1.

4 Let’s Dig Deeper

A. Arithmetic Sequence and Series

Study the following sequences.

3, 6, 9, 12, _, _
2, 4, 6, 8, _, _
1, 4, 7, 10, _, _
Do you notice the patterns? Each is formed by adding a common difference
between terms. The sequence above is called arithmetic sequences.

An arithmetic sequence then is a sequence wherein each term after the first
is determined by adding a constant d, called the common difference, to the previous
term.
In the above examples:
• 3, 6, 9, 12, … has a common difference of 3.
• 2, 4, 6, 8, … has a common difference of 2.
• 1, 4, 7, 10, … has a common difference of 3

Let us derive a formula for getting the nth term of an arithmetic progression.

Given 𝑛 = 1
𝑛=2 𝑎1 + 𝑑
𝑛=3 𝑎2 + 𝑑 = (𝑎1 + 𝑑) + 𝑑 = 𝑎1 + 2𝑑
𝑛=4 𝑎3 + 𝑑 = (𝑎1 + 2𝑑) + 𝑑 = 𝑎1 + 3𝑑
𝑛=5 𝑎4 + 𝑑 = (𝑎1 + 3𝑑) + 𝑑 = 𝑎1 + 4𝑑

𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑑 = [𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑] + 𝑑 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

The result is given as a formula. In an arithmetic sequence,
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

Example 1
In the arithmetic sequence 4, 7, 10, 13, …, find the sixth term.

Solution:
Given: 𝑎1 = 4 𝑑=3 𝑛=6 𝑎6 =?
Substitute all the given in the formula of the arithmetic sequence

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
𝑎6 = 4 + (6 − 1)3
= 4 + (5)3
= 4 + 15
𝑎6 = 19
The sixth term in the arithmetic progression is 19.

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Example 2
The 4th term of an arithmetic sequence is 29 and the 15th term is 106. Find the
second term and the common difference of the sequence.
Solution:
Given: 𝑎4 = 29 𝑎15 = 106
To find the common difference, substitute the values to equation. The result is:
106 = 𝑎1 + 14𝑑
29 = 𝑎1 + 3𝑑
77 = 11𝑑
7=𝑑
𝑑=7
Now solve for 𝑎2. Substitute all the given.
𝑎2 = 𝑎1 + (2 − 1)(𝑑)
= 8 + 1(7)
=8+7
𝑎2 = 15
The second term is 15 and the common difference is 7

Example 3
A driver in a car race increases car speed at a constant rate. What will be the
speed after 15 sec if the initial speed is 90 mph and the rate of acceleration is 5 mph
per second?
Solution:
Given: 𝑎1 = 90 𝑑=5
Find 𝑎16 using the formula 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑.
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
𝑎16 = 90 + (16 − 1)5
= 90 + (15)5
= 90 + 75
𝑎16 = 165
The speed after 15 sec is 165 mph.

Arithmetic Series

The sum of the n-terms of an arithmetic sequence is given by

𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 + 𝑎2 + 𝑎3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑛.
or 𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 + ⋯ + 𝑎1.
To derive a formula for 𝑆𝑛we observe two things:
• A term of an arithmetic sequence is the last term plus the common difference
• A term of an arithmetic sequence is the next term minus the common difference.
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑎1 + 1𝑑) + (𝑎1 + 2𝑑) + ⋯ 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑)
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 + (𝑎𝑛 − 𝑑) + (𝑎𝑛 − 2𝑑) + ⋯ + [𝑎𝑛 − (𝑛 − 1)𝑑]
Adding them we get,

(𝑎1 + an) + (𝑎1 + an) + (𝑎1 + an) + ⋯ (𝑎1 + an)

2Sn =
𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠

We now have a formula for 𝑆𝑛.

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 𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛( )
2
𝑎 +(𝑎 −(𝑛−1)𝑑)
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛( 1 1 2 )

𝟐𝒂𝟏 − (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝒅
𝑺𝒏 = 𝒏( )
𝟐

Example 1

Ara saved 1000.00 php in the first year. In each of the following years, she
saves 550.00 php more than the previous year. How much will Ara save in 10 years?
Solution:
Given: 𝑎1 = 1000 𝑑 = 550 𝑛 = 10
Solve first how much she will save on the 10th year.
𝑎10 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
= 1000 + (10 − 1)(550)
= 1000 + 9(550)
= 1000 + 4950
𝑎10 = 5950
Use the above sum to substitute in the formula

𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛( )
2

1000 + 5950
𝑆10 = 10( )
2

𝑆10 = 34750
Therefore, Ara would save a total amount of 34, 750.00 Php in 10 years.

