New Senior Secondary Mathematics

Advanced Exercise Ch. 12-13: Sequences

ADVANCED EXERCISE CH. 12-13: SEQUENCES

[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 4]
Q1 [CE Math 88 9]
(a) Write down the smallest and the largest multiples of 7 between 100 and 999.
(b) How many multiples of 7 are there between 100 and 999? Find the sum of these multiples.
(c) Find the sum of all positive three-digit integers which are NOT divisible by 7.

[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 5]

Q2 [CE Math 86 9]
2, −1, −4, … forms an arithmetic sequence.
(a) Find
(i) the n th term,
(ii) the sum of the first n terms,
(iii) the sum of the sequence from the 21st term to the 30th term.
(b) If the sum of the first n terms of the sequence is less than −1000, find the least value of n.

Q3 [CE Math 84 10]

a and b are positive numbers. 𝑎, −2, 𝑏 form a geometric sequence and −2, 𝑏, 𝑎 form an arithmetic sequence.
(a) Find the value of ab.
(b) Find the values of a and b.
(c) (i) Find the sum to infinity of the geometric sequence 𝑎, −2, 𝑏, ….
(ii) Find the sum to infinity of all the positive terms in the geometric sequence 𝑎, −2, 𝑏, …

Q4 [CE Math 82 10]

(a) (i) Find the sum of all the multiples of 3 from 1 to 1000.
(ii) Find the sum of all the multiples of 4 from 1 to 1000 (inclusive).
(b) Hence, or otherwise, find the sum of all the integers from 1 to 1000 (inclusive) which are neither multiples of 3 nor multiples of
4.

Q5 [CE Math 80 11]

Let 𝑘 > 0.

(a) (i) Find the common ratio of the geometric sequence 𝑘, 10𝑘, 100𝑘.
(ii) Find the sum of the first n terms of the geometric sequence 𝑘, 10𝑘, 100𝑘 … in terms of n and k.
(b) (i) Show that log 𝑘 , log 10𝑘 , log 100𝑘 is an arithmetic sequence.
(ii) Find the sum of the first n terms of the arithmetic sequence log 𝑘 , log 10𝑘 , log 100𝑘 … in terms of n and k.
Also, if 𝑛 = 10, find the sum.

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New Senior Secondary Mathematics
Advanced Exercise Ch. 12-13: Sequences

[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 5*]
Q6 [CE Math 89 9]
1
The positive numbers 1, 𝑘, , … are in geometric sequence.
2
(a) Find the value of k, leaving your answer in surd form.
(b) Express the nth term 𝑇(𝑛) in terms of n.
(c) Find the sum to infinity, express your answer in the form 𝑝 + √𝑞, where p and q are integers.
(d) Express the product 𝑇(1) × 𝑇(3) × 𝑇(5) × ⋯ × 𝑇(2𝑛 − 1) in terms of n.

Q7 [CE AMath 83I 2]

Given that a, b, c are in arithmetic sequence and the positive numbers x, y, z are in geometric sequence, prove that
(𝑏 − 𝑐) log 𝑥 + (𝑐 − 𝑎) log 𝑦 + (𝑎 − 𝑏) log 𝑧 = 0

[Finish the following questions if you aim at DSE Math Level 5**]
Q8 [CE Math 93 10]
Consider the food production and population problems of a certain country. In the 1st year, the country’s annual food production was 8
million tonnes. At the end of the 1st year its population was 2 million. It is assumed that the annual food production increases by 1
million tonnes each year and the population increases by 6 % each year.
(a) Find, in million tonnes, the annual food production of the country in
(i) the 3rd year,
(ii) the nth year.
(b) Find, in million tonnes, the total food production in the first 25 years.
(c) Find the population of the country at the end of
(i) the 3rd year,
(ii) the nth year.
(d) Starting from the end of the first year, find the minimum number of years it will take for the population to be doubled.
(e) If the ‘annual food production per capita’ (i.e. annual food production in a certain year divided by the population at the end of
that year) is less than 0.2 tonne, the country will face a food shortage problem. Determine whether the country will face a food
shortage problem or not at the end of the 100 th year.

Q9 [CE Math 92 14]

(a) Given the geometric sequence 𝑎𝑛 , 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑏, 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑏 2 , ⋯ , 𝑎2 𝑏 𝑛−2 , 𝑎𝑏 𝑛−1 , where a and b are unequal and non-zero real numbers, find
the common ratio and the sum to n terms of the sequence.
(b) A man joins a saving plan by depositing in his bank account a sum of money at the beginning of every year. At the beginning of
the first year, he puts an initial deposit of $P. Every year afterwards, he deposits 10% more than he does in the previous year. The
bank pays interest at a rate of 8% p.a., compounded yearly.
(i) Find, in terms of P, an expression for the amount in his account at the end of
(1) the first year,
(2) the second year,
(3) the third year.
(You need not simplify your expressions)
(ii) Using (a), or otherwise, show that the amount in his account at the end of the n year is $54𝑃(1.1𝑛 − 1.08𝑛 ).
(c) A flat is worth $1080000 at the beginning of a certain year and at the same time, a man joins the saving plan in (b) with an initial
deposit 𝑃 = 20000. Suppose the value of the flat grows by 15% every year. Show that at the end of the nth year, the value of the
flat is greater than the amount in the man’s account.

