Sequences, Series, and the

Binomial Formula
Lecture 6

Section 6.1
Sequences

Sequence
A sequence is a set of numbers arranged
in some order.
Each number is labeled with a variable, such as
a.
The variable is indexed with a natural number that
tells its position in the sequence.

The numbers a1, a2, a3,. . . are the terms of the

sequence.
The first term in the sequence is a1, the second term
a2, the third term a3, and so on.
3

General Term of a Sequence

Many sequences follow some sort of pattern.
The pattern is usually described by the nth term of
the sequence.
This term, an, is called the general term of the
sequence.

Finite Sequence
A finite sequence has a specific number
of terms and so it has a last term.
An infinite sequence does not have a
last term.

Sequence Notation
The notation {an} is often used to represent a
sequence whose nth term is an.
The { } indicate that it is a sequence.

Example sequence notation

Find the first five terms of the sequence
a1 12 3 1 3 2
a2 22 3 4 3 1
a3 32 3 9 3 6
a4 42 3 16 3 13
a5 52 3 25 3 22
7

2
n
3

Recursion Formula
A recursion formula defines a sequence
in terms of one or more previous terms.
A sequence that is specified by giving the first
term, or the first few terms, and a recursion
formula is said to be defined recursively.

Section 6.2
Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences

Arithmetic Sequence
An arithmetic sequence, or arithmetic
progression, is a sequence where each
term is obtained from the preceding term
by adding a fixed number called the
common difference.
If the common difference is d, then an
arithmetic sequence follows the recursion
formula an = an-1 + d.
10

Terms of an Arithmetic Sequence

If a1 is the first term of an arithmetic
sequence, an the nth term and d the
common difference,
then an = a1 + (n - 1)d.
If an-1 and an are consecutive terms of an
arithmetic sequence, then
d = an - an-1.
11

Geometric Sequence
A geometric sequence, or geometric
progression, is a sequence where each
term is obtained by multiplying the
preceding term by a fixed number called
the common ratio.
If the common ratio is r, then a geometric
sequence follows the recursion formula:
an = ran-1.
12

Terms of a Geometric Sequence

If a1 is the first term of a geometric
sequence, an the nth term, and r the
common ratio, then
an = rn-1a1
If an-1 and an are consecutive terms of a
geometric sequence, then
an
r
a n 1
13

Example Terms of a Sequence

If the first term is 5, the last (nth) term is
-139, and d = -6, how many terms are there?

an a1 (n 1)d

139 5 ( n 1)( 6)
144 6n 6

150 6n;

n 25

There are 25 terms.

14

Section 6.3
Series

15

Series
The sum of the terms of a sequence is
called a series.
The series a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5 is a finite
series with five terms.

16

Infinite Series
A series of the form
a1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 +
is an infinite series.
An infinite series has an infinite or endless
number of terms.

17

Summation Notation
Summation or sigma notation means
n

a
k 1

- Here

18

a1 a 2 a3 a n

indicates a sum.

Limits of Summation
n

The letter k in ak is called an index of

k 1
summation.
The summation begins with k = 1 as is
indicated below the and ends with k =
.
n as indicated above the
The numbers below and above the
are the limits of summation.
19

Property 1 of Summation Notation

If a is a constant then
n

ak
k 1

20

k
k 1

Property 2 of Summation Notation

If a is a constant then
n

a
k 1

21

na

Property 3 of Summation Notation

If x and y are constants then
n

k 1

k 1

k 1

( x y) x y

22

Partial Sum

If Sn = a1 + a2 + a3 + + an k 1 k
then the number Sn is called the nth
partial sum of the series.
The sequence S1, S2, S3, . . . , Sn is called
the sequence of partial sums.

23

Arithmetic Series
An arithmetic series is a series formed by the
partial sums of an arithmetic sequence.

