Essential Question: What is a sequence

and how do I find its terms and sums?

How do I find the sum & terms of

geometric sequences and series?
Geometric Sequences

Geometric Sequence– a sequence whose

consecutive terms have a common ratio.
Geometric Sequence

A sequence is geometric if the ratios of

consecutive terms are the same.
a2 a3 a4
   .....  r
a1 a2 a3

The number r is the common ratio.

Ex. 1 Are these geometric?
Yes 2n
2, 4, 8, 16, …, formula?, …
Yes
12, 36, 108, 324, …, formula?, …4(3)n

1 1 1 1 No
 , ,  , ,..., formula ?,... (-1) n /3

3 9 27 61
1, 4, 9, 16, …, formula? , … No n2
Finding the nth term of a Geometric
Sequence

an = a1rn – 1

a2
r
a1
Ex. 2b
Write the first five terms of the
geometric sequence whose first
term is a1 = 9 and r = (1/3).
1 1
9 ,3,1, ,
3 9
Ex. 3
Find the 15th term of the geometric
sequence whose first term is 20 and
whose common ratio is 1.05
an = a1rn – 1
a15 = (20)(1.05)15 – 1
a15 = 39.599
Ex. 4 Find a formula for the nth term.
5, 15, 45, …
an = a1rn – 1
an = 5(3)n – 1
What is the 9th term?
an = 5(3)n – 1
a9 = 5(3)8
a9 = 32805
sum of a finite geometric series

a1 (1  r ) n
sn 
1 r
Ex. 6 Find the sum of the first 12 terms of the
series 4(0.3)n

= 4(0.3)1 + 4(0.3)2 + 4(0.3)3 + … + 4(0.3)12

a1  a1r n
Sn 
1 r
1.2  1.2(0.3 ) 12
S12  = 1.714
1  0.3
Ex. 7 Find the sum of the first 5 terms of the
series 5/3 + 5 + 15 + …

r = 5/(5/3) = 3

a1  a1r n
Sn 
1 r
5 5 5
 (3 )
= 605/3
S5  3 3
1 3
1, 4, 7, 10, 13, …. Infinite Arithmetic No Sum
n
3, 7, 11, …, 51 Finite Arithmetic Sn   a1  an 
2

1, 2, 4, …, 64 Finite Geometric Sn 
 
a1 r n  1
r 1

1, 2, 4, 8, … Infinite Geometric No Sum

r>1
r < -1

1 1 1 Infinite Geometric a1
3,1, , , ... S
3 9 27 -1 < r < 1 1 r
 1 1 1
Find the sum, if possible: 1     ...
2 4 8
1 1
2 4 1
r    1  r  1  Yes
1 1 2
2

a1 1
S  2
1 r 1
1
2
 2 1 1 1
Find the sum, if possible:     ...
3 3 6 12
1 1
3 6 1
r    1  r  1  Yes
2 1 2
3 3
2
a1 3 4
S  
1 r 1 3
1
2
 2 4 8
Find the sum, if possible:    ...
7 7 7
4 8
r 7  7 2  1  r  1  No
2 4
7 7

NO SUM
 5
Find the sum, if possible: 10  5   ...
2
5
5 2 1
r    1  r  1  Yes
10 5 2

a1 10
S   20
1 r 1
1
2
 The Bouncing Ball Problem – Version A

A ball is dropped from a height of 50 feet. It rebounds 4/5 of

it’s height, and continues this pattern until it stops. How far
does the ball travel?
50

40 40

32 32

32/5 32/5

50 40
S   450
4 4
1 1
5 5
 The Bouncing Ball Problem – Version B

A ball is thrown 100 feet into the air. It rebounds 3/4 of

it’s height, and continues this pattern until it stops. How far
does the ball travel?

100 100

75 75

225/4 225/4

100 100
S   800
3 3
1 1
4 4
The sum of the first n terms of a sequence is
represented by summation notation.
upper limit of summation
n

a  a  a
i 1
i 1 2  a3  a4   an

index of lower limit of summation

summation

 4 4 4 4 4
4 n
 1 2 3 4 5

 4 16  64  256 1024

n1

 1364
 12
Example 6. Find the sum  4  0.3
n

n1

Write out a few terms.

12

 4  0.3  4  0.3  4  0.3  4  0.3  ...  4  0.3

n 1 2 3 12

n1

a1  4  0.3  r  0.3 and n  12

12
 1 rn  1   0.312 
 4  0.3  a1   4  0.3   1.714
n
 
n1  1 r   1  0.3 

If the index began at i = 0, you would have

to adjust your formula
12 12 n 12 n

 4  0.3  4  0.3   4  0.3  4   4  0.3  4 1.714  5.714

n 0

i 0 n1 n1
 n 0 1 2
3 3 3 3
 6
b 0 
5

 6  5   6 
  5
 6  5   ...
 
a1 6
S   15
1 r 3
1
5