MAA [1.

4] GEOMETRIC SEQUENCES
SOLUTIONS
Compiled by: Christos Nikolaidis

O. Practice questions

1. (a) u1 = 10, r  2
(b) 5120
(c) 10230
(d) 10  2 n 1 (= 5  2 n )
(e) n  12

2. (a) u1 = 10, r  0.5

(b) 0.0195
(c) 19.98
(d) 10  0.5 n 1 (= 20  0.5 n )
(e) n6
10
(f) Since 1  r  1 , S   20
1  0.5
3. (a) r2
(b) 0.0195
(c) 80
(d) 9
(e) u9  1280
(f) Since r  1

1 5 1 5
4. (i) S   (ii) S   
2 3 2 7
1 1
5 5
5. (a) (i) 2k  k  k  60  2k  2k  60  k  30
(ii) 30,60,90 and d  30
2k k  60 k  60
(b) (i)  2  4k  k  60  3k  60  k  20
k 2k 2k
(ii) 20,40,80 and r  2

6. (i) 2046 (ii) 1

7. (a) 5  3n1  100000 , n  10

(b) u10  98415

5  (3n  1)
(c)  100000 , n  9
3 1

1
8. (a) r  3 , u1  5
1
(b) r  , u1  2657205
3
(c) r  3 , u1  5 OR r  3 , u1  5
1
(d) r  , u1  20
2

A. Exam style questions (SHORT)

9. (a) u10 = 3(0.9)9

(b) r = 0.9
3 3
S= = = 30
1  0.9 0.1
1
10. (a) (0.2)
5
9 n 1
1 1
(b) (i) u10  25  = 0.0000128, (ii) u n  25 
5 5
125
(c) S=  31.25  31.3 to 3 s f 
4

2
11. (a) r=
3
(b) u15 = 1.39
(c) S = 1215
54 162 486
12. (a)    3 hence geometric
18 54 162
(b) (i) r = 3, un = 18  3n  1
(ii) 18  3 n  1 = 1062882  n = 11

a 1 2 1
13. (a)   a=4 OR  a=4
8 2 a 2
7
1
(b) 8    0.0625
2

  1 12 
8    1
 2  
(c)   16.0 (3 s. f ) ( 4095/256)
1
1
2
1
14. (a) 0.5  
2
(b) (i) a = 4 (ii) b = 1
16(1  0.5 n )
(c) = 31.9375
(1  0.5)
n=9

2
 1800 1800
15. (a) dividing two terms e.g.  ,
3000 1080
r =  0.6
(b) u10 = 3000( 0.6)9 = 30.2 (exact value 30.233088)
3000
(c) S = 1875
1 .6

16  1 
16. (a) r=  
32  2 
6 1
1
(b) u6 = 32 ×   =1
2
OR 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 u6 = 1
32
(c) S ∞= ,= 64
1
1
2
1 27 81
17. r=  S 
1
S   20.25
3 4
1
3
2
u 3 2 3 2
18. S= 1  =  =
1 r  2 3 5 5
1  
 3
2
19. u1 = –12 and r =
3
 12  36
S = = or – 7.2
 2 5
1  
 3
20. (a) u1  48,  u 2  192 ,
u 2 192
r=  =4
u1 48
u1 ( r n  1) 48( 4 n  1)
(b) Sn =  = 16(4n – 1)
( r  1) 3

21. 2 × 1.05n–1 > 500 so 1.05n–1 > 250

METHOD A: Trial and error;

The smallest integer that satisfies the inequality is n = 115. Then u115 = 521

METHOD B: By using GDC SolveN or Graphical solution

The smallest integer that satisfies the inequality is n = 115. Then u115 = 521

 3  2  = 6 + 12 + 24 = 42
3
n
22. (a)
n 1

 3  2  = 24570.
12
n
(b)
n 1

3
 2500
23. (a) r= = 1.25
2000
2000(1.25 6  1)
(b) S6 = = 22517.57813........ = 22518 (to the nearest dollar)
1.25  1

8320
24. (a) r=  r = 1.04
8000
(b) Fees = 8000 (1.04)6 = 10122.55 USD (USD not required)
8000(1.04 8  1)
(c) Total = = 73713.81 USD (USD not required)
1.04  1

25. (a) (i) 2 minutes + 6 seconds + 6 seconds = 2 minutes 12 seconds

(or 2.2 minutes)
(ii) 2(1.05)2 = 2.205
2(1.0510  1)
(b) S10 = = 25.2 minutes (or 25 minutes 12 seconds)
(1.05  1)
(c) the common difference for John is 6 seconds = 0.1 minutes
10
S10 = ( 2  2  9  0.1) = 24.5 minutes
2
(or 24 minutes 30 seconds)

26. (a) Let the population at the end of 1999 be x.

