Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 153 views

    Series and Sequence

    Uploaded by

    suhasnambiar
    An arithmetic sequence is one where the numbers go up (or down) by adding (or subtracting) by the same number each time, known as the common difference. A geometric sequence is where the numbers multiply by the same amount each time. For each type of series you must be able to calculate the next term and find the sum of terms.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Series and Sequence

    Uploaded by

    suhasnambiar
    153 views3 pages
    An arithmetic sequence is one where the numbers go up (or down) by adding (or subtracting) by the same number each time, known as the common difference. A geometric sequence is where the numbers multiply by the same amount each time. For each type of series you must be able to calculate the next term and find the sum of terms.

    Original Description:

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    An arithmetic sequence is one where the numbers go up (or down) by adding (or subtracting) by the same number each time, known as the common difference. A geometric sequence is where the numbers multiply by the same amount each time. For each type of series you must be able to calculate the next term and find the sum of terms.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    153 views3 pages

    Series and Sequence

    Uploaded by

    suhasnambiar
    An arithmetic sequence is one where the numbers go up (or down) by adding (or subtracting) by the same number each time, known as the common difference. A geometric sequence is where the numbers multiply by the same amount each time. For each type of series you must be able to calculate the next term and find the sum of terms.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    Sequences and series IB SL Revision

    Sequences and series


    At IB level you need to know about two types of series: arithmetic sequence and
    geometric progression. For each one you must be able to calculate the next term
    and find the sum of terms.

    What is the difference between the two?


    An arithmetic sequence is one where the numbers go up (or down) by adding (or
    subtracting) by the same number each time, known as the common difference.
    A geometric sequence is one where the numbers go up (or down) by multiplying by
    the same number each time, known of the common ratio.

    Sequence Type
    6, 9, 12, 15, 18, …… Arithmetic
    1, 3, 9, 27, 81, …… Geometric
    25, 20, 15, 10, 5, Arithmetic
    ……
    1 1 1 1 1 Geometric
    , , , , , ……
    2 4 8 16 32

    The first problem with these questions is to establish if we have an AP or a GP.


    Listing out the terms given should help you with this.

    Using the formula sheet

    The notation
    un = the next term of a sequence
    Sn = the sum of a sequence
    a = the first number of a sequence
    d = the common difference for an arithmetic sequence
    l = the last term of a sequence
    r = the common ratio of a geometric sequence
    n = the number of terms

    The Summation sign

    © www.mathsbank.co.uk
    Sequences and series IB SL Revision

    The Greek capital letter  (sigma) is used to indicate the sum of a series.

    The sign is used with various numbers to find sum of sequences. Substitute
    numbers into the sequence to identify the first term and the common ratio or the
    common difference.

    This is shown below in the table.

    Sequence First 3 terms First term/Common Answer


    difference or ratio/n

    r=10
    AP:
     3r  1 2, 5, 8 U1=2 d=3 n=10 155
    r=1

    15
    r
    GP:
    1.05 1.05, 1.1025, U1=1.05 r=1.05 n=15 26.39
    r=1
    1.1576

    10
    r
    GP 500 x 8.487171 =
    500 1.10 1.1, 1.21, 1.331 U1=1.1 r=1.1 n=6 4243.59
    r=5

    The sum to infinity of a geometric series

    u1(1  r n )
    Taking the formula for the sum of a geometric series: Sn = .
    1 r

    If the common ratio is less between -1 and 1, e.g. a fraction then as n becomes
    large, so the sum of the series will tend towards one number.

    This is because if you take the bracket (1-rn), r is a fraction less than 1 and n is
    u1
    large so the bracket becomes (1 – 0), so the formula of a sum to infinity as: .
    1 r

    © www.mathsbank.co.uk
    Sequences and series IB SL Revision

    Guided example
    Devon has a savings scheme. He starts off by adding $10, the next month he
    adds $12, the following month $14 and so on.
    (a) Calculate how much Devon has adds on the 14th month.
    (b) Calculate how much Devon has saved after 2 years.

    Answer (a)
    • Firstly, establish if it is an AP or a GP by listing out the sequence:
    10, 12, 14, 16, 18, etc.
    • As the same number is being added on each time the sequence is an AP.
    • Find the numbers to go into the formula: a = 10, d = 2, n = 14 (as you are
    finding the 14th month).
    • Now put all these numbers into the formula un = 10 + (13 x 2).
    • The answer is $36.

    Answer (b)
    • We have already established that it is an AP, and we know all the letters’
    values.
    • Use the formula for the sum of a formula: Sn = 24/2 (2x10 + (23x2) ), the
    answer will be $792.

    Guided example
    A swimmer is training for a long distance race. She will start on the first day by
    swimming 50m, and each day increase the number of metres she swims by
    10% for the first 30 days.
    (a) Calculate how far the swimmer must swim on the 30th day.
    (b) Calculate how many metres the swimmer swum in 30 days.

    Answer (a)
    • Like the question above start by listing the sequence:
    50, 55, 60.5, 66.55, etc
    • As the sequence is being multiplied each time it is a GP.
    • Find the numbers to go into the formula: a = 50, r = 1.1, n = 30.
    • Put these numbers into the formula un = 50 x 1.130.
    • The answer is 872 metres.

    Answer (b)
    • We have already established that this is a GP, and we have the letters’
    values.
    • Use the formula for Sn = [ 50 x (1.130 – 1) ] ÷ [1.1 – 1], the answer is 8225
    metres.

    © www.mathsbank.co.uk

    You might also like