2.

7 Number Sequences

ALGEBRA

2.7 NUMBER SEQUENCES

2.7.1 Number sequences
Here are some number sequences that occur often in mathematics.

You may encounter these number patterns when solving mathematical problems
based on counting patterns.
A number sequence is a set of numbers listed in a specific order, where the
numbers can be found by a specific rule.
The first term is denoted by u1, the second by u2, the third by u3, and so on.
The nth term is written as un.

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2.7 Number Sequences

We often describe a number sequence in words, giving a rule which connects one
term with the next.
For example, 15, 11, 7, 3, -1, ...... can be described by the rule: Start with 15 and
each term thereafter is 4 less than the previous one.
The next two terms are u6 = -1 -4 = -5 and u7 = -5 -4 = -9:
We say that this sequence is linear because each term differs from the previous
one by a constant value.

Example 1
Look at this pattern of squares.

a) How many squares would there be in pattern 5?

b) Find a formula for the number of squares in pattern n.
c) Use your formula to find the number of squares in pattern 100.
Solution

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2.7 Number Sequences

Example 2

Solution

EXERCISE 2.7.1
Write down the next two terms in each of these number sequences, and explain how each
term is worked out.
Give an expression for the nth term in each case. They are all related to the list of
common sequences in the table given on the first page. (Refer pg.1)

1) 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60,

3 ) 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61,
5 ) 2, 8, 26, 80, 242,
7 ) 10, 30, 60, 100, 150, 210,

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2) 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15,

4) 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24,
6 ) 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001,
8) 2, 8, 18, 32, 50, 72,

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2.7 Number Sequences

2.7.2 Describing number sequences with rules

It can be very useful to be able to describe number sequences using rules. One way of
doing this is to say how each term is connected to the next one in the sequence. (This is
sometimes called a term-to-term rule, because it explains the link between one term and
the next.)

Example 3
Write down a rule to describe the sequence and hence find its next two terms:
a) 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, ...... b) 2, 6, 18, 54, ...... c) 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ......
Solution

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2.7 Number Sequences

Example 4
A number sequence is defined as follows:
The first term is 7.
Each new term is 3 more than the previous one.
Use this rule to generate the first six terms of the number sequence.
Solution
Start with 7:
7 + 3 = 10
10 + 3 = 13
The first six terms of the sequence are 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, .
If you wanted to work out the 100th number in a sequence, it would be very tedious to
have to write out all 100 numbers, one at a time. In this case it is better if you can use an
algebraic expression for the nth term. (This is sometimes called a position-to-term rule,
since you can work out the value of any term as long as you know its position in the
sequence.)

Example 5
The nth term of a number sequence is given by the expression 2n2 + 1.
a) Write down the first four terms of the sequence.
b) Find the value of the 20th term.
Solution
a)
n=1 gives 2 12 + 1
=2+1
2
n=2 gives 2 2 + 1
= 8+1
2
n=3 gives 2 3 + 1
=18+1
2
n=4 gives 2 4 + 1
=32+1
The first four terms are 3, 9, 19, 33
b) When n=20, 2 202 +1 = 800 +1=801.

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=3
=9
=19
=33

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2.7 Number Sequences

EXERCISE 2.7.2

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2.7 Number Sequences

2.7.3 Arithmetic sequences

A number sequence in which the terms go up in equal steps is called an arithmetic
sequence. The graph of an arithmetic sequence is a straight line, so it may
alternatively be called a linear sequence. The size of the step is called the
common difference.
Example 6
For each sequence, say whether it is arithmetic or not. State the value of the
common difference for each arithmetic sequence.
a) 2, 3, 5, 8, 12,
b) 2, 5, 8, 11, 14,
c) 1, 2, 4, 8, 16,
d) 40, 36, 32, 28, 24,
Solution

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2.7 Number Sequences

An arithmetic sequence may be generated by an algebraic rule that gives a general

formula for the nth term of the sequence.
Example 7
Each of these rules describes the nth term of a number sequence. Write out the
first four terms of each sequence, and hence pick out the ones that are
arithmetic sequences.
a) 3n + 1 b) n2 + n
c) 5n - 1
d) 10 - n
Solution

Some examination questions may require you to carry out this process in
reverse. You will be given some numbers in an arithmetic sequence and
asked to find a formula that generates them.
The formula for the nth term of an arithmetic sequence will always be of the
form an + b.
Here a and b represent coefficients, or numbers, whose values are to be
determined. They may be positive, negative or zero.
The value of a is easy to spot it is simply the value of the common
difference.
A good way to find b is to compute the value of the zeroth term, i.e. compute
the value of an imaginary term one place before the actual first term. This
will automatically generate the required value of b.

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2.7 Number Sequences

Example 8
Find a formula for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence:
7, 10, 13, 16, 19,
Solution

The same method can be used for problems set in a more practical context, as in
the next example.
Example 9
The table shows the cost of hiring a van. It is made up of a fixed hire charge plus a
daily amount.

a) Work out the cost of hiring the van for 10 days.

b) Express C in terms of n.
c) Carlos hired the van and paid 530. For how many days did he hire the van?

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2.7 Number Sequences

Solution

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2.7 Number Sequences

EXERCISE 2.7.3

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