SEQUENCE AND SERIES
ARITHMETIC
AND
GEOMETRIC SERIES
Specific objectives
By the end of the lesson, the student is expected
to:
• Identify arithmetic and geometric series
• Use the formula of arithmetic and geometric
series to solve problems
•
SERIES
Series is the sum of the terms of a sequence
For Example:
Sequence ⟹ 1,4, 7, 10, …
gives the Series ⟹ 1+ 4+ 7+10+ ….
ARITHMETIC SERIES/ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION
A.S./A.P is the sum of arithmetic sequence
General formula for the sum of AP
The sum of the first n term:
𝑺𝒏 = a+ [a+d] +[a+2d] + … {a+(n-1)d} …. (1)
Write the sum in the reverse order
𝑺𝒏 = {a +(n-1)d} +…[a+2d] +[a+d] + a (2)
Add (1) and (2)
2𝑺𝒏 = All the terms are 2a + (n-1)d and there are n terms
𝐧
2𝑺𝒏 = n{2a + (n-1)d } ⟹ 𝐒𝐧 = {2a + (n-1)d}
𝟐
If you know the last term, l 𝒏
⟹ 𝑺𝒏 = ( a + l)
𝟐
Example 1
• In an arithmetic series, the 3rd term is 17 and the 10th term is 52. Find the 1st term,
common difference and the and the sum of the first 20 terms.
Solution:
3rd term = a + 2d = 17 [1]
10th term = a + 9d= 52 [2]
[2] – [1]: 7d = 35 ⟹ d= 5 common difference
Using [1] a +2(5) =17 ⟹a=7
𝒏
Formula for the sum 𝑺𝒏 = { 2a + (n-1)d}
𝟐
𝟐𝟎
𝑺𝟐𝟎 = { 2× 𝟕 + 𝟐𝟎 − 𝟏 𝟓} = 1090
𝟐
Example 2- Try this !
a) In AP the 𝑠8 = 56 and 𝑠20 = 260. Calculate the first term and the
common difference.
Answers:
First term is 3.5 and common difference is 1
b) Find the sum of the first 30 terms of the given A.P.
4 + 11+ 18+….+ 39
Answers
𝑠30 = 86
GEOMETRIC SERIES/ GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION
• Is the sum of the terms of a geometric sequence
(i) G.Sequence ⟹ 1, 3, 9, 27, 81, …
G. Series/ G.P. ⟹ 1+3 +9 + 27+ 81+…
(ii) G. sequence 2, 6, 18, 54, ….
Gives G. Series 2+6+18+54+…..
Sum of n term of geometric series
𝑠𝑛 = a +ar + a𝑟 2 + … a𝑟 𝑛−1 (i)
Multiply by r
r𝑠𝑛 = ar + a𝑟 2 + a𝑟 3 + …a𝑟 𝑛−1 + a𝑟 𝑛 (ii)
Subtract (i) from (ii) or (ii) from (i)
r𝒔𝒏 - 𝒔𝒏 = a𝒓𝒏 − 𝐚 ⟹ 𝒔𝒏 (r-1) = a(𝒓𝒏 -1)
a(𝑟 𝑛 −1)
𝑠𝑛 = , if 𝑟 > 1
(r−1)
OR
a(1−𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑠𝑛 = , 𝑖𝑓 𝑟 < 1
(1−r)
Example 1
Find the sum of the first 8 terms of the G.P. 2+ 6+ 18 + 54 + …
Solution:
𝟔 𝟏𝟖 𝟓𝟒
r= = = = 3, a=2
𝟐 𝟔 𝟏𝟖
a(𝒓𝒏 −1)
∴ 𝒔𝒏 =
(r−1)
2(38− 1)
𝒔𝟖 = = 6560
(3−1)
Example 2
In a geometric series, the first term is 2 and the common ratio is 3. Find the
number of terms that will give a sum of 242.
Solution:
a= 2; r= 3
a(𝒓𝒏 −1)
𝒔𝒏 =
(r−1)
2(𝟑𝒏 −1) 2(𝟑𝒏 −1)
∴ =242 ⟹ =242 ⟹ (𝟑𝒏 −1) = 242
(3−1) 2
𝟑𝒏 = 242+1 ⟹ 𝟑𝒏 = 243
𝟑𝒏 = 𝟑𝟓
n= 5
∴ The number of terms that give a sum of 242 is 5
Try this!
In the G.P. (4)+ (-8) + (16) + …., find the sum of the first seven terms.
Solution
a= 4, r= -2 and n=7
a(𝟏−𝒓𝒏 )
𝒔𝒏 =
(1−r)
4(𝟏−(−𝟐)𝟕 ) 𝟒(𝟏+𝟏𝟐𝟖)
∴ 𝒔𝟕 = ⟹
(1−(−2)) 𝟑
𝟒×𝟏𝟐𝟗
= = 172
𝟑
Note: If the index of the –ve number is odd, the resulting number is –ve but if the
index of the –ve number is even, the result is +ve.
Exercise
1. The sum of the first 6 term of arithmetic series is 51. If the first term
is -4, find the common difference
2. The sum of the first four terms of A.P is 46. If the sum of the first
term 10 terms is 25, find the first term and the common difference.
3. The sum of the first three terms of a geometric series is 35. If the
common ratio is 2, what is the first term?
4. The fourth term of G.P. is 192. If the first term of the G.P. is 3, find
(a) the common ratio
(b) the number of terms that will give a sum of 255.
_END_
