Sequences and Series

Centre For Foundation Studies
Department of Sciences and Engineering
FHMM1014 Mathematics I
Chapter 3
Sequences and
Series
Contents
3.1 Sequences and notation.
3.2 Arithmetic Progression
3.3 Geometric Progression
3.4 Binomial Expansion or Binomial Theorem
3.1
Sequence and Sigma
notation.
Sequence
A sequence a set of terms arranged in a
particular order.
Notation
nth term an or U n
Finite sequence :
Infinite sequence :
a1 , a2 , a3 ....an
a1 , a2 , a3 ,........
4
Limit of a Sequence
a1 , a2 , , an
lim an l
n
Example 1
Find the nth term of each sequence below.
Is it convergent or divergent? For
convergent sequence, state its limit.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
3 5 7 9
, , , , ...
2 4 6 8
2, 4, 8, 16..
1
1
1
1
3 , 3 , 3 , 3 ,...
3
4
5
6
6
Example 2
3n
The nth term of a sequence is, a
where n
n 1
n
is a positive integer. Show this sequence is

convergent and find its limiting value.
Example 3
Evaluate each of the following,
(i) lim (3n 1)

n
n 3
(ii) lim
2
n 2n
n2
(iii) lim
n n 3
Series
A series a sum of terms in a sequence.
Notation
Finite series
Infinite series
Series
The series u1 u 2 u n
is a convergent series if there exists a real
number S such that
lim S n S
n
A series that is not convergent is described as

divergent.
10
Sigma () Notation
If k is a constant,
n
(ku
r 1
) k u r k (u1 u 2 u n )
r 1
If u1 u2 un k , then
n
u k
r 1
k k k nk
r 1
11
Sigma () Notation
In general,
n
u
r 1
u1 u 2 u n
For example :
10
r 1 2 3 10
2
r 1
FHMM1114 General Mathematics I
12
Example 4
Find the sum of
3
(a) 2i 1
i 1
(b) (3k 2 k )
k 1
13
Example 5
Write down the first three terms and last term of
the following series.
20
(i)
r ( r 2)
r 1
10
(ii)
(1)
r 1
r 1
14
Example 6
Write the sum using sigma notation.
(i) 1 + 3 + 5 +.+ 19
(ii) 1.2 + 2.3 + 3.4 +.+29.30
15
3.2
Arithmetic Progression
16
Arithmetic Progressions
In general, an arithmetic progression :
a , a d , a 2d , , a (n 1)d ,
where a = the first term
d = the common difference
17
Arithmetic Progressions
The nth term, Tn a (n 1)d
The sum of the first n terms,

n
S n 2a (n 1)d
2
n
Sn a l
2
18
Arithmetic Mean
If a, b, c is an arithmetic sequence, then the
arithmetic mean of a and c is b, where
1
b (a c)
2
19
Example 7
Given that the fifth term of an arithmetic
progression is 21 and the tenth term is 41, find
the common difference, first term and the sum
of the first 10 terms.
20
Example 8
1. How many terms of the arithmetic sequence
3, 5, 7, . . . must be added to get 195?
2. Find the sum of positive integers less than
500 which are multiples of 3 or 7.
21
Example 9
The sum to n terms of a series is given by
2
S n 17 n . 3n
(a) Write down an expression for the sum to
n 1 terms.
(b) Find an expression for the nth term,
(c) Show that the series is an A.P. and find the
first term and common difference.
22
Example 10
n
Show that the terms of log10 2 r form an

r 1
arithmetic progression. Find the sum of the first

5 terms of this series, and the smallest value of
n such that the sum of the first n terms
exceeds 500.
23
Example 11
If the sum of first 10 terms of a AP is 55 and
the next 10 terms is 30. Find the sum of first
30 terms.
24
3.3
Geometric Progression
25
In general, an geometric progression :
2
a , ar , ar , , ar
( n 1)
where a = the first term

r = the common ratio
26
The nth term, U n ar ( n 1)
The sum of the first n terms,

a (r 1)
Sn
r 1
a(1 r n )
Sn
1 r
n
if
r 1
if
r 1
27
Geometric Mean
If a, b, c is a geometric sequence, then
the geometric mean of a and c is b,
where
ac
28
Example 12
If ( x 1) , 2 2 and (3 x 2) are three
consecutive terms of a geometric progression,
find the integer x.
29
Example 13
1. Find the eighth term of the geometric progression
3, 9, 27, . . . .
2. The first term of a geometric progression is 5 and the
common ratio is 1.5. Find the least number of terms
needed such that the sum of the progression exceed
100.
30
Example 14
1. Given that the geometric mean of (4p - 3) and
(9p + 4) is (6p 1). Find the value of p.
2. If the sum of first 10 terms of a GP is 10 and
the sum of first 20 terms is 30. Find the sum
of first 30 terms.
31
Infinite Geometric Progression

In general, for a geometric series with first term
a and common ratio r :
Sn
a(1 r n )
1 r
a
a n

r
1 r
1 r
32

For an infinite geometric series :
S lim S n
n
a
a n
lim

r
n 1 r
1 r
a
a

rn
lim
1 r
1 r n
33

If
r 1 :
lim r The series is divergent.

n
n
If
r 1 :
lim r n 0 The series is convergent.

n
The sum to infinity : S

1 r
34
Example 15
Express the recurring decimal 0.329 as an
infinite geometric series.
Hence, express 0.329 as a fraction in its
simplest form.
35
Example 16
Find the sum to infinity of the series
1 2 x 4 x 8 x K ,
2
stating the range of valid values of x.
36
Example 17
Find the smallest number of terms of a GP
1 1
1 ...
2 4
which must be taken so that the sum of the terms

exceeds 99.99% of the sum to infinity of the series.
37
Example 18
If S n and S are sums to n terms and sum to infinity of
3 3
3,
, , ...
a GP
2 4
respectively. Find the smallest
| S S | 0.001.
integer value of n such that
n
38
3.4
Binomial Expansion or
Binomial Theorem
39
The Binomial Theorem

