Sequences and Series

J. Muchinga

May 31, 2021

 Arithmetic Sequences
Denition: A sequence is a set of numbers in a
given order, e.g 21 , 14 , 18 , 161 , ...
Each number in a sequence is called a term of the
sequence. The terms of a sequence are denoted by an
or Tn . For example a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5 , ... where a1 is the
rst term, a2 the second term and so on.
Denition: An innite sequence is a function whose
domain is the set of positive integers and whose
range is a set of real numbers. For example
1. an = 21n
2. an = n
Denition: A series is the sum of the terms of a
sequence, e.g
1 1 1 1
+ + + + ···
2 4 8 16
The process of adding the terms
P is called summation
and is denoted by the symbol . For example
n=5
X
an = a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5
n=1
 Example
(a) Find the rst three terms of the sequence
1) . In any given sequence we have that
1
an = n(n+
n ∈ R. Thus,
1 1 1 1 1
a1 = , a2 = = and a3 = =
2 2(1 + 2) 6 3(3 + 1) 12
(b) Find the eighth terms of the sequence an = 2n
n2

28 28
n = 8 =⇒ a8 = = = 4.
82 26
Denition: An alternating sequence is one in which
the signs of the terms alternate between positive and
negative. For example
1
an = (−1)n+1 ·
n
here,
(−1)1+1
a1 = = 1,
1
(−1)2+1 1
a2 = =−
2 2
(−1) 3+1
1
a3 = = , ...
3 3
 Arithmetic Sequences
Denition: A sequence an is an arithmetic sequence
if
d = ak+1 − ak ,
for all positive integers k and d ∈ R. The number d
is the common dierence for the sequence. The
following are examples of arithmetic progressions;
1. 3, 8, 13, ..., 5n − 2.
2. 11, 7, 3, −1, ..., −4n + 15.
3. 1, 2, 3, 4, ..., n, ...
 The nth term of an AP .
Consider an arithmetic sequence in which the rst
term is a1 and the common dierence is d. Then,
a1 = a1
a2 = a1 + d
a3 = a2 + d = a1 + d + d = a1 + 2d
a4 = a3 + d = a1 + 2d + d = a1 + 3d

The nth term of an arithmetic sequence with common

dierence d is given by an = a1 + (n − 1)d.
 Example
(a) Find the 25th term of the arithmetic sequence
whose rst three term are −12, −6, 0.
(b) The 15th term of an arithmetic sequence is −3
and the rst term is 25. Find the 10th term.
(c) (i) What is the 15th term of the AP −5, −2, 1, ...
(ii) Which term is 28?
(d) Find the general term expression for
6, 2, −2, −6, ...
(e) Find the rst term of the arithmetic sequence
where the fourth term is 26 and the ninth term
is 61.
(f) The nth term of an AP is given by an = 2n + 9.
Find: The rst term and the common dierence.
 Solution
(a) The nth term of an AP is given by
an = a1 + (n − 1)d,

where a1 = −12, n = 25 and

d = −6 − (−12) = 6. Thus,

a15 = −12 + (14)(6) = 72.

(b) We have that a15 = −3 and a1 = 25. Then,

a15 = 25 + 14d = −3 =⇒ d = −2.

Therefore, a10 = 25 + (9)(−2) = 7.

 Solution

(d) We know that the nth term of an AP is given by

an = a1 + (n − 1)d,

where a1 = 6 and d = 2 − 6 = −4. Thus,

an = 6 + (n − 1)(4) = 10 − 4n.

Therefore, an = 10 − 4n.
 Arithmetic Series

Consider the arithmetic sequence given by

1, 3, 5, , ..., 2n − 1, ...
Adding successive terms of this sequence, we
generate a sequence of partial sums. The sum of the
rst n terms of an arithmetic sequence is called an
arithmetic series
 Cont...