Example 2
Find the sum of the first 100 positive integers.
Solution:
Given: 𝑎1 = 1 𝑎1 = 100 𝑛 = 100
𝑎1 +𝑎𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛 (𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛( )
2

1 + 100
𝑆10 = 100( )
2
𝑆10 = 5050

Arithmetic Means

Given two numbers b and c, and a whole number k, we can insert k numbers
𝑎1, 𝑎2, … , 𝑎𝑘 between b and c such that
𝑏, 𝑎1, 𝑎2, … , 𝑎𝑘, 𝑐
forms an arithmetic sequence. The numbers 𝑎1, 𝑎2, … , 𝑎𝑘 are called k arithmetic
means of b and c.

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Example 1
Insert three arithmetic means between 4 and 12.
𝑎1 = 4 𝑎5 = 12 𝑛=5
Substitute the given in the formula of arithmetic sequence.
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 12 = 4 + (5 − 1)𝑑
12 = 4 + 4𝑑
12 − 4 = 4𝑑
8 = 4𝑑
2=𝑑
The common difference is 2
𝑎2 = 𝑎1 + 𝑑
=4+2
𝑎2 = 6
𝑎3 = 𝑎2 + 𝑑
=6+2
𝑎3 = 8
𝑎4 = 𝑎3 + 𝑑
=8+2
𝑎4 = 10
Thus, the three arithmetic means between 4 and 12 are 6, 8, 10.

B. Geometric Sequence

In mathematics, the geometric sequence is a sequence of numbers in which the

ratio of any terms after the first to the preceding term is a fixed number called common
ratio. An example is the sequence of numbers
2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, …
This is a geometric sequence with common ratio 2.
Another example is

1 1 1 1
1, , , , , …
3 9 27 81
1
This is a geometric sequence with common ratio 3.
In general, a geometric sequence may be described by denoting the first term
by 𝑎1 and the common ratio by r. A geometric sequence may then be written formally
as
𝑎1 , 𝑎2 𝑟 1 , 𝑎3 𝑟 2 , 𝑎4 𝑟 3 , … 𝑎𝑛 𝑟 𝑛
If the 𝑛𝑡ℎ term of a geometric sequence is denoted by 𝑎𝑛 and the common ratio is r,
the 𝑛𝑡ℎ term may be found using either formula below.
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛−1𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1𝑟𝑛−1.
Clearly, if a sequence of values follows a pattern of multiplying a fixed amount (not
zero) to each term to arrive at the following term, it is referred to as a geometric
sequence.

Example 1
Find the sixth term in the geometric progression 2, 6, 18, … Solution:
Given: 𝑎1 = 2 𝑟=3 𝑛=6

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Substitute the given values in the 𝑛𝑡ℎ term formula.
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 𝑟 𝑛−1
𝑎6 = 2(3)6−1
= 2(3)5
= 2(243)
𝑎6 = 486
Example 2

A colony of bacteria increases by 12% every hour. If initially a certain culture contains
1500 bacteria, how many bacteria would there be at the end of 10 hr?
Solution:
Let a = the amount of bacteria at the end of the nth hour
𝑎1 = 1500+(.12)(1500)
= 1500+180
𝑎1 = 1680
𝑎2 = 1500+(.12)(1680)
= 1500+201.6
𝑎2 = 1701.6
Let the ratio be r = 1.013
Therefore, 𝑎10 = 𝑎1𝑟10−1
= 1680(1.013)9
= 1680(1.1233)
𝑎10 = 1887.144 bacteria
Example 3
Find 𝑎8 for the sequence 0.5, 3.5, 24.5, 171.5, …
Solution:
Given: 𝑎1 = 0.5 𝑟=7 𝑛=8
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1𝑟𝑛−1
𝑎8 = 0.5 (78−1)
𝑎8 = 411771.5
The eighth term of the sequence is 411771.5

Geometric Means

Previously, we learned that we can insert terms or numbers between two

numbers of an arithmetic sequence. These are called arithmetic means. If the set of
numbers between 2 given numbers will form as geometric sequence, then the
numbers are called geometric means.
3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, 384
In the given geometric sequence, the geometric means between 3 and 384 are 6,
12, 24, 48, 96, 192. We ca use the common ratio to find the missing terms in a
geometric means.

Example 1
Find the three geometric means between 1 and 256.
Solution:
Use the general formula for the nth term of a geometric sequence.
Given: 𝑎1 = 1 𝑎5 = 256 𝑛=5
Let us solve first the common ratio r. We have
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1𝑟𝑛−1

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Substitute all the given.
256 = 1𝑟5−1
256 = 1𝑟4
4√256 = 𝑟

±4 = 𝑟
Now, substitute the value to find the three geometric means.
𝑎2 = 1(4)2−1 𝑎4 = 1(4)4−1
= 1(4) = 1(64)
=4 = 64
𝑎3 = 1(4)3−1
= 1(4)2
= 16
Thus, the sequence is 1, 4, 16, 64, 256.