44100 x
  x = 42 000
x 40000
44100
(b) r= = 1.05
42000
un = u1rn–1
METHOD A
Assume that u1 if for 1992 and u5 = 40 000 is for 1996

40 000 = u1(1.05)4
u1 = 32 908 (or 32 900 to 3 s.f.)
METHOD B
For 4 years before 1996 we divide 40 000 by (1.05)4
40000
 32908
1.054

27. (a) 28 = 7r2

r=2
(b) 114681

4
 8  4 2
28. (a) u3 = 8  8 = 18r2  r2 =    r = 
18  9  3
u1
(b) S  ,
1 r
54 54
S   54 , ( 10.8) S = 54 and S = (=10.8)
5 5
(c) 18, 12, 8 and 18, –12, 8
29.

u1 18 27
(b) S   
1 r 1 2
1
3

36  1 
30. (a) r=  
108  3 
7
1
(b) u1   = 36  u1 = 78732
 3

  1 k 
787321    
  3 
 
(c) 118096 =
 1 
1  
 3
k = 10

31. (a) u1r4 = 324  u1r = 12  r3 = 27  r = 3

(b) 4 × 39 = 78732
(c) 4 × 3k–1 > 2000
k > 6, So k = 7

1 3 1
32. (a) u4 = u1 r 3  r   r=3
81 3
1 n
(3  1)
(b) 81  40;  n > 7.9888... So n = 8
2
(c) S7 = 13.49...;, S8 = 40.49... which is > 40

33. (a) (i) –2/3 (ii) –243 (b) –133 (c) -729/5

5
 x 45
34. (a)   x  225  x  15 or x  15
2
5 x
(b) if x  15 , then y  135 , if x   15 , then y  135

35. 1 – a = b – 1 and b = a2  a2 + a – 2 = 0  a = –2, b = 4

2 3
2 2 2
36. k+ k    k    k + ......... = 1
3  
3 3
 
 
k
1  = 1 so k = 1
 2 3
1  
 3

2x 3
37. (a) –1 < < 1. This gives –1.5 < x < 1.5 or x<
3 2
1
(b) When x = 1.2, the common ratio is r = 0.8 and the sum is =5
1  0.8

38. (a) r  4  3x
5
(b) 1  4  3 x  1  1  x 
3
(c) x  1.2  u1  0.8 r  0.4
0.8 4
(i) S   ( =1.333…)
0.6 3
0.8(1  0.4 n )
(ii) S n   1.328 , Solving gives n  6.02 , 7 terms are needed.
0.6

u1 (1  r 2 ) u1
39. (a)  15 (1),  27 (2)
1 r 1 r
15 5 4 2
Divide (1) by (2): 1 – r2 =   r2   r 
27 9 9 3
1
(b) u1 = 27 × = 9
3

u1 27 u1 (1  r 3 )
40.  (1) and  13 (2)
1 r 2 1 r
13 26 1 1
Divide (1) by (2): 1 – r3    r3  r
27 27 27 3
2
Therefore, u1 = 9.

u1 u (1  r 4 )
41. S   32 and S 4  1  30
1 r 1 r
30 15 1 1
Divide S 4 by S  : 1  r 4    r4   r  and so u1  16
32 16 16 2
16(1  0.5 8 )
S   S 8  32   32  32(1  0.5 8 )  32  0.5 8  0.0125
1  0.5

6
42. (a) u11 = u1 + 10d  –16 + 10d = 39  10d = 55  d = 5.5

(b) u 3  u1r 2  u1r2 = 12

16
u 5  u1r 4  u1r4 =
3
 16 
 
r     r
2 3 16 4 2
12 36 9 3

43. (a) u96 = u1 + 95d = 0 + 95 ×12 = 1140

(b) 6r5 = 16d  6r5= 16 × 12  6r5= 192  r5 = 32  r = 2

(c) 0  (n  1)  12  6  2 n 1  n = 2 or n = 3
(Indeed, the 2nd term of each sequence is 12, the 3rd term of each sequence is 24)

44. u1  2(  S1 ) u2  S 2  u1  10  d  8
u32  250
um u32
u2 , um and u32 in geometric progression  
u2 um
 um2  u2  u32  10  250  um  50
( um  50 not possible) um  50  2  8( m  1)  m  7 .
45. (a) let the first three terms of the geometric sequence be
u1 + 2d, u1 + 3d and u1 + 6d
u1  6d u1  3d

u1  3d u1  2d
u12  8u1 d  12d 2  u12  6u1 d  9d 2
2 u1 + 3d = 0
3 3
u1 = – d or a = – d
2 2
a  6d  1.5d  6d 4.5d
(b) r   3
a  3d  1.5d  3d 1.5d

u1  15d u1  10d
46. (a) r  
u1  10d u1
u12  20u1 d  100 d 2  u12  15u1 d
 0  5u1 d  100d 2  0  u1  20d u1  20d
u  10d  20d  10d 1
r 1 ( )r
u1  20d 2
u
(b) 18  1  u1  9
1
1
2
9
d  (= -0.45)
20

