Introduction

• This Chapter focuses on sequences and

series

• We will look at writing and using

algebraic sequences

• We will also be learning how to calculate

the sum of a sequence
 Sequences and Series
The nth term Example 1
The nth term of a sequence is
The nth term of a sequence is given by Un = 3n – 1. Work out
sometimes known as the ‘general the 1st, 3rd and 19th terms.
term’.
1st 3rd
You need to become familiar with U n  3n  1 U n  3n  1
the terminology of sequences in A-
U1  3  1 U3  9 1
level maths.
U1  2 U3  8
U n  the nth term 19th
U3  the 3rd number in the sequence U n  3n  1
U3  57  1
U 3  56
6B
 Sequences and Series
The nth term Example 3
The nth term of a sequence is
The nth term of a sequence is given by:
sometimes known as the ‘general n2
term’. Un 
n 1
You need to become familiar with Work out the 20th term.
the terminology of sequences in A-
level maths. n2
Un 
n 1
U n  the nth term 202
U 20 
U3  the 3rd number in the sequence 20  1
400
U 20 
21
6B
 Sequences and Series
The nth term Example 3
Find the value of n for which
The nth term of a sequence is the formula
sometimes known as the ‘general
U n  5n  2
term’.
has a value of 153.
You need to become familiar with
the terminology of sequences in A- U n  5n  2
level maths. Un = 153
153  5n  2
Add 2
U n  the nth term 155  5n Divide
U3  the 3rd number in the sequence 31  n
by 5

6B
 Sequences and Series
The nth term Example 4
Find the value of n for which
The nth term of a sequence is the formula
sometimes known as the ‘general
term’.
U n  n 2  7n  12
has a value of 72.
You need to become familiar with
the terminology of sequences in A- U n  n 2  7n  12
Un = 72
level maths.
72  n  7 n  12
2
Subtract
72
U n  the nth term 0  n 2  7 n  60
Factorise
U3  the 3rd number in the sequence 0  (n  12)(n  5)
2 possible
solutions
n  12 or n  5
But n has to be
positive, so n = 12 6B
 Sequences and Series
The nth term Example 5
A sequence is generated by
The nth term of a sequence the formula
is sometimes known as the
U n  an  b
‘general term’.
Given that U3 = 5 and U8 = 20,
You need to become familiar find the values of a and b.
with the terminology of U n  an  b U n  an  b
sequences in A-level maths. n=3 n=8
U 3  3a  b U8  8a  b
U3 = 5 U8 = 20
1) Form 2 equations using the 5  3a  b 20  8a  b
information you have been
given 1) 5  3a  b
2) 20  8a  b
2) Solve them simultaneously
2) – 1) 15  5a
to find values for a and b
3  a 4  b 6B
 Sequences and Series
Recurrence Relationships It is important to remember that
When you have a rule to get from the sequences:
one term to the next, you can use
a ‘recurrence relationship’ 5, 8, 11, 14, 17

5, 8, 11, 14, 17 and

The rule could be described as 4, 7, 10, 13, 16

‘add 3 to the previous term’
U 2  U1  3 Will have the same recurrence
relationship:
U3  U 2  3
The next U k 1  U k  3
term U 4  U3  3
U k 1  U k  3 However, the first one has U1 = 5
The current
and the second has U1 = 4
term 6C
 Sequences and Series
Recurrence Relationships Example 1
When you have a rule to get from Find the first 5 terms of the
one term to the next, you can use following sequences:
a ‘recurrence relationship’
a) U n 1  U n  4 U1  7
5, 8, 11, 14, 17 7, 11, 15, 19, 23

The rule could be described as b) U n 1  U n  4 U1  5

‘add 3 to the previous term’
5, 9, 13, 17, 21
U 2  U1  3
c) U n2  3U n1  U n U1  4 U 2  2
U3  U 2  3
The next Next Current Previous
term U 4  U3  3 term term term

