Section 9.

3
Geometric
Sequences and
series
Objective:
1. How recognize a geometric sequence or series
2. How to write geometric sequence rule
3. How to find finite and infinite geometric sums
Geometric Sequence: multiplying each term by a
common ratio (r).
Example: 3, 12, 48, r = 4

Example: 100, 50, 25 r =

Formula:

nth term 1
st
term common ratio Term #
1
1

=
n
n
r a a
Find the next 3 terms of each geometric
sequence.
1) 2)
3 , 2
1
= = r a
2 , 3
1
= = r a
54 , 18 , 6
6 2 , 3 2 , 6
Find the next four terms of each geometric sequence.

3) 16, 24, 36, ____, ____, ____, ____





4) 162, 108, 72, ____, ____, ____, ____
54 81 121.5 182.25
48 32 21.3 14.2
Find the nth term of each
sequences.

5)




6)

4 , 9 ,
64
1
1
= = = r n a
4 / 1 , 8 , 4096
1
= = = r n a
1
1

=
n
n
r a a
1
1

=
n
n
r a a
1 9
) 4 (
64
1

=
n
a
= 1024
1 8
)
4
1
( 4096

=
n
a
= 4
Find geometric means.

7) 4, ____, ____, ____, 324





1
1

=
n
n
r a a
1 5
4 324

= r
4
81 r =
r
r
=
=
3
3
4 4
12 36 108
Sigma Notation:


# of term

last term # 1
st
term # 1
st
term common ratio

Example 8: 5 + 10 + 20 + 40 + to 7 terms
5+10+20+40+80+160+320
=645

last
st
n
r a
1
1
1
Geometric Sum Formula for Series





Sum of the nth terms 1
st
term common ratio nth term


1 ,
1
) 1 (
1
=

= r
r
r a
S
n
n
Find the sum of each geometric series.

9) 7 + 21 + 63 + , n = 10




10) 2401 343 + 49 , n = 5
1 ,
1
) 1 (
1
=

= r
r
r a
S
n
n
3 1
) 3 1 ( 7
10

=
n
S
2
) 59048 ( 7

=
n
S
206668 =
n
S
1 ,
1
) 1 (
1
=

= r
r
r a
S
n
n
7
1
1
)
7
1
1 ( 2401
5

=
n
S
7
8
)
16807
16808
( 2401
=
n
S
2101 =
n
S
Express each series in sigma notation and find the sum

11) 75 + 15 + 3 + to 10 terms

last
st
n
r a
1
1
1

10
1
1
)
5
1
( 75
n
1 ,
1
) 1 (
1
=

= r
r
r a
S
n
n
5
1
1
)
5
1
1 ( 75
10

=
n
S
5
4
)
9765625
9765624
( 75
=
n
S
75 . 93 =
n
S
Sum of an Infinite Geometric Series
-1 < r < 1





Sum 1
st
term common ratio

r
a
S

=
1
1
Find the sum of each infinite geometric series, if it exists.

12) 2/3 + 4/9 + 8/27 +
r
a
S

=
1
1
3
2
1
3
2

= S
3
1
3
2
= S
2 = S



Evaluate.

13)
1
1
4
1
35

|
.
|

\
|

n
n
r
a
S

=
1
1
4
1
1
35

= S
4
5
35
= S
28 = S



Evaluate.

14)
1
1
2
1
9

|
.
|

\
|
n
n
r
a
S

=
1
1
2
1
1
9

= S
2
1
9
= S
18 = S
Assignment
Page 640
3-36 multiples of 3, 51-90 multiples of 3,
102-108 even