7
B. Exam style questions (LONG)

47. (a) 0.5 (b) 31.25 (c) 999.023 (d) 7 (e) 7.8125
360 240 3
48. (a) r=   = 1.5
240 160 2
(b) 2002 is the 13th year.
u13 = 160(1.5)13–1 = 20759
(c) 5000 = 160(1.5)n–1  n = 9.49  10th year  1999
OR
Find , u9 = 4100.625 u10 = 6150.9375.  10th year  1999
1.513  1 
(d) S13 = 160   = 61958
 1.5  1 
(e) Nearly everyone would have bought a portable telephone so there
would be fewer people left wanting to buy one OR Sales would saturate.

1
49. (a) (i) Area B = , area C = 64
16
1 1
16  1 64  1 (Ratio is the same.)
(ii)
1 4 1 4
4 16
1
(iii) Common ratio =
4
1 1 5
(b) (i) Total area (S2) =   = (= 0.3125) (0.313, 3 s.f.)
4 16 16
1   1  
8
1  
4   4  
(ii) Required area = S8 =  = 0.333328 2(471...) = 0.333328 (6 s.f.)
1
1
4
1
1
(c) Sum to infinity = 4 =
1 3
1
4

50. (a) (i) PQ = AP 2  AQ 2 = 22  22 = 42  = 2 2 cm

(ii) Area of PQRS = (2 2 ) (2 2 ) =8 cm2

(b) (i) Side of third square =  2    2  = 4 = 2 cm

2 2

Area of third square = 4 cm2

1st 16 2 nd 8 8 4 1
(ii) nd
 rd
  Geometric progression, r =  
2 8 3 4 16 8 2
10
10 1 16 1
(c) (i) u11 = u1r = 16   = = ( = 0.015625 = 0.0156, 3 s.f.)
2 1024 64
u 16
(ii) S = 1 = = 32
1– r 1– 1
2

8
51. (a) (i) r = 2
(ii) u15 = 3 (2)14 = 49152 (accept 49200)
(b) (i) 2, 6, 18
(ii) r=3
x 1 2 x  8
(c)   x2 + 2x + 1 = 2x2 + 2x  24  x2 = 25  x = 5 or x = 5
x  3 x 1

x = 5
1
(d) (i) r=
2
8
(ii) S= S = 16
1
1
2
1  3n
52. (a)  29 524  n = 10.
1 3
1
(b) Common ratio is , (0.333 (3s. f .)
3
10
1
1  
(c) 3 = 1.50 (3s.f.)
1
1
3
10 1000
1 1
(d) Both   and   (or those numbers divided by 2/3) are 0 when
 3  3
corrected to 3s.f., so they make no difference to the final answer.
Notes: Accept any valid explanation
(e) The sequence given is G1 + G2
The sum is 29 524 + 1.50 = 29 525.5
1 1
53. (a) 1024r3 = 128  r3 =  r= = 0.5
8 2
(b) 1024 × 0.510 = 1
  1 8 
10241    
 2 
 
(c) S8 = = 2040
1
1
2
  1 n 
10241    
 2 
 
(d) > 2047.968
1
1
2
n = 16
(e) S15 = 2047.9375
S16 = 2047.96875
So n = 16

9
54. (a) (i) T1 = $250
d = $200
T10 = 250 + 9 × 200 = 2050
(ii) T1 = $10
r=2
T10 = 10 × 29 = 5120
10 10
(b) S10 = (250 + 2050) = 11500 OR S10 = {2 × 250 + (10 – 1) × 200}= 11500
2 2
(c) Option One: $10000
Option Two: $11500
10( 210  1)
Option Three: S10 = = 10 230
2 1
Therefore, Option Two would be best.

55. (a) u1 = 135 + 7(1) = 142

(b) u2 = 135 + 7(2) = 149
d = 149 – 142=7 (OR alternatives)
n[2(142)  7( n  1)] n[277  7 n] 7n 2 277 n
(c) Sn = = =  (= 3.5n2 + 138.5n)
2 2 2 2
(d) 20r3 = 67.5  r3 = 3.375  r = 1.5
20(1.5 7  1)
(e) T7 = = 643 (accept 643.4375)
(1.5  1)

20(1.5 n  1) 7 n 2 277 n
(f)  
(1.5  1) 2 2
n = 10

10