Mesa Community College

College Algebra Concepts - MAT 150 online

Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences

Proofs

Instructor: Dr.Jo Steig

The broad concept of a sequence is already familiar to you in that a sequence is merely a special case of a function. That is, there is a domain, a range, and a rule that tells how the domain elements generate the range elements. Furthermore, each domain element (input) is related to EXACTLY ONE range element (output). What makes the sequence special is that the domain is the set of natural numbers which provides a means to order the range. Since the natural numbers (or counting numbers) are the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . . . . the output is ordered based on the domain element. That is, the first term of the sequence corresponds to an input of 1, the second terms corresponds to an input of 2, and so on.

Sequence notation
To identify a sequence as being a special function and to highlight its property of order, we introduce sequence notation that is slightly modified from familiar function notation. Here are some examples of both function notation and modified sequence notation. Function notation f(x) = 2x + 5 f(3) = 2(3) + 5 f(x + 1) = 2(x + 1) + 5 Sequence notation an = 2n + 5 a3 = 2(3) + 5 = 11 an+1 = 2(n+1) + 5 = 2n + 7

In the previous table, an is called the general (or nth term) of the sequence. It is the rule by which all of the terms of the sequence can be generated. a3 indicates the 3rd term of the sequence and an+1 stands for the term right after an. an and an+1 are called consecutive terms of a sequence.

Two of the types of sequences that are covered in your text are arithmetic andgeometric. These types of sequences are used in college algebra books to introduce you to sequences because they are relatively simple and have clearly defined patterns. Geometric sequences often serve as a jumping off point in calculus classes when sequences are visited again. Here we will use the definition of an arithmetic sequence to PROVE that a sequence is arithmetic and to identify the general form that describes an arithmetic sequence. We will then do the same for a geometric sequence.

Arithmetic sequence
Definition: An arithmetic sequence is one in which the difference between ANY two consecutive terms in the sequence is a constant. By saying that the difference between any two consecutive terms is a constant we mean that the difference between two terms is not dependent upon which two consecutive terms we subtract. That is, we will always get the same number. Stated algebraically: an+1 - an = d, where d stands for the constant difference. We use the algebraic definition of an arithmetic to prove that a general term of a sequence defines an arithmetic sequence.

Example 1: Prove that an = 2n + 5 defines an arithmetic sequence.

Restatement of the problem (English): Show that the difference between ANY two consecutive terms in the sequence is a constant. Restatement of the problem (algebra): Show that an+1 an= d

Proof: an = 2n + 5 an+1 = 2(n + 1) + 5 = 2n + 7 an+1 - an = (2n + 7) - (2n + 5) = 2n + 7 - 2n - 5 = 2 (which is a constant) Since the difference between ANY two consecutive terms in the sequence is a constant, the sequence is arithmetic. There are two additional interesting points that can be made about the results of the last example: an = 2n + 5 (1) The form of the general term is LINEAR. Recall that a linear function is one defined by a first degree polynomial. In Section 2.2 your text defined a linear function (in x) as one of the form f(x) = mx + b. It is generally the case that the general term of an arithmetic sequence is linear. (2) The coefficient of the variable is the constant difference. It would be the slope of the line if you graphed the function. This gives us a quick way to identify many of the arithmetic sequences that we will encounter.

Example 2: Prove that an = 4 - 3n is arithmetic

Proof: The definition of an arithmetic sequence states that an+1- an = d. an = 4 - 3n an+1 = 4 - 3(n+1) = 1 - 3n an+1 - a n= (1 - 3n) - (4 - 3n) = 1 - 3n - 4 + 3n = -3 (which is a constant) Since the difference between ANY two consecutive terms is a constant, the sequnce is arithmetic. Again, notice that the general term of the sequence is linear and that the constant difference ( - 3) is the coefficient of the variable. Occasionally

an arithmetic function can be disguised so that it does not look linear. Here is an example of such a sequence.

Example 3: Prove that an = log (3n) defines an arithmetic sequence.

