CHAPTER 3: SEQUENCES

3.1 Sequences
1. Write the n th term, Tn for each of the following sequences :

(a) 1, 32 , 52 , 7 2 , … (c) x, x 2 , x 3 , x 4 ,...

4 6 8 10
(b) 1(3), 2(5), 3(7),... (d) 2, , , , ,...
3 32 33 34

3.2 Arithmetic Sequences

2. Find the sum of each arithmetic sequences.

(a) 3+7+11+15+…+ 79 (c) -15, -9, -3,.... to [ 10th term ]
(b) 9,14,19,…to [ 17th term ]

2
3. The n th term of an arithmetic sequence is given by Tn    n - 1 2 for n  1.
x
(a) Write down the first three terms of the sequence.
(b) Show that this sequence is an arithmetic sequence.
1
(c) Find the value of n such that Tn   2  18 x  .
x

4. (a) The sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic sequence is given by Sn = pn + qn2 .
Given that S3 = 6 and S5 = 11 . Find the values of p and q.
(b) The first three terms of an arithmetic progression are k - 2, k  2 and 2k - 4 .
Find the value of k .

5. (a) The sum of the first 20 terms of an arithmetic sequence is 50, and the sum of next
20 terms is - 50. Find the sum of the first 100 terms .
(b) Find the sum of even numbers between 199 and 1999.

6. Given the arithmetic sequence 5, 8, 11, 14, ...

(a) Find the first term and common difference.
(b) Find an expression for the sum of the first n terms.

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(c) Find the value of n if the sum is equal to 440.

3.3 Geometric Sequence

7. Determine the first term and the common ratio for the following geometric sequences.
8 16 1 1 1 1
(a) 4-   (b)    
3 9 2 2 2 2 4

8. The r th term of an geometric sequence is given by Tr  9 3 r -1 .  

(a) Write down the first two terms of the sequence and find the value of r when the
r th term is 3 8 .
(b) Show that this sequence is a geometric sequence.
(c) Find the sum to the 15 terms of the geometric sequence.

9. (a)A geometric sequence has 13 terms. The first and the last term are 4 and 256
respectively. Find the common ratio and the ninth term.
(b) 15, p, q,405 are four consecutive terms of a geometric sequence. Find the
values of p and q .

10. The fifth and seventh term of a geometric sequence are 18 and 54 respectively. Find the
values of the first term and common ratio. Hence, find the sum of the first ten terms, if the
sum is positive.

15 45
11. Given the geometric sequence 5, , ,  , Tn .
2 4
(a) Find the first term and the common ratio.
(b) Find the n th term.
32805
(c) What is the term is the number ?
256
(d) Determine the least number of terms that the sequence can have if its sum exceeds
200.

3.4 Applications of arithmetic and geometric sequences.

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12. Find the number of months it takes to repay a debt of RM39 750 by monthly instalments,
the first instalment being RM60 and the amount increases by RM30 each month after the
first payment. What is the final instalment?

13. An insurance representative made RM 30 000 her first year and RM60 000 her seventh
year. Assume that her annual salary figures form an arithmetic sequence. Predict what she
will make in her tenth year.

14. (a) Khoo bought a new branded notebook computer for RM5000. He wants to know
the value of his computer after 5 years, if the value depreciates at a rate of 25%
each year.
(b) The price of a new car is RM45 000. If the value of the car depreciates at a rate of
7% each year, find the value of the car (to the nearest RM) after 12 years.
(c) The value of a land in a prime area has increased by 10% each year. In year 2011,
the land was valued at RM100 000. Find the value (to the nearest RM) of the land
in the year 2025.

15. If you know that you will receive RM50 000 in ten years and want to borrow as much as
possible now. How much can you borrow now if the lender charges 12% interest and you
plan to pay the loan off when you receive the RM50 000 in ten years ?

PAST YEAR EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

2010/2011
The sum S n of the first n terms of an arithmetic progression is given by S n  pn  qn .
2
16.
The sums of the first five and ten terms are 40 and 155 respectively.
(a) Find the values of p and q. [3 marks]

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 CHAPTER 3: SEQUENCES

(b) Hence, find the nth term of the arithmetic progression and the values of the first
term, a and the common difference, d. [4 marks]

A geometric progression is given by 2, 2(0.9), 2(0.9)2, ... , show that S n  201 - 0.9  .
n
17.

S5
Hence, find . [5 marks]
S3

2011/2012
18. The ninth term and the sum of the first fifteen terms of an arithmetic progression are 24
and 330 respectively. Find the first term, a and the common difference, d. Hence, find the
least possible value n, such that the sum of the first n terms is greater than 500.
[6 marks]
19. 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. [5 marks]

(b) the sum of all the terms if given the last term is -126. [3 marks]

27
20. (a) The nth term of a sequence is Tn  n - 13. Show that the sequence is an
2
arithmetic sequence. [5 marks]

(b) The second term of a geometric sequence is 12 and the fifth term is -96.

Determine the first term, a and common ratio, r. [3 marks]

2012/2013
21. (a) The difference between the tenth and the fifth term of an arithmetic series is 20,
and the sum of the first eight terms of the series is 136. Find the first term and the
common difference. Hence, determine the value of n such that the nth term is at least 120.
[6 marks]

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 CHAPTER 3: SEQUENCES

1 1
(b) The third and the sixth term of a geometric series are and respectively.
3 81
Determine the values of the first term and common ratio. Hence, find the sum of the first
seven terms of the series.
[7 marks]

SUGGESTED ANSWERS
SEQUENCES & SERIES

2n
(a) Tn   2n - 1 (b) Tn  n 2n  1 (c) Tn  x n (d) Tn 
2
1.
3 n -1
2. (a) 820 (b) 833 (c) 120
2 2 2
3. (a) ,  2,  4 (c) n = 10
x x x
1 17
4. (a) q  , p (b) k  10
10 10
5. (a) S100  -750 (b) 810900
n
6. (a) a  5 , d  3 (b) S n   7  3n (c) n  16
2
2 a
7. (a) a  4 , d  - (b) a  r 
3 2

8. (a) T1  9, T2  27, r  7 (c) S15 

2
3 - 1  64570077
9 15

9. (a) r  2 , T9  64 (b) p  45 , q  135

10. a  2, r   3 , S10  661.2
n -1
3 3
11. (a) a  5, r  (b) 5  (c) n  9 (d) n  8
2 2

12. n  5 , T50  1530

13. T10  75000

14. (a) RM1 186.52 (b) RM18 837 (c) RM379 750

15. RM16 098.66

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1 3
16. (a) p  ,q  (b) Tn  3n - 1 ,a  2 ,d  3
2 2
17. 1.5111
18. d  2, a  8 and n  20

19. (a) 21,18,15,12,9 (b) - 750

20. (b) a  48 , d  -36
1 1093
21. a3 , r  S7 
3 243

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