Activity 4 - Geometric Sequence

ST.
HANNIBAL DE FRANCE TUTORIAL CENTER

TOPIC : Geometric Sequence and Series
LEVEL : Grade 10
Geometric Sequence
A geometric sequence is a type of sequence in which each subsequent term after the first term is
determined by multiplying the previous term by a constant (not 1), which is referred to as the
common ratio. The following is a geometric sequence in which each subsequent term is
multiplied by 2:
3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, ...
Determine if the sequence is arithmetic or geometric, and then find the next
three terms.
1. -2, -4, -8, -16, ___, ___, ___ 2. 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, ___, ___, ___
3. 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, ___, ___, ___ 4. 1, 1.5, 2.25, 3.375, ___, ___, ___
The general form of a geometric sequence can be written as,
a, ar, ar2, ar3, ar4,...
where r cannot be equal to 1, and the first term of the sequence, a, scales the sequence. If r is
equal to 1, the sequence is a constant sequence, not a geometric sequence.
To determine the nth term of the sequence, the following formula can be used:
an = arn-1
where an is the nth term in the sequence, r is the common ratio, and a is the value of the first term.
Example: Find the 8th term in the following sequence: 96, 48, 24, 12, 6, …
To find the common ratio, divide each term by the one before it.
1
48  96  , 24  48  1 , 12  24  1 The common ratio is 1
.
2 2 2 2
( 8 1)
1
a8  96 
2
7
1
a8  96 
2
The 8th term of the sequence is 0.75.
1
a8  96 
128
a8  0 .75
Practice:
1. Find the next three terms: 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, _____, _____, _____ .
2. Find the 9th term: 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, … _________
3. Find the 7th term: 1, 6, 36, 216, 1,296, … __________
4. Find the 11th term: 1, –2, 4, –8, 16, … _________
Determine if the sequence is arithmetic or geometric, and then find the given
term.
1. 11th term: 5, 3, 1, –1, … ____________
2. 23rd term: 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, … _____________
3. 6th term: 25, 75, 225, 675, … ______________

4. 22nd term: –2, –5, –8, –11, –14, … ____________
5. 10th term: a1 = 320, r = 0.5
6. 50th term: –9, 2, 13, 24, 35, … ______________
7. Mariano received a bonus of $50 for working the day after Thanksgiving,
plus his regular wage of $9.45 an hour. If his total wages for the day were
$135.05, how many hours did he work?
8. Heather makes $6.50 per hour. Every three months, she is eligible for a 2%
raise. How much will she make after 2 years if she gets a raise every time
she is eligible?
Derivations of Formulas
𝒂𝒏 𝒏 𝟏 𝒂𝒏
𝟏 𝒓𝒏 𝟏 𝒂𝟏
Solve for an
1. 3, 9, 27, 81,… 14th term

2. 1/3, 1/6, 1/12,....... 20th term
3. 120,60,30,18,… 10th term
4. a1 = 16, r = ¼ 5th term
5. a1 = 120, r = ½ 8th term
Solve for a1
1. r = 3, n = 8, an = 13, 122
2. r = 2, 13th term is 36,864
Solve for r
1. -3, -45, -675, …
2. a1= 2/5 a6 = 250/81
3. a1 = -27 a4 = 1,728
Solving n in a geometric sequence

 In solving n for a geometric sequence the following must be
considered:
an must be even
a1 must be even
r must be even
Find the number of terms in the geometric sequence
6, 12, 24, …, 1536
𝟏 𝒏
Substitute:
𝒏 𝟏
𝒏 𝟏
1,536 = (6)2
1,536
=2
6
256 = 2
Convert so that both
r have same bases
2 =2
8=𝑛−1
8+1=𝑛
𝑛=9
Solve for n
a. 4, 8, 16,…,8192
b. 1/3, 1/9, 1/27,................1/2187
c. Find the number of terms in the geometric sequence :1, 2, 4, 8, ......., 512
Solving for the nth term given 2 non-consecutive numbers in

a geometric sequence
Example 4th term = 125
10th term = 125/ 64
14th term = ?
First solve for r

𝒎 𝒏 𝒎
𝒏
125
𝑟= 64
125
1 1
𝑟= =
64 2
Next solve for 𝒏
𝑎 =𝑎 𝑟 (based on the given)

