Topics : G8 CBWB Unit 21 Sequences Class : _________________

Name : ______________________________________ Date : _________________

Part 1: Term to term rule and finding the term

1. Term-to-term rule: A rule which describes how to get from one term to the next sequence.

Coursebook Exercise 21.1

1. In each of the following sequences, let the first term (t1) be 3.

Generate the first five terms using the term-to-term rule in each case.

a. Double the previous term and add 1 b. Treble the previous term and subtract 4

T1: T1:
T2: T2:
T3: T3:
T4: T4:
T5: T5:
3,7,15,31,63 3,5,11,29,83
c. Square the previous term and subtract 5 d. Cube the previous term and subtract 24

T1: T1:
T2: T2:
T3: T3:
T4: T4:
T5: T5:
3,4,11,116,13 451 3,3,3,3,3
e Double. the previous term and divide by 3

T1:
T2:
T3:
T4:
T5:
3,2, 4/3, 8/9, 16/27

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2. In each of the following, a term in a sequence of numbers is given, as is the term-to-term rule. Work
out the missing terms.
(a) The term-to-term rule is double the previous (b) The term-to-term rule is treble the previous
term and subtract 3. term and add 2.

7/2, 4, 5,7,11 -(2/3), 0,2,8,26

(c) The term-to-term rule is square the previous (d) The term-to-term rule is subtracted 8 from the
term. previous term and then square.

±√2, 2,4,16,256 10 0r 6, 4,16,64,3136

3. Below is a sequence of five numbers. Some of the terms are missing.

The term-to-term rule is double the previous term and subtract 2.

(a) Calculate:
(i) the value of a.
-1

(ii) the five terms of the sequence.

3,4,6,10,18

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4. Below is a different sequence of four numbers.

The term-to-term rule is treble the previous term and subtract 5.

(a) Calculate:
(i) the values of a and b.

a=4; b= -(8/9)

(ii) the four terms of the sequence.

(109/27), (64/9), (49/3), 44

Coursebook 21.3

5. The rules for the nth term of some sequences are given below.
Write down the first four terms of the sequence

T1:
T1:

T2:
T2:

T3:
T3:

T4:
T4:
1 1 3
7,10,15,22 24, 22, 24, 3

T1:
T1:
T2:
T2:
T3:
T3:
T4:
T4:
5 11
− 2, -4, 2
,-7
-7, -4, 1,8

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Part 2: Finding the nth term

Linear sequence Non-linear sequence

(quadratic equation)
Example

Reason 1st difference constant 2nd difference constant

Formula:
nth
term a= first term
d= differences

Part 2.1 Linear Sequence

Coursebook 21.2 & 21.3

1. Decide whether it is linear, quadratic or neither

(a) -3, 3, 13, 27 (c) -3, 4, 23, 60, 121

(b) 14, 20, 26, 32 (d) 4, 1, -4, -11, -20

(Q,L,N,Q)
2. Based on the table below.

(a) Calculate the term-to-term rule.

+2

(b) Write the rule for the nth term.

2n+1

(c) Calculate the 100th term.

201

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 3. Based on the table below.

(a) Calculate the term-to-term rule.

+3
(b) Write the rule for the nth term.
3n-1

(c) Calculate the 100th term.

299

Workbook Ex 21.1- 21.2

1. Below is a sequence of five numbers. The first term is given as a.

The term-to-term rule is double the previous term and add 5.

(a) Calculate an expression for the third term.

4a+15

2. Based on the table,

(a) Find the nth term rule. (b) Calculate the 50th term.

2n+2 102

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3. Based on the table,

(a) Find the nth term rule. (b) Calculate the 20th term.

n+9 29

4. Based on the table,

(a) Find the nth term rule. (b) Calculate the 100th term.

-3n+11 -289

Part 2.2 Non-Linear Sequence

Coursebook 21.2 & 21.3

1. Deduce the rule for the nth term.

(a) 4, 7, 12, 19, 28 (b) -1, 2, 7, 14, 23

n2+3 n2-2
(c) 7, 10, 15, 22, 31 (d) -1, -4, -9, -16, -25

n2+6 -n2

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2. The patterns of blue and white squares below form a sequence.

(a) Write down the rule for the nth

term of the number of blue
squares in the sequence.
n2-1

(b) Write down the numbers of blue squares in the 14th pattern.
195

3. A sequence of shapes is constructed using small cubes.

(a) Find the general rule for the nth term of the
number of cubes in each shape of the
sequence.
n2+1

(b) How many cubes will be needed to construct the 10th shape in the sequence?

101
(c) Can shape 25 be constructed using 620 small cubes? Justify your answer.

No, (626)

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Revision Set
1. Write down the first five terms of the sequence whose nth term is 2n + 7.

2. Look at the sequence: 5, 8, 13, 20, ...

Decide which of the following is the correct expression for the nth term of the sequence.

Choice 3

3. Find a formula for the nth term of the sequence

Ans:

4. Here is a sequence of shapes made from sticks

The number of sticks makes the sequence 4, 7, 10, 13, ...

(a) Find an expression for the nth term in the sequence.
3n+1
(b) How many sticks are there in shape number 1000?
3001