Maths Unit 10 Sequences Picture sequences Sequences can

Maths Unit 10 – Sequences Picture sequences Sequences can be in the form of patterns or numbers Here is a pattern sequence: To draw the next pattern you need to spot what is happening from one pattern to the other. In this sequence 3 sticks are being added each time. Using the nth term You can use the nth term to find a specific number in a sequence. To find the 8 th term of a sequence which has a nth term of 6 n – 2 you need to do some substitution Step 1 – Replace n with the term number; in this case 8 So, 6 x 8 - 2 Step 2 – complete the calculation So, 6 x 8 – 2 = 46 The 8 th term of the sequence is 46 Key words and definitions Term – the position in the sequence Substitution – replacing letters with a given number Sequence – a string of objects which follow a particular pattern. These can be pictures or numbers. Pattern – when a picture or sets of numbers are in a specified sequence nth term – an expression which will allow you to calculate a term that is in a particular position Number sequences Here is a sequence; In this sequence, 5 is added to the previous term to create the next number in the sequence. The pattern is infinite. Finding the nth term Here is a sequence. 1, 4, 7, 10. The nth term is 3 n-2. To find the nth term you start by finding the common difference between terms. The picture demonstrate the rest of the method to find the nth term.