4.2 and 4.

6 Sequences
You need to be familiar with
o the terms
increasing sequence decreasing sequence periodic sequence
o using sequences and series in modelling.

In an increasing sequence, any term is greater than the term immediately preceding it. For example,
(a) 3, 5, 7, 9, … This is an arithmetic sequence. The common
difference (d) between consecutive terms is 2.
(b) 2, 6, 18, 54, …
This is a geometric sequence. The common ratio (r)
(c) 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, … between consecutive terms is 3: 2 × 3 = 6, 6 × 3 = 18, etc.
(d) un = 2n – 1 for all integer values of n > 0

Note: In (d), u1 = 2 × 1 – 1 = 1, u2 = 2 × 2 – 1 = 3, u3 = 2 × 3 – 1 = 5, etc.

The sequence 1, 3, 5, … is increasing.

In a decreasing sequence, any term is smaller than the term immediately preceding it. For example,
(a) 8, 5, 2, –1, –4, …
(b) 8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, …

(c) un = for all integer values of n > 0

Note: In (c), u1 = 1, u2 = , u3 = , etc. The sequence 1, , , … is decreasing.

If you work 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 0 hours on the seven days of every week, you get this periodic sequence:
6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 0, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 0, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 0, …
The order (or period) of this sequence is 7.

A sequence converges if it tends to (gets closer and closer to) a certain value and diverges if it does
not tend to a certain value. For example,
(a) 8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25, … tends to (or converges) to 0, as each term gets closer to 0

(b) 9, , , , … converges to 10
(c) 5, 8, 11, 14, … diverges as it does not tend to a certain value
The sequences in (b) and (c) are both increasing, but (b) converges and (c) diverges.
In questions that involve modelling with sequences you will usually need to use the formulae for
arithmetic and geometric sequences. In problem solving questions you will need to figure out which
sequence is the right one to use.
You need to know the difference between the words sequence and series,
3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 is a sequence with six terms.
The sum of these terms is called a series and can be found using the formula for arithmetic series.
The following formulae for series are in the booklet Mathematical Formulae and Statistical Tables,
which will be provided during the examination.

Arithmetic Series:

Geometric Series:
|r| < 1 is the same as –1 < r < 1

Note: is required for a geometric sequence to converge and you should

only use the formula for when the terms converge.

The booklet doesn’t tell you what the letters stand for, but if you have the formula it is not hard to
remember.
o For the arithmetic series
 Sn is the sum of the first n terms
 n is the number of terms
 a is the first term
 l is the last term
 d is the common difference (the difference between consecutive terms)

o For the geometric series

 Sn, a and n are as above
 r is the common ratio (the number you multiply a term by to find the next term)
 is the sum of an infinite series

For situations where the increase or decrease is by the same amount each time, you can use an
arithmetic sequence as a model. For example
o simple interest
o growth when the increase is constant
For models where the increase or decrease is the same proportion (or ratio) of the current amount each
time, you can use a geometric sequence as a model. For example
o compound interest
o population growth
o radioactive decay

In modelling questions you will usually be asked to comment on the model or its reliability.
Examples
Example 1 Fatou started a business selling artworks online and George started a business selling
second hand books online.
Fatou made a profit of £100 in the first month. He expects his profit to increase by 10%
in each following month, so the profit will be £133.10 in the fourth month.
George made a profit of £150 in the first month. He thinks his profit will increase by
£30 in each following month, so the profit will be £240 in the fourth month.
(a) Find an expression of the total profit made by Fatou in the first n months.
(b) Find an expression of the total profit made by George in the first n months.
(c) Compare and comment on both Fatou’s and George’s models for their long-term
total profits.

(a) Fatou’s profit each month forms a A 10% increase means that each
geometric sequence with month the profit is 1.1 times the
a = 100 and r = 1.1: profit in the previous month.
100, 100 × 1.1, 100 × 1.12, 100 × 1.13, …
Total profit in the first n months is
To find the total profit after n
months use the formula

(b) George’s profit each month forms an

arithmetic sequence with
a = 150 and d = 30: a is the first term and
150, 150 + 30, 150 + 2 × 30, … d is the common difference.
Total profit in the first n months is
To find the total profit after n
months use the formula

(c) To start with, Fatou’s total profit is lower First compare both models.
than George’s, but it increases more
quickly as it is exponential.
The models suggest that both George’s Then comment on the models.
and Fatou’s total profits will continue to You can usually comment on the
increase. This is not realistic for the long long-term behaviour of sequences.
term.

Note: In parts (a) and (b) you are not asked for a simplified expression, so you can just
give the first expression in each part.
Example 2 The value of a new house is £430 000. It is expected to increase in value by
12% each year.
(a) Find an expression for the value of the house after n years.
(b) Use logarithms to forecast when the value of the house exceeds £1 million.
(c) Comment on why this forecast may not be reliable.

(a) 430 000 × 1.12n This expression models the value of the

house. Each year the value is 1.12 times
the value in the previous year.