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New Senior Secondary Mathematics
Advanced Exercise Ch. 12-13: Sequences

Q10 [CE Math 81 10]

In figure 2(a), 𝐵1 𝐶1 𝐶𝐷 is a square inscribed in the right-angled triangle ABC. ∠𝐶 = 90𝑜 , 𝐵𝐶 = 𝑎, 𝐴𝐶 = 2𝑎, 𝐵1 𝐶1 = 𝑏.

(a) Express b in terms of a.

(b) 𝐵2 𝐶2 𝐶1 𝐷1 is a square inscribed in Δ𝐴𝐵1 𝐶1 (figure 2(b)).
(i) Express 𝐵2 𝐶2 in terms of b.
(ii) Hence express 𝐵2 𝐶2 in terms of a.
(c) If squares 𝐵3 𝐶3 𝐶2 𝐷2 , 𝐵4 𝐶4 𝐶3 𝐷3 , 𝐵5 𝐶5 𝐶4 𝐷4 , … are drawn successively as indicated in figure 2(c).
(i) Write down the length of 𝐵5 𝐶5 in terms of a.
(ii) Find, in terms of a, the sum of the areas of the infinitely many squares drawn in this way.

Q11 [CE Math 91 12]

A maze is formed by line segments of lengths 𝑑0 , 𝑑1 , 𝑑2 , … , 𝑑𝑛 , …, with adjacent line segments perpendicular to each other as shown in
𝑑𝑛+2 𝑑3 𝑑5 𝑑4 𝑑6
the figure. Let 𝑑0 = 10, 𝑑1 = 8, 𝑑2 = 10 and = 0.9 when 𝑛 ≥ 1, i.e. = = ⋯ = 0.9 and = = ⋯ = 0.9.
𝑑𝑛 𝑑1 𝑑3 𝑑2 𝑑4

(a) Find 𝑑3 and 𝑑5 , and express 𝑑2𝑛−1 in terms of n.

(b) Find 𝑑6 and express 𝑑2𝑛 in terms of n.
(c) Find, in terms of n, the sums
(i) 𝑑1 + 𝑑3 + 𝑑5 + ⋯ + 𝑑2𝑛−1 ,
(ii) 𝑑2 + 𝑑4 + 𝑑6 + ⋯ + 𝑑2𝑛 .
(d) Find the value of the sum 𝑑0 + 𝑑1 + 𝑑2 + 𝑑3 + ⋯ to infinity.

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New Senior Secondary Mathematics
Advanced Exercise Ch. 12-13: Sequences

Q12 [CE Math 85 14]

1
$ P is deposited in a bank at the interest rate of r % per annum compounded annually. At the end of each year, of the amount in the
3
account (including principal and interest) is drawn out and the remainder is redeposited at the same rate.
Let $ 𝑄1 , $ 𝑄2 , $ 𝑄3 , … denote respectively the sums of money drawn out at the end of the first year, second year, third year, …
(a) (i) Express 𝑄1 and 𝑄2 in terms of P and r.
4
(ii) Show that 𝑄3 = 𝑃(1 + 𝑟%)3 .
27
(b) 𝑄1 , 𝑄2 , 𝑄3 , … form a geometric sequence. Find the common ratio in terms of r.
27
(c) Suppose 𝑄3 = 𝑃.
128
(i) Find the value of r.
(ii) If 𝑃 = 10000, find 𝑄1 + 𝑄2 + 𝑄3 + ⋯ + 𝑄10 . (Give your answer correct to the nearest integer.).

Q13 [CE Math 83 10]

3
A ball is dropped vertically from a height of 10 m, and when it reaches the ground, it rebounds to a height of 10 × m. The ball
4
3
continues to fall and rebound again and again, each time rebounding to of the height from which it previously fall.
4

(a) Find the total distance travelled by the ball just before it makes its second rebound.
(b) Find, in terms of k, the total distance travelled by the ball just before it makes its (𝑘 + 1)th rebound.
(c) Find the total distance travelled by the ball before it comes to rest.