U k 1  U k  3 4, 2, 2, 4, 10,
The current
term 6C
 Sequences and Series
Recurrence Relationships Example 2
When you have a rule to get from A sequence of terms has the
one term to the next, you can use following recurrence relationship:
a ‘recurrence relationship’
U n 2  mU n1  U n U1  2 U 2  5
5, 8, 11, 14, 17 a) Find an expression for U3 in terms of m.
U n 2  mU n1  U n
Substitute n = 1
The rule could be described as U3  mU 2  U1
‘add 3 to the previous term’ Put in the values
for U2 and U1
U 2  U1  3 U 3  5m  2
b) Find an expression for U4 in terms of m.
U3  U 2  3 U n 2  mU n1  U n
The next Substitute n = 2
term U 4  U3  3 U 4  mU 3  U 2 Put in the values
U k 1  U k  3 U 4  m(5m  2)  5
for U3 and U2
The current Simplify
term U 4  5m  2m  5
2
6C
 Sequences and Series
Arithmetic Sequences Example 1
Find the 10th, 50th and nth terms of
A sequence that increases by a the following arithmetic sequence…
constant amount is known as an 3, 7, 11, 15, 19…
arithmetic sequence.
First term: 3
3, 7, 11, 15, 19…(+4) Second term: 3 + 4
17, 14, 11, 8…(-3) Third term: 3 + 4 + 4
a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d…(+d)
Fourth term: 3 + 4 + 4 + 4
a) 10th term b) 50th term
3 + (9 x 4) 3 + (49 x 4)
= 39 = 199

c) nth term
3 + ((n – 1) x 4)
= 3 + 4(n – 1) 6D
 Sequences and Series
Arithmetic Sequences
A sequence that increases by a
constant amount is known as an
arithmetic sequence.
3, 7, 11, 15, 19…(+4)
17, 14, 11, 8…(-3)
a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d…(+d)
Example 2
Find the number of terms in the
following sequence.
7, 11, 15, …, …, 143
 Increases in 4s
 143 – 7 = 136
 136 ÷ 4 = 34
 So there are 34 ‘jumps’
7, 11, 15, …, …, 143
 There is always 1 more term
than there are jumps
 35 terms!
6D
 Sequences and Series
The nth term of an arithmetic Example 1
sequence
Find the 50th term of the following
sequences:
All arithmetic sequences take the form:
a) 4, 7, 10, 13… a=4 d=3
a  (a  d )  (a  2d )  (a  3d )  (a  4d ) etc...
and
b) 100, 93, 86, 79… a = 100 d = -7
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
term term term term term a) a  ( n  1) d

We can put this together as a relationship 4  (50  1)  3

for the nth term of an arithmetic
sequence…
 151
a  (n  1)d b) a  ( n  1) d
Where ‘a’ is the first term and ‘d’ is the 100  (50  1)  (7)
common difference.
 100  (49  7)
 243
6E
 Sequences and Series
The nth term of an arithmetic Example 2
sequence
For the following sequence, calculate
the number of terms.
All arithmetic sequences take the form:
5 + 9 + 13 + 17 + 21 + … + 805
a  (a  d )  (a  2d )  (a  3d )  (a  4d ) etc...
a=5 d=4

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th a  (n  1)d  805 Substitute

term term term term term numbers in

We can put this together as a relationship 5  (n  1)  4  805 Work out the

bracket
for the nth term of an arithmetic
sequence… 5  4n  4  805 Group together
terms
a  (n  1)d 4n  1  805 Subtract 1

Where ‘a’ is the first term and ‘d’ is the 4n  804 Divide by 4
common difference.
n  201
There are 201 terms in the sequence!
6E
 Sequences and Series
The nth term of an arithmetic Example 3
sequence Given that the 3rd term of an arithmetic
sequence is 20 and the 7th is 12:
All arithmetic sequences take the form: a) Work out the first term
a  (a  d )  (a  2d )  (a  3d )  (a  4d ) etc... 3rd term 7th term
a  (n  1)d  20 a  (n  1)d  12
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th a  (3  1)d  20 a  (7  1)d  12
term term term term term
a  2d  20 a  6d  12
We can put this together as a relationship
for the nth term of an arithmetic
sequence… 1) a  2d  20
a  (n  1)d 2) a  6d  12
Where ‘a’ is the first term and ‘d’ is the
common difference.
2) – 1) 4d  8
d  2 Substitute
a  24 into 1) or 2)
6E
 Sequences and Series
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series This method was
discovered by Carl
You need to be able to work out the sum Friedrich Gauss (1777-
of numbers in an arithmetic sequence. 1855) while he was still in
Primary School!

Add up the numbers from 1-100!