Example 2

Find the values of x such that x, 4x+1, and 6x+1 will form a geometric sequence.
Solution:

4𝑥 + 1 = 6𝑥 + 1
𝑥 4𝑥 + 1
2
(4𝑥 + 1) = 𝑥(6𝑥 + 1)
16𝑥2 + 8𝑥 + 1 = 6𝑥2 + 𝑥
16𝑥2 − 6𝑥2 + 8𝑥 − 𝑥 + 1 = 0
10𝑥2 + 7𝑥 + 1 = 0 (2𝑥 + 1)(5𝑥 + 1) = 0
2𝑥 + 1 = 0, 5𝑥 + 1 = 0

𝑥 = −1 𝑥 = −1
2 5
Note that if 𝑥 = −1, the sequence is −1 , −1, −2 with common ratio 2.
2 2
If 𝑥 = −1, the sequence is −1 , 1 , −1 with common ratio -1.
5 5 5 5

Sum of Terms of a Geometric Sequence

The formal sum of the terms of an infinite geometric sequence written as

𝑎1 + 𝑎2 + 𝑎3 + ⋯ + a𝑛 is called a geometric series.
If the symbol 𝑆𝑛 denotes the sum of the sequence, deriving a formula for the
sum of the first n terms is
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1 + 𝑎1𝑟 + 𝑎1𝑟2 + 𝑎1𝑟3 + ⋯ + +𝑎1𝑟𝑛−2 + 𝑎1𝑟𝑛−1
−𝑟𝑆𝑛 = − 𝑎1𝑟 − 𝑎1𝑟2 − 𝑎1𝑟3 − ⋯ − 𝑎1𝑟𝑛−1 − 𝑎1𝑟𝑛
𝑆𝑛−𝑟𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1 − 𝑎1𝑟𝑛
𝑆𝑛(1 − 𝑟) = 𝑎1(1 − 𝑟𝑛)
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1(1 − 𝑟𝑛) where 𝑟 ≠ 1.
1−𝑟
We multiply the first equation by -r and then add the two equations. We apply
factoring and then divide each side by 1-r.

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 Sum of a Geometric Sequence
The sum, 𝑆𝑛, of the first n terms of a geometric
sequence is given by the following formula:
𝑎1(1 − 𝑟𝑛)
where 𝑟 ≠ 1.
1−𝑟

Example 1
Find the sum of the first eight terms of the geometric sequence 3, 6, 12, …
Solution:
𝑎1 = 3 𝑟=6=2
3
Using the formula,
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1(1 − 𝑟𝑛)
1−𝑟
𝑆8 = 3(1 − 28)
1−2
𝑆8 = 3(1 − 256)
−1
𝑆8 = 3(−255)
−1
𝑆8 = 3(−255)
−1
𝑆8 = 765

Infinite Geometric Series

In an infinite series where |r| < 1, as the value of n increases, the value of each
term approaches zero. It is analyzed using the formula of the sum of a geometric
series:
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎1 − 𝑎1𝑟𝑛
1−𝑟

As n approaches infinity 𝑆 = 𝑎1 . As r approaches 0, 𝑆n = 𝑎1

1−𝑟 1−𝑟

Sum of an Infinite Geometric Series

The sum, S, of an infinite geometric series
where -1<r<1 is given by the formula:
𝑎1
𝑆= .

However, if |r| > 1 or r > 1 or if r <-1, then the infinite series does not have a sum.

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Example 1
Find the sum of the infinite geometric series 8, 4, 2, 1, … First, find r.
𝑟= 4 =1
8 2
|r| < 1, so we can use the formula: 𝑆 = 𝑎1 .
1−𝑟
8 8
𝑆 = = = 16
1 1
1−2 2
The sum of the geometric series is 16.

Special Sequences

A. Triangular Number Sequence. It is generated from a pattern of dots which

form a triangle.
If you will analyze dots in a triangular pattern, you may prove that the number
sequence is formed by adding counting numbers as shown below.
1 + 2 = 3, 10 + 5 = 15,
3 + 3 = 6, 15 + 6 = 21, and so on.
6 + 4 = 10

See below that the triangular number sequence of 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, … is formed
accordingly.

B. Square Numbers. This pattern is made up of squares of terms in a sequence.

Example 1
12 = 1 22 = 4 32 = 9 42 = 16 52 = 25
C. Cube Numbers
Example 1
13 = 1 23 = 8 33 = 27 43 = 64 53 = 125
D. Pascal’s Triangle.
This pattern begins from “1” at the top and then continues by placing numbers below
it in a triangular form. The edges are all “1”. Every number is the sum of the two
numbers above it. Thus, 1+2=3, 1+3=4, 3+3=6. This triangle expands by adding the
row numbers on top.

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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
A COURSE MODULE