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New Senior Secondary Mathematics
Advanced Exercise Ch. 12-13: Sequences

Q14 [CE Math 90 14]

The positive integers 1, 2, 3, … are divided into groups 𝐺1 , 𝐺2 , 𝐺3 , …, so that the kth group 𝐺𝑘 consists of k consecutive integers as
follows:
𝐺1 : 1
𝐺2 : 2, 3
𝐺3 : 4, 5, 6
………
………
𝐺𝑘−1 : 𝑢1 , 𝑢2 , … , 𝑢𝑘−1
𝐺𝑘 : 𝑣1 , 𝑣2 , … , 𝑣𝑘−1 , 𝑣𝑘
………
(a) (i) Write down all the integers in the 6th group 𝐺6 .
(ii) What is the total number of integers in the first 6 groups 𝐺1 , 𝐺2 , … , 𝐺6 ?
(b) Find, in terms of k,
(i) the last integer 𝑢𝑘−1 in 𝐺𝑘−1 and the first integer 𝑣1 in 𝐺𝑘 ,
(ii) the sum of all the integers in 𝐺𝑘 .

Q15 [CE Math 87 10]

[In this question, leave your answers in surd form.]
In the figure, 𝐴1 𝐵1 𝐶1 is an equilateral triangle of side 3 and area 𝑇1 .

(a) Find 𝑇1 .
(b) The points 𝐴2 , 𝐵2 , 𝐶2 divide internally the line segments 𝐴1 𝐵1 , 𝐵1 𝐶1 , 𝐶1 𝐴1 respectively in the same ratio 1 : 2. The area of
Δ𝐴2 𝐵2 𝐶2 is 𝑇2 .
(i) Find 𝐴2 𝐵2 .,
(ii) Find 𝑇2 .
(c) Triangles 𝐴3 𝐵3 𝐶3 , 𝐴4 𝐵4 𝐶4 , … are constructed in a similar way. Their areas are 𝑇3 , 𝑇4 , … respectively. It is known that 𝑇1 , 𝑇2 , 𝑇3 , …
form a geometric sequence.
(i) Find the common ratio.
(ii) Find 𝑇𝑛 in terms of n.
(iii) Find the value of 𝑇1 + 𝑇2 + ⋯ + 𝑇𝑛 in terms of n.
(iv) Find the sum to infinity of the geometric sequence.

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New Senior Secondary Mathematics
Advanced Exercise Ch. 12-13: Sequences

Answer:
𝑛
1.(a) 105, 994 (b) 70336 (c) 424214 2(a)(i) 5 − 3𝑛 (ii) (7 − 3𝑛) (iii) -715 (b) 28
2

8 16
3(a) 4 (b) (𝑎, 𝑏) = (4,1) (c)(i) (ii) 4(a)(i) 166833 (ii) 125500 (b) 249999
3 3

𝑛(𝑛−1)
𝑘 𝑛(𝑛−1) 1 1
5(a)(i) 10 (ii) (10𝑛 − 1) (b)(ii) 𝑛 log 𝑘 + 6(a) (b) 𝑛−1 (c) 2 + √2 (d) 2− 2
9 2 √2 (√2)

8(a)(i) 10 (ii) 7 + 𝑛 (b) 500 mi. tonnes (c)(i) 2.25 mi. (ii) 2 × 1.06𝑛−1 mi. (d) 12 (e) Yes

𝑏 𝑎(𝑎𝑛 −𝑏 𝑛)
9(a) 𝑟 = , 𝑆(𝑛) = (b)(i)(1) 1.08𝑃 (2) 1.082 𝑃 + 1.1 × 1.08𝑃 (3) 1.083 𝑃 + 1.1 × 1.082 𝑃 + 1.12 × 1.08𝑃
𝑎 𝑎−𝑏

2 2 4 32 4
10(a) 𝑏 = 𝑎 (b)(i) 𝑏 (ii) 𝑎 (c)(i) 𝑎 (ii) 𝑎2
3 3 9 243 5

11(a) 𝑑3 = 7.2, 𝑑5 = 6.48, 𝑑2𝑛−1 = 8(0.9)𝑛−1 (b) 𝑑6 = 8.1, 𝑑2𝑛 = 10(0.9)𝑛−1 (c)(i) 80(1 − 0.9𝑛 ) (ii) 100(1 − 0.9𝑛 ) (d) 190

1 2 2
12(a)(i) 𝑄1 = 𝑃(1 + 𝑟%), 𝑄2 = 𝑃(1 + 𝑟%)2 (b) (1 + 𝑟%) (c)(i) 12.5 (ii) 14155
3 9 3

3 𝑘
13(a) 25m (b) 70 − 60 ( ) (c) 70 m
4

𝑘(𝑘−1) 𝑘(𝑘 2 +1)

14(a)(i) 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (ii) 21 (b)(i) (ii)
2 2

9√3 3√3 1 9√3 1 𝑛−1 27√3 1 27√3

15(a) (b)(i) √3 (ii) (c)(i) (ii) ( ) (iii) (1 − ) (iv)
4 4 3 4 3 8 3𝑛 8

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