Sequences Problem-Solving
1. The first term of a sequence is 7 and the sequence increases by 6 each time. Work out the
position in sequence of the term whose value is 55.
2. A bouncy ball is dropped from a height of 320cm. After each bounce, the height reduces to
1
4 of the previous height.
a. Find the height of the ball after the 4th bounce.
b. Alex writes down the height of each bounce in cm. What type of sequence does she
write down?
3. In an arithmetic sequence, the common difference is 4 and the sum of the first four terms
is 60. What are the first four terms in this sequence?
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Sequences Problem-Solving
4. The first and fourth term of a geometric sequence are 3 and 24 respectively. What is the
10th term in this sequence?
5. Lola is training for a race. Each time she trains, she increases her previous distance by 2km.
a. If her first training session was 3km long, work out the length of her fifth session.
b. Show that, over the course of any two consecutive training sessions, the total distance
covered will be an even number.
c. During which training session does Lola cover 81km?
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Sequences Problem-Solving
6. The 3rd term of an arithmetic sequence is 13 and the 8th term is 33. Work out the value of
the first term in this sequence.
7. Jenna saves 30p from her pocket money each week. At the start of the first week, she
already has £5.
a. Work out how much money Jenna will have at the beginning of the ninth week.
b. After how many weeks will she have £15?
8. The sum of the first three terms of an arithmetic sequence is 3 and the sum of the 2nd to
5th terms is 22. What is the 10th term?
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Sequences Problem-Solving
9. The first three terms in a Fibonacci sequence are a, b and a + b.
a. Given that the 4th term in this sequence is 11 and the 6th term is 29, work out the
values of a and b.
b. Hence, work out the 8th term in this sequence.
10. The first and last terms of an arithmetic sequence are 30 and -10 respectively. Given that
there are 9 terms in this sequence, find the 15th term if the sequence was continued.
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Sequences Problem-Solving
Challenge:
The sum of the first n terms of a sequence is given by the notation Sn.
For a given arithmetic sequence, S1 = 2k + 1, S2 = 5k – 2 and S3 = 7k + 5 where k is a constant integer.
a. Find the first three terms of the sequence.
b. Find S4.
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Sequences Problem-Solving Answers
Note to teachers: These questions have been designed to be completed using GCSE techniques
and, as such, A-level formulae have not been formally included. However, the questions can be
answered in this way. There are other alternative methods to the ones provided in the answers
that should be considered if provided by a student.
1. The first term of a sequence is 7 and the sequence increases by 6 each time. Work out the
position in sequence of the term whose value is 55.
th
n term rule: 6n + 1
6n + 1 = 55
6n = 54
n=9
2. A bouncy ball is dropped from a height of 320cm. After each bounce, the height reduces to
1
4 of the previous height.
a. Find the height of the ball after the 4th bounce.
1
320 × 4 = 80cm
1
80 × 4 = 20cm
1
20 × 4 = 5cm
1
5 × 4 = 1.25cm
b. Alex writes down the height of each bounce in cm. What type of sequence does she
write down?
A geometric sequence
3. In an arithmetic sequence, the common difference is 4 and the sum of the first four terms
is 60. What are the first four terms in this sequence?
th
The n term of the sequence is 4n + a, where a is a constant.
The first four terms are 4 + a, 8 + a, 12 + a and 16 + a and their sum is 40 + 4a.
40 + 4a = 60
4a = 20
a=5
th
The n term of the sequence is 4n + 5 so the terms are 9, 13, 17 and 21.
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Sequences Problem-Solving Answers
4. The first and fourth term of a geometric sequence are 3 and 24 respectively. What is the
10th term in this sequence?
Let r be the common ratio of the sequence. 3 is multiplied by r to get the second term,
then again to get the third term and once again to get the fourth term.
3r3 = 24
r3 = 8
r=2
9
The common ratio is 2 so the 10th term is 3 × 2 = 1536 (or other suitable method).
