Examples on Sequence:

Question 1

Given 4, 8, 12, …….. Find the 20th term and the sum of the first 20 terms.
Solution :
1. Determine the types of the sequence given:
+4 +4
4, 8, 12, ………….. thus this is arithmetic sequence
Or T1 = 4, T2 = 8 and T3 = 12
If this is arithmetic sequence: d = T2 – T1 = T3 - T2
d = 8 – 4 = 12 – 8 = 4
2. List the information:
th
What you should know : a is the first term, d is the common difference and T n is the n
term where n is the number of terms.

What we have : a = 4, d = 4 and n = 20, we have to find T20 and S20

3. Choose the appropriate formula:

Tn = a + (n – 1) d and Sn = ) )
4. Substitute the information in the formula and calculate the answer:
T20 = 4 + (20 – 1) (4) = 4 + 19 (4) = 80
S20 = 20/2 (2 (4) + (20 -1 )(4)) = 10 (8 + 19(4)) = 840

Question 2
th
Given 2, 8, 32, …….. Find the 8 term and the sum of the first 8 terms.

Solution :
1. Determine the types of the sequence given:
x4 x4
2, 8 , 32, ………….. thus this is geometric sequence
Or T1 = 2, T2 = 8 and T3 = 32
If this is arithmetic sequence: d = T2 – T1 = T3 - T2
d = 8 – 2 is not the same as= 32 – 8 = 24
Thus it must be geometric sequence : r = T2/T1 = T3/T2 = 8/2 = 32/8 = 4
2. List the information:
What you should know : a is the first term, r is the common ratio and Tn is the nth
term where n is the number of terms.
What we have : a = 2, r = 4 and n = 8, we have to find T8 and S8
3. Choose the appropriate formula:
Tn = a rn-1 and Sn = [ ] , (r > 1).
4. Substitute the information in the formula and calculate the answer:
T8 = 2 (48-1) = 2 (47) = 32768
S8 = [ ] = 43690

REMEMBER FIRST STEP, YOU MUST KNOW THE TYPES OF SEQUENCE, SECOND MAKE SURE YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT FORMULA
BY REFERING THE QUESTION AND DON’T FORGET TO LIST THE INFORMATION.
QUESTION 3
Given 7, 10, 13, ……, 304. Find the number of terms.
Solution :
1. Determine the types of the sequence given:
+3 +3
7, 10, 13, ………304. thus this is arithmetic sequence
Or T1 = 7, T2 = 10 and T3 = 13

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 If this is arithmetic sequence: d = T2 – T1 = T3 - T2
d = 10 – 7 = 13 – 10 = 3
2. List the information:
What you should know : a is the first term, d is the common difference and Tn is the nth
term where n is the number of terms.
What we have : a = 7, d = 3 and Tn =304, we have to find n.
3. Choose the appropriate formula:
Tn = a + (n – 1) d (this formula is chosen because we have Tn and artihtmetic)
4. Substitute the information in the formula and calculate the answer:
304 = 7 + (n – 1) (3) (We have n as unknown variable that we have to find)
304 – 7 = 3n – 3
297 + 3 = 3n
300 = 3n
n = 300/3 = 100

Thus n = 100

QUESTION 4

Given 2, 5, 8, …… and the sum of the first n terms is 610 find the number of terms.
Solution :
1. Determine the types of the sequence given:
+3 +3
2, 5, 8, ………….. thus this is arithmetic sequence
Or T1 = 2, T2 = 5 and T3 = 8
If this is arithmetic sequence: d = T2 – T1 = T3 - T2
d=5–2 =8–5=3
2. List the information:
What you should know : a is the first term, d is the common difference and Sn is the nth
term where n is the number of terms.