𝑎 = 125 =
Activity:
1. The second term and the 5th term of a geometric sequence are 5 and 4
respectively. What is the 7th term
2. Given the 4th term of a geometric sequence is ¼ and the 8th term is 4/81. Find
the common ratio, and the 15th term
3. Given the 5th and the 7th term of a geometric sequence are 14 and 0.56,
respectively. Find the common ratio, the first term and the 10th term
Sum of Geometric Sequence (finite)

The sum of a geometric sequence is also called geometric series
𝒏
𝟏
𝒏
Example : The sum of the first 12 terms of the geometric sequence:

3, -9, 27, -81, 243, …
Where: a1 = 3 n = 12 r = -3
𝒏
𝟏
𝒏
Activity:
1. Find the sum of the first 10 terms of a geometric sequence with first term, 12
and common ratio, ½
2. a1= ½ , r = 4, n = 6
3. a1= 13 , r = 4, n = 7
4. Find the sum of the first 6 terms of the geometric sequence: 3, -6, 12, …
5. A rubber ball dropped on a hard surface from a height of 80 feet and bounces
up and down. On each rebound, it bounces exactly one-half the distance it
came down. How far will the ball have travelled if you catch it after it reaches
the top of the seventh bounce?
Sum of Geometric Sequence (infinite)
In getting the sum of an Infinite Geometric Sequence only

the first term and common ratio are given.
Literally the sum cannot be determined. This type of

problem can be solved using Calculus
Where a1 is the first term and r is the common ratio and ‫׀‬r‫< ׀‬1
This will help you determine if solving the sum of a given
infinite geometric sequence is possible.
Example 1:
Solve for r 𝑟 = = = 1 5 since ‫׀‬r‫ ׀‬is less than 1, the series converges so
the sum of this sequence can be determined
Example 2:
Solve for r 𝑟 = = = 3 since ‫׀‬r‫ ׀‬is greater than 1, the series diverges so the
sum of this sequence cannot be determined
Activity. Find the sum for each infinite geometric series, if it exists. Explain why
the sum exists or not.
1. 1, ½, ¼, …
2. 5, 1, 1/5, …
3. 4, 2, 1,…
4. 7, 28, 112
Geometric Mean
Example 1 : Insert two geometric means between 6 and 750
6, _____, _____, 750
First find r using the formula

𝒏 𝟏 𝒏
𝟏
𝟒 𝟏
Then complete the sequence

6, 30, 150, 750
Example 2 : Find the geometric of 4 and 484
The required mean satisfies the equation:

𝑏 = 4(484) = ±44
Therefore, the geometric mean of 4 and 484 is ± 44
Activity 1. Insert the n umber of geometric means between the given numbers
1. two between3 and 5,184

2. three between 2 and 512
3. three between 10 and 810
4. two between -22 and -176
5. three between – ½ and – 128
Activity 2. Find the geometric mean between each pair of number

1. 9 and 16 4. -2 and 98
2. 1 and 36 5. 1/3 and 27
3. ½ and 50 6. 5 and 20

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ST.

HANNIBAL DE FRANCE TUTORIAL CENTER

3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, ...

The general form of a geometric sequence can be written as,

a, ar, ar2, ar3, ar4,...

2. Find the 9th term: 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, … _________

3. Find the 7th term: 1, 6, 36, 216, 1,296, … __________

4. Find the 11th term: 1, –2, 4, –8, 16, … _________

1. 11th term: 5, 3, 1, –1, … ____________

2. 23rd term: 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, … _____________

3. 6th term: 25, 75, 225, 675, … ______________

5. 10th term: a1 = 320, r = 0.5

6. 50th term: –9, 2, 13, 24, 35, … ______________

1. 3, 9, 27, 81,… 14th term

Solving n in a geometric sequence

Find the number of terms in the geometric sequence

6, 12, 24, …, 1536

Solving for the nth term given 2 non-consecutive numbers in

First solve for r

𝑎 =𝑎 𝑟 (based on the given)

Sum of Geometric Sequence (finite)

Example : The sum of the first 12 terms of the geometric sequence:

Sum of Geometric Sequence (infinite)

In getting the sum of an Infinite Geometric Sequence only

Literally the sum cannot be determined. This type of

Example 1 : Insert two geometric means between 6 and 750

6, _____, _____, 750

First find r using the formula

Then complete the sequence

The required mean satisfies the equation:

Therefore, the geometric mean of 4 and 484 is ± 44

1. two between3 and 5,184

Activity 2. Find the geometric mean between each pair of number

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6, _, _, 750