S1 =1
S2 =1+3=4
S3 =1+3+5=9
S4 = 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 16
S5 = 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 = 25
.
.
.
Sn = 1 + 3 + · · · + (2n − 1) = n2
 The nth partial sum

The nth partial sum of an arithmetic sequence an is

n(a1 + an )
Sn =
2
Note: The alternative form of the nth partial sum of
an arithmetic sequence is
n
2a1 + (n − 1)d


Sn =
2
 Proof I

Consider, the series of the sequence {an }

Sn = a1 + a2 + a3 + · · · + an−2 + an−1 + an , · · · (i)

Sn = an + an−1 + an−2 + · · · + a3 + a2 + a1 , · · · (ii)
Now,(i) + (ii)
2Sn = (a1 + an ) + (a2 + an−1 ) + (a3 + an−2 )
+ · · · + (an−2 + a3 ) + (an−1 + a2 ) + (an + a1 )
 Proof II

Writing (a3 + an−2 ) and the other terms in terms of

(a1 + an )

2Sn = (a1 + an ) + (a1 + an ) + (a1 + an )

+ · · · + (a1 + an ) + (a1 + an ) + (an + a1 )
n(a1 + an ) n
= 2a1 + (n − 1)d


∴ Sn =
2 2
 Example

(a) Find the sum of the rst 100 terms of the

arithmetic sequence given by an = 2n − 1
(b) Find the sum of the rst 50 terms of the
arithmetic sequence whose rst three terms are
2, 134 , 92 , ...
(c) Find the sum of the rst 30 terms of the
arithmetic sequence 3, 7, 11, 15, ...
(d) Find the sum 50 i=1 (30i + 4)
P

(e) Find the sum of the rst 100 natural numbers.

 Solution
(a) The nth partial sum of an AP is given by:
n(a1 + an )
Sn =
2
With, an = 2n − 1
=⇒ a1 = 1 and a100 = 2(100) − 1 = 199
100(1 + 199)
∴ S100 = = 100 × 100 = 10, 000
2
(b) The nth partial sum is given by: Sn = n(a12+an )
Here, a1 = 3, d = 11 − 7 = 2 and a30 = 119
30(3 + 119)
∴ S30 = = 15 × 122 = 1830
2
 Cont...
(e) The sum of the rst n − terms of an arithmetic
series is given by
n(a1 + an )
Sn = .
2
Consider, the rst 100 natural numbers, we have
that a1 = 1 and a100 = 100. Thus,
100(1 + 100)
S1 00 = = 5050.
2
 Arithmetic Means
The arithmetic mean of two numbers a and b is a+b
2 .
The three a, 2 and b form an arithmetic sequence.
a+b

Example
1. Insert three arithmetic means between 3 and 13
2. Find the 9th , 24th and nth term of the arithmetic
sequence.
(a) a − 3, a + 1, a + 5
(b) log 7, log 14, log 28, ...
3. An exercise program calls 15 minutes each day
for a week. Each week thereafter, the amount of
the time spent walking increase by 5 minutes
per day. In how many weeks will a person be
walking 60 minutes each day?
 Solution
1. When we insert the three terms, we get a
sequence a = 3, c1 , c2 , c3 , b = 13. Thus,
a1 = 3, a5 = 13 and n = 5. Then using,
an = a1 + (n − 1)d we nd the common
dierence.
13 = 3 + 4d =⇒ 4d = 10 =⇒ d = 25 .

5 11
∴ c1 = a + d = 3 + =
2 2
c2 = a + 2d = 3 + 5 = 8
5 21
c3 = a + 3d = 3 + 3( ) =
2 2
 Cont...

2. (b) Considering the arithmetic sequence,

log 7, log 14, log 28, ... then
d = log 28 − log 14 = log 28 14 = log 2. Then,
from an = a1 + (n − 1)d, we have
an = log 7 + (n − 1) log 2
= log 7 + log 2(n−1) = log 7 × 2(n−1)

a9 = log 7 × 28 = log 1792

a24 = log(7 × 223 )
 Geometric Sequences and Series

A geometric sequence is characterized by a common

ratio between successive terms,
3, 6, 12, 24, ..., 3(2n−1 , ..)
is a geometric sequence. Note that,
6 12 24
= = =2
3 6 12
 Geometric Sequence
Denition: Let r be a non-zero constant real
number. A sequence is a geometric sequence if
ak+1
=r
ak
for all positive integers k. The number r is called the
common ratio.
The nth term of a Geometry Sequence.
Consider a geometric sequence in which the rst term
is a1 and the common ratio r .
Then,
a1 = a1
a2 = a1 r
a3 = a1 r 2
.
.
an = a1 r n−1

Therefore, the nth term of a geometric sequence with

rst term a1 and common ratio r is
an = a1 r n−1
 Example

1. Find the nth term of the geometric sequence

whose rst three terms are as follows:
8 16
(a) 4, 3 , 9 , ...
(b) 5, −10, 20, ...

