Mathematics Sequence and Series: AP - GP
1 If the roots of the equation x3 − 12 x 2 + 39 x − 28 = 0 are in A.P., then their common difference will be
Option:
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4
Answer: (c)
Solution:
Let a − d , a, a + d be the roots of the equation
x 3 − 12x 2 + 39x − 28 = 0
Then ( a − d ) + a + ( a + d ) = 12 and ( a − d ) a ( a + d ) = 28
3a = 12 and a ( a 2 − d 2 ) = 28
a = 4 and a ( a 2 − d 2 ) = 28
16 − d 2 = 7 d = 3
2 The sixth term of an A.P. is equal to 2. Find the value of the common difference of the A.P. which
makes the product a 4a 5a 7 a 8 least.
Solution:
Let a be the first term and x be the common difference of the A.P. Then a + 5x = 2 a = 2 − 5x
Let P = a4 a5a7 a8 = (a − 2 x) (a − x)(a + x) (a + 2 x)
= (2 − 2 x)(2 − x)(2 + x)(2 + 2 x)
= 4(4 − x 2 )(1 − x 2 )
= 4(x 4 − 5 x 2 + 4)
2
5
= 4 x2 − − 9
2
5
Hence P is least for x =
2
3 If p, q , r are in A.P. and are positive, the roots of the quadratic equation px 2 + qx + r = 0 are all real for
Option:
r p
(a) −7 4 3 (b) −7 4 3 (c) All p and r (d) No p and r
p r
Answer: (a)
Solution:
p, q, r are positive and are in A.P.
p +r
q = ......(i)
2
The roots of px 2 + qx + r = 0 are real
2
p +r
q 2 4 pr 4 pr [using (i)]
2
p 2 + r 2 − 14 pr 0
2
r r
− 14 + 1 0 ( p 0 and p 0)
p p
2 2
r r
− 7 − 48 0 − 7 − (4 3 )2 0
p p
r
−7 4 3
p
4 If the sum of three numbers of a arithmetic sequence is 15 and the sum of their squares is 83, find the
numbers.
Solution:
Let three numbers are a − d, a, a + d .
We get a − d + a + a + d = 15 a = 5
and (a − d )2 + a 2 + (a + d )2 = 83
a 2 + d 2 − 2ad + a 2 + a 2 + d 2 + 2ad = 83
2(a 2 + d 2 ) + a 2 = 83
Putting a=5
2(25 + d 2 ) + 25 = 83 2d 2 = 8 d = 2
Thus numbers are 3, 5, 7.
5 Four numbers are in arithmetic progression. The sum of first and last term is 8 and the product of both
middle terms is 15. Find the least number of the series.
Solution:
Let A1 , A2 , A3 and A 4 are four numbers in A.P.
A1 + A4 = 8 …..(i) and A2 . A3 = 15 …..(ii)
The sum of terms equidistant from the beginning and end is constant and is equal to sum of first and
last terms.
Hence, A2 + A3 = A1 + A4 = 8 …..(iii)
From (ii) and (iii),
A2 +
15
=8 A 22 − 8 A 2 + 15 = 0
A2
A 2 = 3 or 5 and A3 = 5 or 3 .
A1 + A 3
As we know, A2 = A1 = 2 A2 − A3
2
A1 = 2 3 − 5 = 1 and A4 = 8 − A1 = 7
Hence the series is, 1, 3, 5, 7.
So that least number of series is 1.
6 If Sn denotes the sum of n terms of an arithmetic progression, then the value of (S2n − Sn ) is equal to
Option:
1 1
(a) 2Sn (b) S3n (c) S3n (d) Sn
3 2
Answer: (c)
Solution:
S2n − Sn = 2a + ( 2n − 1) d − 2a + ( n − 1) d
2n n
2 2
= 4a + 4nd − 2d − 2a − nd + d = 2a + ( 3n − 1) d
n n
2 2
= . 2a + ( 3n − 1) d = S3n
1 3n 1
3 2 3
7 If a1 , a 2 ,............, a n are in A.P. with common difference , d , then the sum of the following series is
sin d(cosec a1.cosec a 2 + cosec a 2 .cosec a 3 + ........... +cosec a n −1cosec a n )
Option:
(a) seca1 − seca n (b) cot a1 − cot a n (c) tan a1 − tan a n
(d) cosec a1 − cosec a n
Answer: (b)
Solution:
As given d = a 2 − a1 = a 3 − a 2 = .... = a n − a n −1
sin d{cosec a1cosec a 2 + ..... + cosec a n −1cosec a n }
sin(a 2 − a1 ) sin(a n − a n −1 )
= + ...... +
sin a1. sin a 2 sin a n −1 sin a n
= (cot a1 − cot a 2 ) + (cot a 2 − cot a 3 ) + ....
