Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 4th, 5th and 6th term in the
sequence of 5x2, 5x4, 5x6 . ..

an = an-1 * r Start with the recursive sequence

formula

Find the common ratio

Common ratio = x2 between the values.

a4 = 5x6 (x2) = 5x8 Plug in known values

a5 = 15x8 (x2) = 5x10

Simplify
a6 = 15x10 (x2) = 5x12
 Explicit Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 4th, term of the sequence if
a1 =81 and r = 1/3
an = a1 * rn-1
Start with the rexlpicit sequence
formula
a4 = a 1 * r 3

a4 = 81*(1/3)3 Plug in known values

a4 = 81(1/27) = 81/27
Multiply and Simplify

a4 = 3
 Explicit Geometic Sequence Problem
Find the 4th, term of the sequence if
a1 =1/4 and r = 4
an = a1 * rn-1 Start with the explicit sequence formula

Plug the values

a4 = a 1 * r 3

Solve the operations

a4 = 1/4*(4)3
a4 = 1/4 (64)
Multiply and Simplify
a4 = 16