2. Find the 6th and 10th term of the following

geometric sequence:
(a) 3, 6, 12, 24, ...
(b) 40, 10, −5, ...
 Solution

1. (a) Here the common ratio is

ak+1 a2 8 2
r= = = ÷4= ,
ak a1 3 3
the nth term on a Geometric Progression is given
by an = a1 r n−1 . Then,
 n−1
2
an = 4
3
 Cont...

1. (b) We begin by nding the common ratio

ak+1 a2 20
r= = = = −2,
ak a1 (−10)

the nth term on a Geometric Progression is given

by an = a1 r n−1 . Then,

n−1
an = 5 − 2
 Cont...
2. (a) We begin by nding the common ratio
ak+1 a4 24
r= = = = 2,
ak a3 12
the nth term on a Geometric Progression is given
by an = a1 r n−1 . Then,

6−1
a6 = 3 2 = 96

10−1
a10 = 3 2 = 1536
 Finite Geometric Series

The sum of the rst n terms of a geometric sequence

is a nite geometric series. Adding the terms of a
geometric sequence, we can dene the nth partial
sum of a geometric sequence in a manner similar to
that of an arithmetic sequence. Consider the
sequence of partial sums for the geometric sequence
1, 2, 4, 8, ..., 2n−1 , ...
 Cont...

S1 =1
S2 =1+2=3
S2 =1+2+4=7
S2 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15
.
.
Sn = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + · · · + 2n−1
 The nth partial sum

To nd a general formula for Sn , the nth term of the

sequence of partial sum of a geometric sequence, let
Sn = a1 + a2 r + a1 r 2 + · · · + a1 r n−1

Multiplying by the common ratio, r , we get:

rSn = a1 r + a1 r 2 + a1 r 3 + · · · + a1 r n
 Cont...

Subtracting (i) from (ii), we have

rSn − Sn = −a1 + a1 r n
Sn (r − 1) = a1 r n − a1
Sn (r − 1) = a1 (r n − 1)
a1 (r n − 1)
∴ Sn = , r 6= 1.
r −1
 Example

(a) Find the sum of the rst four terms of geometric

sequence 5, 15, 45, ..., 5(3)n−1 , ...
(b) Evaluate the nite geometric series
17
3
n−1
3
X

n=1
4
 Solution

The sum nof a geometric series is given by

Sn = a1(r(r−−1)1) , where a1 = 5, n = 4 and r = 45
15 = 3.

5(34 − 1) 5(80)
S4 = = = 200.
(3 − 1) (2)
 Innite Geometric Series

Consider the following two examples of a geometric

progression for which |r | < 1.
3 3 3 3 3 1
3, , , , , , ... =⇒ r =
4 16 64 256 1024 4
1 1 1 1 1 1
2, −1, , − , , − , , ... =⇒ r = −
2 4 8 16 32 2
Note: |r | 7−→ 0 as n 7−→ ∞.
n
 Sum of an Innite Geometry Series
If an is a geometric sequence with |r | < 1 and rst
term a1 , then the sum of the innite geometric series
is a1
S∞ =
1−r

Example
1. Evaluate the innite series ∞ 2 n−1
P
n=1 (− 3 )
2. Convert 0.6 to the form ba , b 6= 0 and a, b ∈ Z.
3. Write 0.345 as the ratio of two integers in
simplest form
 Solution
2. Consider, 0.6 = 0.6666... this can be expressed
as a sum, say,
0.6 = 0.6 + 0.06 + 0.006 + 0.0006 + 0.00006 + · · ·
6 6 6 6
= + + + + ···
10 100 1000 10000
which is an innite geometric series, since
6 = 0.06 = 0.006 = 10 . Thus,
r = 00..06 0.006 0.0006 1

6
a1 10 2
S∞ = = =
1 − r 1 − ( 101 ) 3