5. Lola is training for a race. Each time she trains, she increases her previous distance by 2km.
a. If her first training session was 3km long, work out the length of her fifth session.
th
n term rule: 2n + 1
5th term: 2 × 5 + 1 = 11km
b. Show that, over the course of any two consecutive training sessions, the total distance
covered will be an even number.
th
Lola covers (2n + 1)km in the n training session.
In the next session, she will cover 2n + 1 + 2 = (2n + 3)km
2n + 1 + 2n + 3 = 4n + 4
4n + 4 can be written as 2(2n + 2) therefore it is an even number.
c. During which training session does Lola cover 81km?
2n + 1 = 81
2n = 80
n = 40
During the 40th training session.
6. The 3rd term of an arithmetic sequence is 13 and the 8th term is 33. Work out the value of
the first term in this sequence.
th
Let the n term of the sequence be an + b, where a and b are constants.
Then 3a + b = 13 and 8a + b = 33
Solving simultaneously, a = 4 and b = 1.
th
The n term is 4n + 1 therefore the first term is 4 × 1 + 1 = 5
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Sequences Problem-Solving Answers
7. Jenna saves 30p from her pocket money each week. At the start of the first week, she
already has £5.
a. Work out how much money Jenna will have at the beginning of the ninth week.
The terms in the sequence are 500, 530, 560, … (in pence)
th
The n term is 30n + 470 so the ninth term is 30 × 9 + 470 = 740
She will have £7.40.
b. After how many weeks will she have £15?
30n + 470 = 1500
30n = 1030
n = 34.3̇
Jenna will have £15 after the 35th week.
8. The sum of the first three terms of an arithmetic sequence is 3 and the sum of the 2nd to
5th terms is 22. What is the 10th term?
th
Let the n term of the sequence be an + b, where a and b are constants.
The first three terms are a + b, 2a + b and 3a + b and their sum is 6a + 3b.
The second through to fifth terms are 2a + b, 3a + b, 4a + b and 5a + b and their sum is
14a + 4b.
6a + 3b = 3
14a + 4b = 22
Solving simultaneously gives a = 3 and b = -5.
th
The n term of the sequence is 3n – 5. The 10th term is 3 × 10 – 5 = 25
9. The first three terms in a Fibonacci sequence are a, b and a + b.
a. Given that the 4th term in this sequence is 11 and the 6th term is 29, work out the
values of a and b.
The 4th term is a + 2b and the 6th term is 3a + 5b.
a + 2b = 11
3a + 5b = 29
Solving simultaneously gives a = 3 and b = 4.
b. Hence, work out the 8th term in this sequence.
The 8th term is 8a + 13b = 8 × 3 + 13 × 4 = 76
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Sequences Problem-Solving Answers
10. The first and last terms of an arithmetic sequence are 30 and -10 respectively. Given that
there are 9 terms in this sequence, find the 15th term if the sequence was continued.
th
Let the n term of the sequence be an + b, where a and b are constants.
The first term is a + b and the 9th term is 9a + b.
a + b = 30
9a + b = -10
Solving simultaneously gives a = -5 and b = 35.
th
The n term of the sequence is -5n + 35 so the 15th term is -5 × 15 + 35 = -40
Challenge:
The sum of the first n terms of a sequence is given by the notation Sn.
For a given arithmetic sequence, S1 = 2k + 1, S2 = 5k – 2 and S3 = 7k + 5 where k is a constant integer.
a. Find the first three terms of the sequence.
The first term is 2k + 1
The second is 5k – 2 – (2k + 1) = 3k – 3
The third is 7k + 5 – (5k – 2) = 2k + 7
The difference between the first two terms is 3k – 3 – (2k + 1) = k – 4
The difference between the second two terms is 2k + 7 – (3k – 3) = -k + 10
k – 4 = -k + 10
2k = 14
k=7
Therefore, the first three terms are 15, 18 and 21.
b. Find S4.
The 4th term is 24 so S4 = 7 × 7 + 5 + 24 = 78
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