13.

2 Extending Number Sequences

You will have studied some sequences in Unit 7. This section
takes these ideas
further and introduces some other types of sequences.
Example
The first 4 triangular numbers are represented by the diagrams
below:
! " #
$a% &raw the ne't ! triangular numbers.
$b% &escribe how to find the (th) *th and #th triangular numbers
without drawing the diagrams.
Solution
$a% +ote that an e'tra row of dots is added to each triangle and that the e'tra
row has one more dot than the previous row. The ne't ! triangular numbers
are shown below:
, - -(
$b% To e'tend the sequence of triangular numbers) look at the difference
between the terms:
! " # , - -(
- ! 4 , " 7
+ote that the difference between each term increases by as you move
along the sequence.
.o)
(th term / -( 0 (
/ !"
*th term / !" 0 *
/ 4,
#th term / 4, 0 #
/ ,,
Example
1rite down the ne't ! terms of the sequence:
!) 7) #) 7) -7) 44) 7) . . .
Solution
2ook at the differences between each term:
! 7 # 7 -7 44 7
4 ! 7 # 7 -7
MEP Y7 Practice Boo B
The first difference is not very helpful) but then note how the sequence of
differences is the same as the original sequence.
3or e'ample) # 0 7 / 7
To find the ne't , terms:
(th term /
/
*th term /
/
#th term /
/
4n this type of sequence) called a Fibonacci sequence) each term is the sum of the
two previous terms. 3or e'ample) this sequence begins:
!) 7) # where ! 0 7 / #
and the ne't term is # 0 7 / 7.
Triangular Numbers ) !) ") #) ,) -) -() . . .
Square Numbers ) 4) *) ") -,) !") 4*) . . .
Cubic Numbers ) () -7) "4) -,) . . .
Fibonacci Sequence ) ) -) !) ,) () !) . . .
(formed by adding the two previous terms to get the next one)
Exercises
. 1rite down the ne't 4 terms of each of these sequences:
$a% 4) 7) #) !) ") *) . . .
$b% ,) ) 7) -!) -*) !,) . . .
$c% ") () ) ,) -#) -") . . .
$d% () #) 4) -#) -() !() . . .
$e% -4) -!) -) () 4) *) . . .
$f% -) -) -) -*) !") 4-) . . .
$g% ) ) -) 4) 7) ) . . .
!
7 0 44
,
, 0 7
("
(" 0
,
!#
13.2
MEP Y7 Practice Boo B
-. The diagram shows the first 4 square numbers:
4 * "
$a% &raw the ne't - square numbers) and write their actual value
underneath.
$b% 1hat is the #th square number5
$c% 1hat is the -#th square number5
$d% 3ind the differences between each of the first " square numbers in
turn.
1hat would be the difference between the "th and 7th square
numbers5 6heck that your answer is correct by drawing the 7th square
number.
!. $a% 1rite down the ne't ! terms in each of these sequences:
$i% #) !) () ,) -4) . . . $ii% -) ,) #) 7) -") . . .
$iii% ) 4) *) -") !,) . . . $iv% ") *) 4) -) !#) . . .
$b% 4n each case above) e'plain how the sequence is related to the
sequence of square numbers ) 4) *) ") -,) . . . ) . . .
4. 3or each sequence below) draw the ne't two diagrams and write down the
number of dots in each of the first # diagrams:
$a%
$b%
7
MEP Y7 Practice Boo B
$c%
3or each sequence below) draw the ne't ! diagrams and write down the
number represented by each of the first ( diagrams:
$a%
$b%
$c%
1hat number is represented by the #th diagram in each of the sequences
illustrated in the following diagrams:
$a%
$b%
"
13.2
,.
".
MEP Y7 Practice Boo B
$c%
7. The 3ibonacci sequence begins:
) ) -) !) ,) (
6alculate the #th and -#th terms in this sequence.
(. 1rite down the ne't , terms in each of these sequences:
$a% -) -) 4) ") #) . . .
$b% ) !) 4) 7) ) . . .
$c% -) ,) 7) -) *) . . .
$d% ) *) #) *) -*) . . .
*. 1rite down the missing terms in each sequence:
$a% ) ) ,) *) 4) -!) !7) ) ) . . .
$b% ) ) ) ) -#) !!) ,!) (") !*) . . .
$c% ) ) ) ) 7) ) () -*) 47) . . .
#. 7 sequence begins:
) -) !) ") ) -#) !7) "() . . .
$a% 1hat do you get if you add: $i% the first three terms)
$ii% the -nd) !rd and 4th terms)
$iii% the !rd) 4th and ,th terms5
$b% 1hat are the ne't ! terms in the sequence5
$c% 7 similar sequence is given below. 1rite down the missing terms.
) ) ) 4) -") 4() (() "-) . . .
$d% 7 sequence begins:
) ) !) ,) *) 7) !) . . .
1rite down the ne't ! terms in the sequence.
#