24

Sum of First n Terms

of an Arithmetic Sequence
The sum Sn of the first n terms of an
arithmetic sequence is
Sn

n(a1 a n )

where a1 is the first term and an is the nth

term.
25

Geometric Series
A geometric series is a series formed by
the partial sums of a geometric sequence.

26

Sum of First n Terms of a

Geometric Sequence
The sum Sn of the first n terms of a
geometric sequence is
n

Sn

1 r
a1
1 r

where a1 is the first term and r is the

common ratio.
27

Compound Interest

A = P(1 + i)n
where A is the amount after n interest
periods, P is the principal or initial amount
invested, and i is the interest rate per
interest period expressed as a decimal.

28

Example-Summation Notation
3

2
Evaluate
k 0 3k 5
0
1
2
3
2k
2
2
2
2

k 0 3k 5
3 0 5 3 1 5 3 2 5 3 3 5
3

1
2
4
8
1
4

1 4 2 4
05 35 65 95
5
5
29

Section 6.4
Infinite Geometric Series

30

Infinite Series, 1
A series that does not have a last term is
called an infinite series.

31

Sequence of Partial Sums

S n is called the nth partial sum of the series

k 1

a k . The sequence of partial sums is

S1 , S 2 , S 3 , , S n . If it happens that, as n gets

larger and larger, S n seems to be approachin g
some number that we will call S , we then say
that S is the sum of the infinite series.
32

Convergent Series
If the partial sums of an infinite series
approach a finite limit, we say that the
series converges or is a convergent
series.

33

Divergent Series
A series that does not converge is said to
diverge or to be a divergent series.
All arithmetic series diverge.

34

Example Infinite Series

Find the fraction that has the repeating decimal form 0.232323 . . . .:

This decimal can be thought of as the series 0.23 + 0.0023

+ 0.000023 +, which is the geometric series

n
0.23(0.01)

n 0

In this series, a1 0.23, r 0.01, so s

a1
0.23
0.23 23

1 r 1 0.01 0.99 99

Thus, decimal 0.232323 . . is equivalent to the fraction

35

23
99

Sum of an Infinite Geometric Series

If r 1, then the infinite geometric series

a1 a1r a1r 2 a1r 3 a1r n
a1
has the sum S
.
1 r
If r 1, then the series diverges.

36

Section 6.5
The Binomial Theorem

37

Expansions of x + y
Some expansions of x + y are
(x + y)0 = 1
(x + y)1 = x + y
(x + y)2 = x2 + 2xy + y2
(x + y)3 = x3 + 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3
(x + y)4 = x4 + 4x3y + 6x2y2 + 4xy3 + y4
(x + y)5 = x5 + 5x4y + 10x3y2 + 10x2y3 +
5xy4 + y5
38

Pascals Triangle

39

Binomial Formula, 1
( x y)

40

n(n 1) n 2 2
x nx y
x y
2
n(n 1) (n 2) n 3 3

x y yn
23
n

n 1

n Factorial
n! = n(n - 1)(n - 2)(n - 3) (3)(2)(1)

41

 n

r

42

n
n!
represents
r! (n r )!
r

Example - Factorials
Determine 5! And 8!

5! 5 4 3 2 1 120
8! 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 40320

43

Binomial Formula, 2 (1 of 2)

( x y)

n n 1
n n2 2
x x y x y
1
2
n n 3 3
x y
3
n
xy n 1 y n

n 1
n

n nr r
x y

r
r 0

44

Binomial Formula, 2 (2 of 2)
n
n!
where the general term is
(n r )!r!
r
n (n 1) (n 2) (n r 1)

r!

45

Binomial Series

n 2 n 3
n n 1
x x n
(1 x) 1 nx x x
2
3
n 1
The binomial series is valid for any real number n if
n

x 1. If n is negative or a rational number, you get

the infinite series.
( 1 x)n 1 nx
46

n (n 1) 2 n (n 1) (n 2) 3
x
x
2!
3!