What is a sequence A sequence is a














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What is a sequence?

A sequence is a set of numbers arranged in a definite pattern 1. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, … a rule is ‘add 2’ 2. 1, 2, 4, 8, …a rule is ‘multiply by 2’ 3. 2, 4, 6, 8, …a rule is ‘add 2 to the numerator 3 5 7 9 and denominator

Write down a rule and the next three terms for the following 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 3, 7, 11, 15, … a, 3 a, 5 a, 7 a, … 16, 8, 4, 2, … 3, 9, 27, 81, … 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , … 5 7 9 11 Add 4; 19, 23, 27 Add 2 a; 9 a, 11 a, 13 a Halve or multiply by ½ ; 1, ½, ¼ Multiply by 3, 243, 729, 2187 Add 1 to numerator and add 2 to denominator 7, 8, 9 13 15 17

Each term of a sequence is associated with the corresponding element of the set of natural numbers N = {1, 2, 3, 4, …} The symbol for the nth term is tn or Tn

The general term of a sequence is referred to by a letter of the alphabet: an ‘the nth term’ tr ‘the rth term’ ui ‘the ith term’ all name the general term •

General Sequences Give the first three terms of the following sequences with the general term Tn 1. Tn = 1 n 2 10 0. 1, 0. 4, 0. 9 2. Tn = 2 n-1 1, 2, 4

Arithmetic progression or sequence A sequence following the rule ‘add a fixed amount’ is called an arithmetic sequence or arithmetic progression, AP for short For the sequence 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, … The first term t 1 is 2 The second term is t 2 is 5 t 3 is 8 What is t 8 or t 25?

nth or General Term of an Arithmetic Sequence where a 1 is the first term of the sequence and d is the common difference. Where d = a 2 -a 1 = a 3 -a 2

Find the first five terms and the 15 th term of the arithmetic sequence Note how the first term is 3. What was the common difference for this arithmetic sequence? If you said ½, you are correct! Note how each term went up by 1/2 from the previous term.

Find the first five terms and the 15 th term of the arithmetic sequence • Note how the first term is not -5, but -21/4. The formula for the nth term used n, instead of n - 1 that is in the general form If you said -1/4 you are correct! Note how each term went DOWN by 1/4 from the previous term.

Write a formula for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence -10, -5, 0, 5, . . • a 1 = ? -10 d, the common difference? -10 + 5 = -5, -5 + 5 = 0, and 0 + 5 = 5. It has to be consistent throughout the sequence.

Write a formula for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence What is a 1, the first term of the sequence? The first term of this sequence is What is d, the common difference? Note that you would have to add get to the next term. to each previous term to

Find the twentieth term of the AP: 3, 8, 13, 18, … Here, a = 3 and d = 5 We want t 20 = 3 + (20 – 1)5 = 98

Find the fifteenth term of the AP: 20, 15, 10, 5, … Here, a = 20 and d = -5 (t 2 -t 1 = 15 -20) We want t 15 = 20 + (15 – 1)(-5) = -50