(b) 430 000 × 1.12n > 1 000 000

1.12n > 2.326
First divide both sides by 430 000 and
log(1.12n ) > log 2.326
then take logarithms.
n log(1.12 ) > log 2.326
n > log 2.326 ÷ log 1.12
so n > 7.45
n > 7.45 is not the final answer. You
After 7.45 years the value is more must give your answer in the context of
than £1 million. the question.

(c) You cannot be sure that the value

continues to increase every year.

Exercise
1. A sequence is given by un = 3 – tn, for a constant t. For what values of t is the sequence
increasing?

2. A sequence given by un = 7rn, for a constant r. For what values of r does the sequence converge?

3. Describe fully the sequence defined by .

4. The owners of a pancake stall on the sea front expect that the number of pancakes sold will
increase by the same amount every week from April onwards. In week 1 they sell 220 pancakes
and in week 2 they sell 260 pancakes. They make a profit of £1.00 for each pancake sold.
(a) Find the expected profit in week 12.
(b) After how many weeks will the total expected profit be £12 000?
(c) Give two reasons why this model may not be appropriate.

5. Graham invests £20 000 in a bank account which pays 1.8% compound interest annually for eight
years. Jo invests £20 000 in gold. She knows the gold prices in the eight years from 2008 to 2016
were £605, £673, £898, £985, £1020, £727, £773, £719 and £927 respectively.

Jo says, ‘My investment will be worth × 20 000 = £30 645 in eight years’ time.’
 Compare and comment on Graham’s and Jo’s investments.

6. A team of scientists find that there are 20 grams of salt per litre in the water of a lake.
They decide to check the amount once a year to see whether this changes.
These are their results for the first three years.
Initial After 1 After 2 After 3
measurement year years years
Amount of salt
20.0 26.0 29.0 30.5
(grams per litre)
Increase during this
Not known 6.0 3.0 1.5
year (grams per litre)

(a) Suggest why a geometric sequence could be a suitable model for this situation.
(b) According to the model, what is the eventual amount of salt, in grams per litre?
(c) Comment on the reliability of your answer.

7. The value of a new car is £43 000. It is expected to decrease in value by

18% each year.
(a) Find an expression for the value of the car after n years.
(b) Use logarithms to forecast when the value of the car is less than £10 000.
(c) Comment on why this forecast may not be reliable.

8. In an experiment, the amount of radioactive material in a box is measured once a minute.

The results are in the following table.

Time after
0 1 2 3 4
start (minutes)
Amount
20.0 16.2 12.7 10.2 8.2
(grams)

The amounts are to be modelled as a geometric sequence with first term 20.0
(a) Find an estimate for the common ratio.
(b) Estimate how much radioactive material will remain after 10 minutes, according
to the model.
(c) Comment on the reliability of your answer.
Answers
1. t < 0 (or t is negative) n is positive and –tn must add to 3.

2. |r|<1 (or –1 < r < 1) un = 7rn is a geometric sequence.

3. u1 = 2, u2 = 4, u3 = 2, u4 = 4, etc. so the sequence is periodic with order 2 (or period 2).

4 (a) 220 + 11 × 40 = 660, expected profit = £660 This is an arithmetic sequence.

(b)

n = –30 is impossible.
Total profit is £12 000 in week 20. Answer in context.

(c) Two from:

 The profit cannot continue to increase indefinitely.
 In poor weather sales will be lower.
 After the summer the sales will decrease as fewer people go to the seaside.

5. After eight years Graham’s investment will be worth 20 000 × 1.0188 = £23 068.12
Graham’s investment is worth less than Jo’s, but Jo assumes that the gold price will show a
similar pattern to the past, which may be incorrect. Other good comments are possible.

6. (a) 6, 3, 1.5 is a geometric series with common ratio 0.5.

(b)

20 + 12 = 32

The eventual amount of salt will be 32 grams/litre.

(c) There are only three numbers to suggest a geometric sequence, this may be coincidence, you
do not know anything about what may cause the increase in salt levels.

7. (a) 43 000 × 0.82n Using ‘log’ rather than ‘ln’

gives the same answer. It
(b) 43 000 × 0.82n  < 10 000, so ln 43 000 + n ln 0.82 < ln 10 000 doesn’t matter which you use.

0.82 is negative.
ln 
When you divide both sides of an
inequality by a negative number, you
must change the sign.
 After 7.35 years the car is worth less than £10 000.

(c) For example, ‘the sequence of values converges to £0, this is unlikely’

or ‘the percentage may get smaller after a few years’.

8. (a) 16.2 ÷ 20 = 0.81; 12.7 ÷ 16.2 = 0.784; 10.2 ÷ 12.7 = 0.803; 8.2 ÷ 10.2 = 0.804; so the
common ratio is approximately 0.8.

(b) 20 × 0.810 = 2.15 grams

(c) For example, ‘very reliable, as radioactive decay is constant’

or ‘not very reliable, because we do not know what happens when we have small amounts of

radioactive material left’.