Methods 2.
1 Quadratic Sequences
M2.1 Quadratic Sequences
Before you start
Why do this?
You should be able to:
derive and use an expression for the nth term of
an arithmetic sequence
evaluate a quadratic expression given a positive
value of the variable.
Quadratic sequences are used when solving the
complex equations which describe how weather
systems evolve.
Objective
Get Ready
Derive and use an expression for the nth term
of a quadratic sequence.
1 Find an expression in terms of n for the nth term
of this arithmetic sequence:
3
5
7
9
2 Work out the value of 5n2 when n 2.
3 Work out the value of n2 3n 5 when n 3.
Key Points
The nth term of a quadratic sequence has the form an2 bn c where a, b and c are numbers.
The second differences of the terms in a quadratic sequence are constant and equal to 2a.
The sequence of square numbers starts 1, 4, 9, 16
The nth term of this sequence is n2. This is the simplest quadratic sequence.
Example 1
The first 4 terms of a quadratic sequence are:
10
17
Find an expression in terms of n for the nth term.
As a first step, compare this sequence to 1
16
Comparing to 1
4
9
16 the terms of the quadratic sequence are one more.
The required expression for the nth term is n2 1.
Exercise 2A
1
Find an expression in terms of n for the nth term of the quadratic sequences which start:
a 2
8
18
32
b 0
3
8
15
c 4
7
12
19
d 0
1
4
9
e 1
13
135
1357
f 12
23
34
45
Chapter 2 Quadratic Sequences
Here is a pattern made from centimetre squares.
Pattern 1
Pattern 2
Pattern 3
Pattern 4
a Write down an expression in terms of n for the number of centimetre squares in pattern n.
b Is there a pattern in the sequence which has 170 centimetre squares?
Give a reason for your answer.
a Find an expression in terms of n for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence:
3
5
7
9
The sequence:
9
25
49
81
is obtained from squaring each term of the arithmetic sequence.
b Find an expression in terms of n for the nth term of this sequence.
a Write down an expression for the nth term of the sequence:
1
4
7
10
b Write down an expression for the nth term of the sequence.
1
16
49
100
c Write down an expression for the nth term of the sequence:
2
18
52
104
Example 2
Find an expression in terms of n for the nth term of the quadratic sequence:
1
first differences:
second differences:
7
6
17
10
31
14
Work out the first differences 1 1 2,
7 1 6, 17 7 10 and so on.
Then work out the second differences
(the differences of the first differences):
6 2 4, 10 6 4, 14 10 4
If the second differences are constant then the sequence is quadratic.
The expression for the nth term will be of the form an2 bn c where a, b and c are numbers.
a Second difference 2 2, so the expression for the nth term is 2n2 bn c
To find the values of b and c, work out
the difference between the terms of the
sequence and 2n2 as shown in the table.
Methods 2.1 Quadratic Sequences
n
Term
2n
Term 2n
17
31
18
32
50
11
15
19
These are the terms of the quadratic sequence
31 2 52 19
The sequence 3
7
11
15
19 has nth term 4n 1.
1
7
17
So the required expression for the nth term of the sequence 1
is 2n2 4n 1.
31
Exercise 2B
1
Find the next term and an expression for the nth term of these quadratic sequences:
a 2
6
12
20
30
b 0
2
6
12
20
c 3
7
13
21
31
d 13
17
23
31
41
e 4
0
10
26
48
f 3
5
8
12
17
Show that 862 is the 20th term of the quadratic sequence:
7
16
29
46
67
Show that 5005 is the 50th term of the quadratic sequence:
7
13
23
37
55
Here are the first 5 terms of a quadratic sequence:
4
15
30
49
72
Show that there are no prime numbers in the quadratic sequence.
5
Here are the first 4 terms of a quadratic sequence:
3
9
17
27
39
Jim says that 161 is a term of this sequence.
a Is Jim correct? Give a reason for your answer.
Lizzie says that all of the terms are odd numbers.
b Is Lizzie correct? Give a reason for your answer.
Here is a sequence of patterns made of centimetre squares.
Find the number of centimetre squares in the 100th pattern.
Chapter 2 Quadratic Sequences
Here is a sequence of patterns made of centimetre squares.
Find an expression in terms of n for the number of centimetre squares in the nth pattern.
8
The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th terms of a quadratic sequence are:
34
37
42
49
Find an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term of this sequence.
Here are the first four terms of a quadratic sequence:
4
9
18
x
a Find the value of x.
b Find an expression for the nth term of the sequence.
10
At a party, everyone shakes hands with everyone else. So when there are 4 people at a party there are 6
handshakes. Find an expression in terms of n for the number of handshakes when there are n people at
the party.
Review
The sequence of square numbers begins 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 and the nth term is n2.
The nth term of a quadratic sequence can be written as an2 bn c.
The second differences of a quadratic sequence are constant and equal to 2a.
Answers
Answers
Chapter 2
M2.1 Get Ready answers
1 2n 1
2 20
3 5
Exercise 2A answers
1 a
d
2 a
b
3 a
4 a
2n2
b n2 1
c n2 3
(n 1)2
e n2
f n(n 1)
n2 2
No, because 122 2 146 and 132 2 171
2n 1
b (2n 1)2
3n 2
b (3n 2)2
c (3n 2)2 n
2 nth term is 2n2 3n 2.
When n 20, 2n2 3n 2 800 60 2 862
3 nth term is 2n2 5.
When n 50, 2n2 5 2 2500 5 5005
4 nth term is 2n2 5n 3 which factorises to
(2n 1)(n 3) so cannot be prime
5 a nth term is n2 3n 1, 11th term is 153,
12th term is 179, so no.
b Yes, because the first differences are even numbers
and the first term is an odd number.
6 nth term _12 n2 _12 n, 100th term 5050
7 2n2 2n 1
8 n2 6n 42
9 a 31
b 2n2 n 3
2
n
n
10 __ __
2
2
Exercise 2B answers
1 a 42, n2 n
c 43, n2 n 1
e 76, 3n2 5n 2
b 30, n2 n
d 53, n2 n 11
f 23, _12 (n2 n 4)
