Worksheet Name_________________
Harmonic and Fibonacci Period___Date__________
A harmonic sequence is a sequence in which all of the terms are reciprocals of the
terms of an arithmetic sequence.
Ex. #1. Since 2, 4, 6, 8, … is arithmetic, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, is harmonic.
Ex. #2. Since an = 4n 7 is arithmetic, hn = 1/(4n 7) is harmonic.
To insert k harmonic means between numbers a and b, insert k arithmetic means
between 1/a and 1/b, then write the reciprocals of those means.
Ex. Insert 2 harmonic means between 3 and 10.
Consider the arithmetic sequence: 1/3, ____, ____, 1/10
Their common difference is (1/10 1/3)/(4 1) = 7/90, so the arithmetic sequence is:
1/3, 23/90, 16/90, 1/10 and that means the harmonic means are 90/23 and 90/16.
Exercises:
1. Insert 3 harmonic means between 1/3 and 1/9.
If the harmonic sequence is 1/3, __, __, ___, 1/9, then the arithmetic sequence is
3, ____, ___, ____, 9. The common difference for this arithmetic sequence is (9 –
3)/(5 – 1) = 6/4 = 3/2, so the arithmetic sequence is 3, 9/2, 6, 15/2, 9. A sequence of
the reciprocals of these terms would be 1/3, 2/9, 1/6, 2/15, 1/9 which is harmonic. So
the harmonic means are 2/9, 1/6, 2/15
2. Insert 5 harmonic means between 1/6 and 1/12.
We will insert 5 arithmetic means between 6 and 12. 6, __, __, __,__,__, 12. The
common difference (slope) is (12 – 6)/(7-1) = 6/6 = 1. So the arithmetic sequence is 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and the harmonic sequence is 1/6, 1/7, 1/8, 1/9, 1/10, 1/11, 1/12 so the
means are 1/7, 1/8, 1/9, 1/10, 1/11.
3. Insert 2 harmonic means between 3 and 7.
Insert 2 arithmetic means between 1/3 and 1/7. 1/3, __, __, 1/7. The common
difference (slope) is (1/7 – 1/3)/(4-1) = (-4/21)/3 = -4/63. So the arithmetic sequence
is 1/3, 17/63, 13/63, 1/7 and the harmonic sequence is 3, 63/17, 63/13, 7 so the means
are 63/17, 63/13.
4. Insert 3 geometric means between 2 and 9. If 2, ___, ___, 9 form a geometric
2
sequence, 9 = 2r3, so r = 3
9 / 2 . Means will be 23 9 / 2 , and 2 3
9/2 .
5. Prove that {2, 3, 6} are terms of a harmonic sequence.
If 2, 3, and 6 form a harmonic sequence, then 1/2, 1/3, 1/6 should be arithmetic. This
means 1/3 – 1/2 should equal 1/6 – 1/3. Well, 1/3 – 1/2 =-1/6 and 1/6 – 1/3 = -1/6, so
they are equal Therefore 2, 3, 6 are harmonic. (Another way to show this is to show
6 6 6
that {2, 3, 6} can also be written as , , , and this can be written as 6/(4-n) which
3 2 1
is the reciprocal of an arithmetic sequence (4-n)/6.
6. Given the numbers, 4 and 8:
A) Insert an arithmetic mean between the two. 6
B) Insert a geometric mean between the two. 4 2
C) Insert a harmonic mean between the two. 16/3
D) Write these in order from lowest to highest. 16/3, 4 2 , 6
7. Given the positive numbers, a and b, write the arithmetic mean, the geometric mean
and the harmonic mean and decide if the order (from lowest to highest) sill applies and
why it does.
ab 2ab
Arithmetic mean = , Geometric mean = a b Harmonic mean =
2 ab
The order still works…
The Fibonacci sequence is the sequence of numbers, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …
What is the next term of the sequence? 34
Write a recursive formula for this sequence. fn = fn – 1 + fn - 2
1. Take any three sequential Fibonacci numbers. Multiply the outer two and square the
middle one. Try this activity with 3 different sequential Fibonacci numbers. What do
you notice? There is always a difference of 1.
2. Take any four sequential Fibonacci numbers. Multiply the outer two and multiply the
inner two. Try this again with 4 different sequential Fibonacci numbers. What do you
notice? The difference is always 1.
3. Create a new sequence by finding fn/fn+1. (I use lists…) Does this sequence
converge or diverge? If it converges, what number appears to be the limit?
It converges to
4. If n is a prime number, what appears to be true of fn? fn is prime.
5. Find two consecutive Fibonacci numbers, fn and fn+1. Then locate f2n+1 . What do you
notice about these numbers? f2n+1 = fn2 + fn+12.
6. Classify the following sequences as arithmetic, geometric, harmonic, Fibonacci, or
other. Then write the nth term (explicitly if possible).
A) 1, i, 1, -i, … Geometric, tn = in-1
B) log 2, log 4, log 8, log 16, … Arithmetic, tn = 2log 2 (or log 2n)
C) 4/3, 4/5, 4/7, 4/9, … Harmonic, tn = 4/(2n+1)
D) 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, … Fibonacci, tn = tn – 1 + tn - 2
E) 12, 6, 4, 3, … Harmonic, tn = 12/n
F) 3 i, 3, 3 + i, 3 + 2i, … Arithmetic, tn = 3 – 2i + ni
G) sin 0, sin , sin 2, sin 3, sin 4, … Arithmetic (Constant) tn = 0
H) cos 0, cos , cos 2, cos 3, cos 4, … Geometric, tn = (-1)n - 1
I) sin 0, sin 90º, sin 180º, sin 270º, sin 360º, … Other tn = sin (90˚n)