What we have : a = 2, d = 3 and Sn = 610, we have to find n

3. Choose the appropriate formula:

Sn = ) )
4. Substitute the information in the formula and calculate the answer:

610 = n/2 [2 (2) + (n -1 )(3)]

610 x 2 = n [4 + 3n – 3]
1220 = n [ 1 + 3n]
1220 = n + 3n2
The result is quadratic equation, so we have to solve the equation
3n2 + n – 1220 = 0
(3n + 61) (n - 20) = 0 (you have to factorize the function or you can use the calculator)
2
{Steps to solve this equation 3n + n – 1220 = 0 using calculator
(1) Press mode 3 x until on the screen
EQN MAT VCT
1 2 3
(2) Press 1, for equation
On the screen you can see it is written
Unkonwns?
2 3
(3) Press to the right on the button COPY , REPLAY
On the screen it will appear
Degree?
2 3

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 (4) Press 2 (since it is quadratic function)
On the screen appear a?
(5) The value of a, b and c are the coefficients of the function
3n2 + n – 1220 = 0
a = 3, b = 1 and c = -1220
So Press 3 and press =
On the screen appear b?
(6) Press 1 and =
On the screen appear c?
(7) Press -1220 and =
Appear on the screen x1 = 20
(8) Press =
Appear on the screen x2 = -20.333333333
Thus the answer is x1 = 20 or n = 20.}
So we have (3n + 61) = 0 and (n – 20) = 0
3n = -61 n = 20
n = -61/3 and n = 20.
Thus n = 20, since n cannot be negative value n = -61/3 will not be accepted.

Question 5

a) Given the sum of the first 10th term and the fourth term of an arithmetic sequence are 285 and 21. Find the first
term and the common difference.

Solution:
n
arithmetic sequence, formula : Tn  a  ( n 1) d S n  [ 2 a  ( n 1 ) d ]
2
S10 = 285, T4 = 21
10
S10  [ 2a  (10 1) d ]  285 T4  a  (4 1 ) d  21
2 ,
5 ( 2a + 9d ) = 285 and a + 3 d = 21, solve a and d.
10a + 45 d = 285 and a = 21 – 3d (from second equation)
10(21 – 3d) + 45 d = 285
210 – 30 d + 45 d = 285
15 d = 285 – 210, 15 d = 75, d = 75/15 = 5
So a = 21 – 3(5) = 6.

b) Find the 7th term and the sum of the first 12th term of the geometric sequence 144, 72, 36, 18....

Solution:

a = 144, r = 72/144

a (1  r n )
T  a r n 1 , S n 
Formula : n 1 r

144 (1  (72 / 144)12 )

T7  144(72 / 144) 7 1  2.25 S12   287.93
, (1  72 / 144)

Question 6

Find the sum of all the terms in the sequence: 2 , - 1 , - 4 , …., -31.

Solution:

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1. Determine type of d = -1 – 2 = -3, or d = -4 – (-1) = -3, thus this is arithmetic sequence with d = -3.
sequence

2. List all the a = 2, d = -3, and Tn = -31

information

3. Choose appropriate Tn = a + (n – 1) d Sn = n/2 (2a + (n – 1) d) or use another formula Sn = n/2 (a + L)

formula
4. Substitute the
information in -31 = 2 + ( n – 1 ) x (-3)
formula and solve -31 – 2 = -3n + 3
the equation -33 – 3 = - 3 n
-36 = - 3n
n = -36/-3 = 12

Thus n = 12, so find the sum of first 12 terms.

S 12 = 12/2 ( 2 x 2 + (12 – 1) (-3))
= 6 ( 4 + (-33)) = -174

Question 7

Consider the following arithmetic sequence:

4y, 5y+3, 7y+1, ...,250

Find

a) the value of y,

b) the number of terms in the sequence.

1. Determine type of Arithmetic sequence (mention in question)

sequence

2. List all the a = 4y , T2 = 5y + 3, T3 = 7y + 1 and Tn = 250

information
3. Choose appropriate Tn = a + (n – 1) d Sn = n/2 (2a + (n – 1) d) or use another formula Sn = n/2 (a + L)
formula
4. Substitute the Find d, where d = 5y + 3 – 4y = y + 3 must equal to d = 7y + 1 – (5y + 3) = 2y -2
information in Thus d = y + 3 = d = 2y – 2
formula and solve y + 3 = 2y -2
the equation a) y=5

b) Tn = 250, a = 4y = 4 x 5 = 20, d = y + 3 = 5 + 3 = 8

Tn = a + (n – 1) d
250 = 20 + (n – 1 ) x 5
250 – 20 = 5n – 5
200 = 5n – 5
205 = 5n
n = 205/5 = 41

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