A binomial is an algebraic expression containing 2
terms. For example, (x + y) is a binomial.
We sometimes need to expand binomials as
follows:
(a + b)0 = 1
(a + b)1 = a + b
(a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
(a + b)3 = a3 + 3a2b + 3ab2 + b3
(a + b)4 = a4 + 4a3b + 6a2b2 + 4ab3 + b4
(a + b)5 = a5 + 5a4b + 10a3b2 + 10a2b3 + 5ab4 + b405
PascalsTriangle
Triangle
Pascals
Note that the coefficients (the numbers in front of each term)
follow a pattern. [This was noticed long before Blaise Pascal
(1623), by the Chinese mathematician Yang Hui
(1261 ]
1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
1 6 15 20 15 6 1
You can use this pattern to form the coefficients, rather than
multiply everything out as we did above.
41
Pascals
Triangle
Pascals Triangle
To build the triangle, start with "1" at the top, then continue placing
numbers below it in a triangular pattern.
Each number is just the two numbers above it added together.
42

We use the binomial theorem to help us expand binomials to any
given power without direct multiplication. As we have seen,
multiplication can be time-consuming or even not possible in some
cases.
Properties of the Binomial Expansion (a + b)n
There are n + 1 terms.
The first term is an and the final term is bn.
Progressing from the first term to the last, the exponent of a
decreases by 1 from term to term while the exponent of b increases
by 1. In addition, the sum of the exponents of a and b in each term is
n.
43

Definition: n! represents the product of the first n
positive integers i.e.
n! = n(n 1)(n 2) ... (3)(2)(1)
We say n! as 'n factorial '
Examples:
3! = (3)(2)(1) = 6
5! = (5)(4)(3)(2)(1) = 120
Note :
4!
2!
cannot be cancelled down to 2!
44
Binomial Theorem Formula

Based on the binomial properties, the binomial theorem
states that the following binomial formula is valid for all
positive integer values of n:
n (n 1) n 2 2 n (n 1)(n 2) n 3 3
n
n
n 1
( a b) a n a b
a b
a b ... b n
2!
3!
n n 3 3
n
n 1 n
n2 2
(a b) a a b a b a b ... b n
1
2
3
n
n
n!
n
where n is a positive integer, and C r
r !(n r )!
r
45
Example 19
Use the Binomial Theorem to expand
(i) ( x y ) 4
1
2
(ii) ( x 1) 5
(iii) (2 x 2 x 2 ) 4
46
Example 20
Obtain the term independent of x in the
1
expansion of 3x
x
10
n
nr r
(
r
1)
term
=
a
b
Hint :
r

th
47
Binomial Series
From the binomial formula, if we let a = 1 and b = x, we
can also obtain the binomial series which is valid for any
real number n if |x| < 1.
n(n 1) 2 n(n 1)(n 2) 3

(1 x) 1 nx
x
x ......
2!
3!
n
NOTE (1): This is an infinite series, where the binomial

theorem deals with a finite expansion.
n
n
Cr or
NOTE (2): We cannot use
r for the binomial
series. They can only be used with positive integers.
48
Binomial Series
For example,
1
(1 x) 1 x x x ......,
3
(1 x) 1 x x x ......,
3
x 1
x 1
The two binomial series are both G.P. with

common ratios x and x respectively.
49
Example 21
Expand the function below as an ascending
4
series up to and including the term x . State
the range of the values of x for which the
expansion is valid.
(i)
(ii)
1
2
x
1
2
(2 6 x) 3
50
Example 22
Expand the function below as an ascending
3
series up to and including the term x . State
the range of the values of x for which the
expansion is valid.
1 2x
2 x
51
Example 23
1
2
Expand (1 x ) as an ascending series in x , up

to and including term x3. Hence, by using the
(1 x )
1
2
2
x
25
first 3 terms of the expansion

and
,
3
find an approximation for
, giving your answer
correct to 4 significant figures.
52
Example 24
1
2
Expand (1 4 x) in ascending powers of x until

the term in x3.
1
Take x , find
50
3 accurate to 5 decimal places.
53
Example 25
Expand 1 x as an ascending series up to
and including the term x3.
Hence, by taking x = 0.1, approximate 10 to 4
decimal places.
54
The End
Of
Chapter 3
55

Sequences and Series

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Sequences and Series

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Centre For Foundation Studies

Department of Sciences and Engineering

is a positive integer. Show this sequence is

(i) lim (3n 1)

A series that is not convergent is described as

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

The sum of the first n terms,

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

Show that the terms of log10 2 r form an

arithmetic progression. Find the sum of the first

where a = the first term

The nth term, U n ar ( n 1)

The sum of the first n terms,

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

Infinite Geometric Progression

Infinite Geometric Progression

Infinite Geometric Progression

lim r The series is divergent.

lim r n 0 The series is convergent.

The sum to infinity : S

stating the range of valid values of x.

which must be taken so that the sum of the terms

respectively. Find the smallest

The Binomial Theorem

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

The Binomial Theorem

The Binomial Theorem

cannot be cancelled down to 2!

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

Binomial Theorem Formula

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

n(n 1) 2 n(n 1)(n 2) 3

NOTE (1): This is an infinite series, where the binomial

The two binomial series are both G.P. with

FHMM1114 General Mathematics I

Expand (1 x ) as an ascending series in x , up

first 3 terms of the expansion

Expand (1 4 x) in ascending powers of x until

3 accurate to 5 decimal places.

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