+(cot a n −1 − cot a n )
= cot a1 − cot a n .
8 Let {an} (n ≥ 1) be a sequence such that a1 = 1, and 3an+1 – 3an = 1 for all n ≥ 1. Then a2002 is equal to-
Option:
(a) 666 (b) 667 (c) 668 (d) 669
Answer: (c)
Solution:
a1 = 1
3an+1 – 3an = 1
3a + 1 1
an + 1 = n = an + ,
3 3
1 1
a2 = a1 + = 1 +
3 3
1 1 1 2
a3 = a2 + = a1 + + = 1 +
3 3 3 3
1 2 1 3
a4 = a3 + = 1 + + = 1 +
3 3 3 3
.... .......... ................. .........
.... .......... ................. .........
2001
a2002 = 1 + = 1 + 667 = 668
3
9 If the roots of the cubic equation ax 3 + bx 2 + cx + d = 0 are in G.P., then
Option:
(a) c3a = b3d (b) ca 3 = bd 3 (c) a 3 b = c3d (d) ab3 = cd 3
Answer: (a)
Solution:
A
Let , A, AR be the roots of the equation
R
ax + bx 2 + cx + d = 0
3
1/3
d d
then A = Product of the roots = − A = −
3
a a
Since A is a root of the equation.
aA 3 + bA 2 + cA + d = 0
2/3 1/3 2/3 1/3
d d d d d d2 d
a − + b − + c − + d = 0 b = c b3 = c3 b 3 d = c 3 a .
a a a a a
2
a a
10 If the first term of a G.P. a1 , a 2 , a 3 ,.......... is unity such that 4a 2 + 5a 3 is least, then the common ratio
of G.P. is
Option:
2 3 2
(a) − (b) − (c) (d) None of these
5 5 5
Answer: (a)
Solution:
a1 = 1, a 2 = r, a 3 = r 2 ,.......
2
2 4
4a 2 + 5a 3 = 4r + 5r = 5 r + −
2
5 5
−2
To be its minimum r = .
5
2 2 2 1
11 The least positive integer n such that 1 − − 2 − ... − n −1 is
3 3 3 100
Solution:
Let Sn denote the sum to n terms of the given series
2 2 2 2
Sn = 1 − − 2 − 3 ... − n −1
3 3 3 3
2 1
n −1
1 −
3 3
= 1−
1
1−
3
n −1 n −1
1 1
= 1−1+ =
3 3
n −1
1 1
Now,
3 100
3n −1 100 n − 1 5 n 6
Thus, least value of n is 6.
12 The sum of a G.P. with common ratio 3 is 364, and last term is 243, then the number of terms is
Option:
(a) 6 (b) 5 (c) 4 (d) 10
Answer: (a)
Solution:
Given Sn = 364, r = 3, Tn = 243
ar n − a ar n −1.r − a
= 364 = 364 ... (1)
r −1 r −1
3 243 − a
= 364 a = 1
2
Now, putting this in (1)
rn −1
= 364
r −1
3n − 1
= 364
2
3n − 1 = 728
3n = 729
3n = 36
n =6
13 The sum of n terms of the following series 1 + (1 + x) + (1 + x + x 2 ) + .......... will be
Option:
1− xn x(1 − x n ) n(1 − x) − x(1 − x n )
(a) (b) (c) (d) None of these
1− x 1− x (1 − x)2
Answer: (c)
Solution:
1 + (1 + x) + (1 + x + x 2 ) + ... +
(1 + x + x 2 + x 3 + ... + x n −1 ) + ...
Required sum =
1
(1 − x)
(1 − x) + (1 − x 2 ) + (1 − x 3 )
+(1 − x 4 ) + ..........uptp n terms
1
= [n − {x + x 2 + x 3 + ..........upto n terms}]
(1 − x)
1 x(1 − x n ) n(1 − x) − x(1 − x n )
= n− =
(1 − x) 1 − x (1 − x) 2
14 If the sum of first 6 term is 9 times to the sum of first 3 terms of the same G.P., then the common ratio
of the series will be
Option:
1
(a) -2 (b) 2 (c) 1 (d)
2
Answer: (b)
Solution:
Given conditions, we get
a ( r 6 − 1) a ( r 3 − 1)
= 9.
( r − 1) ( r − 1)
( r 6 − 1) = 9 ( r 3 − 1)
(r 3
+ 1)( r 3 − 1) = 9 ( r 3 − 1)
r3 + 1 = 9
r3 = 8
r =2