S  1  2  3  4  5  ...  99 100 Write out the same

sequence backwards
S  100  99  ...  5  4  3  2 1 Add both sequences
together
2S  101 101 101  ... 101 101 We have 100 lots of
101
2S  100 101 Halve that to get the
actual total
S  (100 101)  2
S  5050
6F
 Sequences and Series
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series
As a general rule:

Sn  a  ( a  d )  (a  2d )  ( a  3d ) …, …, …  (a  (n  2)d )  (a  (n  1)d )

Sn  (a  (n  1)d )  (a  (n  2)d ) …, …, …  ( a  3d )  (a  2d )  ( a  d )  a
a  (a  (n  1)d ) a  d  (a  (n  2)d ) Group the a’s
 2a  (n  1)d  2a  d  (n  2)d Multiply out
the bracket
 2a  d  nd  2d
2Sn  2a  (n  1)d  2a  (n  1)d …, …, …  2a  (nGroup  1)dthe d’s
2a  (n  1)d
 2a  nd  d Factorise
2Sn  n  2a  ( n  1) d   2 a 
There
( n  are
1) d ‘n lots of 2a the
+ 2nd part
(n-1)d’
n
Sn  2  2a  (n  1)d  Divide by 2

n
Sn  2  a  L  If L is the last term in the series
6F
 Sequences and Series
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series Example 1
Calculate the value of the first 100 odd
n
Sn  2  2a  (n  1)d 
numbers:
 1, 3, 5, 7, …, …

a=1 d=2 n = 100

n
Sn 
n
a  L Sn   2a  (n  1)d  Substitute
2 2
numbers in
100
Sn   2  (100  1)  2 Work out the
a = the 1st term 2
inner bracket
d = the common Sn  50  2  198
difference
L = the last term Sn  50  200
50 x 200
Sn  10, 000
6F
 Sequences and Series
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series Example 1
Calculate the value of the first 100 odd
n
Sn  2  2a  (n  1)d 
numbers:
 1, 3, 5, 7, …, …

a=1 d=2 n = 100

n 100th term  a  (n  1)d

Sn  a  L 1  (100  1)  2
2
 199
n
a = the 1st term
Sn  a  L Substitute
d = the common 2
numbers in
difference 100
L = the last term
Sn  1  199
2
Sn  50  200
Sn  10, 000 6F
 Sequences and Series
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series Example 2
Find the number of terms needed for the sum
n
Sn  2  2a  (n  1)d 
of the following sequence to exceed 2000.
4 + 9 + 14 + 19…
Sn = 2000 a=4 d=5

n
n
Sn   2a  (n  1)d 
Sn  a  L 2
n
Substitute
numbers in
2000  8  (n  1)  5
2
2 Multiply by 2
a = the 1st term 4000  n 8  5n  5 Group together
d = the common 4000  n 3  5n terms
difference Multiply out the
bracket
L = the last term 4000  5n 2  3n
Subtract 4000
0  5n  3n  4000
2

6F
 Sequences and Series
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series Example 2
Find the number of terms needed for the sum
n
Sn  2  2a  (n  1)d 
of the following sequence to exceed 2000.
4 + 9 + 14 + 19…

0  5n2  3n  4000
a=5 b=3 c = -4000
n
Sn  a  L b  b2  4ac
2
2a Substitute
numbers in
a = the 1st term 3  9  (4  5  4000)
10
d = the common Careful with
difference negatives!
3  9  (80000)
L = the last term 10 n = 27.9 or -28.5

3  80009 n = 28 ( need 28 terms

10 to be over 2000)
6F
 Sequences and Series
Sequences Notation

The symbol Σ can be used to mean

‘sum of’:
Highest value Highest value
of r of r

10 r 15

 (2  3r )
r 0
 (10  2r )
r 5
The formula The formula
The first to be used The first to be used
value of r value of r

So this means the sum of the So this means the sum of the
sequence (2 + 3r) from r = 0 to r = 10 sequence (10 - 2r) from r = 5 to r = 15
 Sum of 2 + 5 + 8 + … + 32  Sum of 0 + -2 + -4 + … + -20

6G
 Sequences and Series
Sequences Notation Example 1
Calculate the value of the following:
The symbol Σ can be used to mean
r  20 a=5
‘sum of’:
Highest value  4r  1
r 1
d=4
of r
n = 20
10 5 + 9 + 13 + … + 81

 (2  3r )
r 0 Sn 
n
 2a  (n  1)d  Sub
The formula 2 numbers
The first to be used
20 in
value of r
Sn  10  (20  1)  4 Work out
2
brackets
Sn  1010  19  4
Sn  10 86
Sn  860 6G
 Summary
• We have looked at sequences

• We have seen how to calculate a number in an

arithmetic sequence

• We have also worked out the sum of a

sequence

• We have also seen some of the notation which

is used in sequences