Proof: The definition of an arithmetic sequence states that an+1- an = d. an = log (3n) an+1 = log (3n+1) an+1 - an = log (3n+1) - log (3n) = (n+1)log 3 - n log 3 = n log 3 + log 3 - n log 3 = log 3 (which is a constant). Since the difference between ANY two consecutive terms is a constant, the sequnce is arithmetic.

Why go to all of this trouble?

At this point you might be wondering why we don't just pick a couple of pairs of consecutive terms in the sequence, subtract them, and see if we get the same number. If we do, wouldn't that be enough to show that the sequence is arithmetic? The answer is NO (of course, if the answer were yes then we would have already done it). We can prove that a sequence is NOT ARITHMETIC by showing that subtracting two different pairs of consecutive terms DOES NOT give the same number. But we cannot show that we WILL ALWAYS get the same number if we just try a couple of pairs.

You might think of it this way: Suppose you want to find out if everyone in the world has a high school degree. So, you survey 6 people.

Possibility 1: All of those surveyed do have a high school degree. Have you proved that EVERYONE in the world has a high school degree? No, of course not. You can only say that those 6 have a high school degree. Possibility 2 : At least one individual surveyed DID NOT have a high school degree. Can you conclude that not everyone has a high school degree? Yes, because not everyone that you surveyed had one. Possibility 3: No one surveyed had a high school degree (perhaps you surveyed 3rd graders). Have you proved that NO ONE in the world has a high school degree? No. As in Possibility 1, you have merely shown that these 6 people do not have degrees.

When we want to prove that a statement is ALWAYS true then we have to work a good deal harder than if we want to show that the statement is not true. Now we turn our attention to the geometric sequence.

Geometric Sequence
Definition: A geometric sequence is one in which the ratio between ANY two consecutive terms in the sequence is a constant. By saying that the ratio between any two consecutive terms is a constant we mean that the ratio between two terms is not dependent upon which two consecutive terms we divide - we will always get the same number. Stated algebraically: an+1/ an = r, where r stands for the constant ratio.

Example 4: Prove that an = 3n is a geometric sequence.

Restatement of the problem (English): Show that the ratio of ANY two consecutive terms in the sequence is a constant. Restatement of the problem (algebra): Show that an+1/an = r

Proof: The definition of a geometric sequence states that an+1/an = r . an = 3n an+1 = 3n+1 an+1/an = (3n+1)/3n = 3n+1-n (when we divde like bases we subtract the exponents) = 3 (which is a constant) Since the ratio of ANY two consecutive terms is a constant, the sequence is geometric.

Example 5: Prove that an = (2/3)n-1 is a geometric sequence.

Proof: The definition of a geometric sequence states that an+1/an = r . an = (2/3)n-1 an+1 = (2/3)(n+1)-1 = (2/3)n an+1/an = (2/3)n/(2/3)n-1 = (2/3)n - (n-1) =(2/3)n - n + 1 (when we divde like bases we subtract the exponents) = 2/3 (which is a constant) Since the ratio of ANY two consecutive terms is a constant, the sequence is geometric. Two additional points about the results of the two geometric sequence examples: (1) Loosely speaking, the form of the general term is EXPONENTIAL. Recall that an exponential function is one of the form f(x) = bx, where b > 0 and b is not 1. The restriction b > 0 was placed on the base so that we did not take the even root of a negative number, which could have occurred if x =

1/2, 1/4, etc. With sequences, however, the exponent will always be a natural number (1, 2, 3, .....) so the problem with even roots will never occur. In some of the examples in the text you might notice that b will take on both positive and negative values. (2) The base of the exponential is the constant ratio. In Example 4: an = 3n..........r = 3 In Example 5: an = (2/3)n-1........r = 2/3 It is possible to construct a geometric sequence that does not look like an exponential and one in which the constant ratio is not obviously the base, but these two points can be used to help quickly identify many of the geometric sequences that you will encounter in your text. While we can often identify a sequence that we expect to be either arithmetic or geometric by the form of its general term (nth term), a full proof as demonstrated in Examples 1 - 5 would still be required to for irrefutable verification.

This a good point to return to your text to read more about sequences in general, as well as those classified as arithmetic and geometric.

1998 Jo Steig