Topic 3 Sequences
Topic 3 Sequences
Topic 3 : Sequences
TOPIC 3: SEQUENCES
ln x , ln x 2 , ln x 3 , ln x 4 ,... ln x
n
(d) Ans: Tn
3 5 7 9 2n 1
1 1 1 1 1
(e) , , , ..., Ans: Tn
2•3 4•4 6•5 8• 6 2n n 2
2. Determine the common difference, the nth term, the fifth term and the 100th
term of the arithmetic sequences.
(a) 18,11, 4,... Ans: d 7, Tn 25 7n, T5 10, T100 675
(b) 6, 7 2n,8 4n,9 6n,...
Ans: d 1 2n, Tn 2n2 n 5, T5 50, T100 19905
3. (a) Show that Tn 5n 1 is an arithmetic sequence. Find the first term and the
common difference. Ans: a 4, d 5
(b) The 97th term of an arithmetic sequence is 340, and the common difference is
7 15
, find the first three terms. Ans: a 4, T2 , T3 11
2 2
(c) Which term of the arithmetic sequences 7, 8, 9,… is 82? Ans: n 76
7. The first term of an arithmetic sequence is 2. Given the nth term is 32 and the sum of
the first nth terms equal to 357. Find n . Ans: 21
8. Write down the fifth term and the nth term of the following geometric sequences
(a) 2, 4, 8,… Ans: 32, Tn 2n
1 1 4 n
, Tn 1 2
n 1
(b) first term 8, common ratio . Ans:
2 2
1 1 1
(c) first term = 3, last term , 6 terms Ans: 27 , Tn 3n 2
81
n1
1
9. The nth term of a particular sequence is 2 . Show that the sequence is a
3
geometric sequence. Write an expression for the sum of the first n terms of this
1 1
2 n
2 1
3 3
sequences. Ans: S n 1
1
3
10. Find the sum, to the number of terms given, of the following geometric sequence
(a) 3, 6,12,... , 6 terms Ans: 189
1 1 1
19
11. Find the common ratio, given that it is negative, of a geometric sequence whose first
1 1
term is 8 and whose fifth term is . Ans: - 2
2
1 1
12. Find the sum of the first n terms of the geometric sequence 2, , ,... and find the
2 8
8 1
n
least value of n for which this sum exceeds 2.65. Ans: Sn 1 , n 4
3 4
1
13. If the sum of the first nth terms of a geometric sequence is S n 151 n .
3
Find
400
(a) the sum of the first four terms Ans: 27
10
(b) the fourth term Ans: 27
1 1
14. The third and the sixth terms of a geometric series are and respectively.
2 16
Determine the values of the first term and the common ratio. Hence, find the sum of the
1 511
first nine terms of the series. Ans: a 2, r 2 , S9 128
15. The sum of the first k terms of an arithmetic series is 777. The first term is 3 and the
k -th term is 77. Obtain the value of k and the eleventh term of the series. Ans: 21,37
18. The r th term of an arithmetic progression 1 6r . Find in term of n , the sum of the
first n term of the progression. Ans: Sn 4n 3n2
19. The first term and common difference of an arithmetic progression are a and 2 ,
respectively. The sum of the first n terms is equal to the sum of the first 3n terms.
Express a in terms of n . Hence, show that n 7 if a 27 . Ans: a 4n 1, n 7
21. The third term of an arithmetic series is 15. If the sixth term is half of the fourth term,
determine
(a) the first five terms of the series Ans: 21,18,15,12,9
(b) the sum of all term if given the last term is 126 . Ans: -2625
27
22. (a) The nth term of a sequence is Tn n 13 . Show that the sequence is an
2
arithmetic sequence.
(b) The second term of a geometric sequence is 12 and the fifth term is 96 .
Determine the first term, a , common ratio and r . Ans: - 6, -2
23. (a) The difference between the tenth and the fifth term of an arithmetic series is
20, and the sum of the first eight of the series is 136. Find the first term and the
common difference. Hence, determine the value of n such that the n -th term is at
least 120. Ans: a 3, d 4, n 31
1 1
(b) The third and the six term of a geometric series are and respectively.
3 81
Determine the values of the first term and the common ratio. Hence, find the
1 1093
sum of the first seven terms of the series. Ans: a 3, r 3 , 243