Number Pattern Sequences and Series: Maths 26 |

2.
Note | Course :12th | pages:09 | Number Pattern
Number Patterns, Sequences and Series

A Investigating patterns 1
Patterns have been a topic of interest for humans for thousands of years. Ancient
civilisations, such as those of the Egyptians and the Greeks, used patterns in the
design of their architecture. In modern times, mathematicians and scientists use
patterns, found through experiments and problems, to discover new ideas.

Conjectures are theories about patterns.

For example – Look at this pattern → 2; 4; 8; 16; 32…. What is happening?
The next term is always double the previous term. Our conjecture
(or theory) is that you have to multiply the previous term by 2 to get
the next term. To write this as a formula we can say Tn = 2n.
So to get to this formula we know that:
Term 1 = 2
Term 2 = 2 × 2 = 2
Term 3 = 2 × 2 × 2 = 2
So you can see that the term number is the same as the exponent in each
term.

Activity 2.1:

Find a formula or conjecture for each of the patterns shown below, and give the next
three terms of each pattern:

a) 0; 3; 8; 15;…… b) -1; 1; -3; 3; -5; 5; ……

c) ; ; ;… d) 1; 3; 9; 27;…
e) 0.1; 0.01; 0.101; 0.0101; …… f) ;2 ;4 ;…
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Using the calculator to solve Sequence and Series calculations:

Use the following keys from the EL-W535HT Scientific Calculator:

This key calculates exponential values

These keys together calculate the xth root of y

This key inputs a fraction or improper fraction with and

numerator and denominator

These keys together input a mixed fraction

B Quadratic Sequences

In a linear or “Arithmetic” sequence you have a first common difference – in other

words you add or subtract a constant value.
For example: 4, 8, 12, 16…. and so on. You add a constant difference of 4. This is an
example of a first common difference.

In a quadratic sequence you add either an increasing or decreasing amount every

time. That amount always increases or decreases by a constant amount – your
second common difference.
For example: 1, 3, 7, 13, 21…. and so on.
1 3 7 13 21 → sequence
2 4 6 8 → first difference
2 2 2 → second common/constant difference

The formula for a quadratic sequence is = : where Tn is your term

value and n is your term position.
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To find a, b and c you use these three formula’s

a + b + c = the first term, in our example = 1
3a + b = the first “first difference”, in our example = 2
2a = the second common difference, in our example = 2.

Now solve these equations from the bottom up (↑)

So: 2a = 2
IEB students will be familiar with this formula:
a=1
Then: 3a + b = 2 = −1
3(1) + b = 2 f = first differnence
b=2–3 s = second difference
b=-1 ∴ =1 −1 2
And lastly : a + b + c = 1 ∴ =1 2 −2 −3 2
1 + (-1) + c = 1 ∴ = − 1
c=1

Now substitute these values into your formula:

Tn = 1n2 – 1n + 1.
To check that our formula works, we choose any position for example,
n = 3, and we make sure that it equals the value at that position, Tn = 7.
T3 = 1(3)2 – 1(3) + 1 = 7

Activity 2.2

1. Find the formula for the following sequences:

a) 2, 5, 10, 17, 26…. b) 1, 2, 7, 16, 29, 46….

c) 3, 6, 12, 21, 33…. d) 1, 3, 10, 22, 39, 61…
e) 3, 5, 8, 12, 17…. f) 2, 6, 11, 17, 24, 32…

2. Given the sequence: 3, 4, 7, 12, 19, 28… Find:

a) The seventh and eighth terms

b) The formula representing the sequence
c) The 22nd term
d) If Tn = 199, find n.
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3. Given the sequence: 2, 4, 9, 17…

a) Continue the sequence for three more terms

b) Find the formula of the sequence
c) Find the 13th term
d) If Tn = 612, find n.

4. A chicken farmer goes to a market in order to buy chickens. He knows that on

each successive day the prices of the chickens go down. On the first day he
buys 10 chickens. On the second day he buys 20 chickens. On the third day he
buys 36 chickens, on the fourth day he buys 58 chickens. He continues in this
pattern until the last day, when he buys 206 chickens.

a) How many days does the market go on for?

b) How many chickens does the farmer buy in total?
c) If the market continued for two weeks, how many chickens would the
farmer buy on the last day?
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Answers for Activities

You can use the quadratic function in
stats mode to work this out, just press:
Activity 2.1

1. a) Formula: = −1
Next three terms: 24; 35; 48
Now to find press:
b) Formula: terms 1,3 and 5 are
increasing negative Ans: 1
odd numbers, terms 2,4 and 6
are increasing positive odd Ans: 0
numbers
Ans: -1
Next three terms: -7; 7; -9.

c) Formula: multiplying each new term by 2 so: = 5 62

Next three terms: ; ;
7 You can use the exponential function in
stats mode to work this out, just press:
d) Formula: Increasing
order of 3
Next three terms: 81; 243; 729

e) Formula: adding alternatively

either a 1 or 0 after the
decimal point.
Next three terms: 0.10101; To find you’re a press:
0.010101; 0,1010101
Ans: 0,0078125

f) Formula: Multiplying the

next term by 2
Ans: 2

Next three terms: 8 '

; 16 (
; 32 '
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Activity 2.2

1. a) 2 5 10 17 26
3 5 7 9
2 2 2

a+b+c=2 OR = −1
3a + b = 3
∴ =2 −1 3
2a = 2
∴ =2 3 −3 −3 2
∴ = 1
a=1
3(1) + b = 3
b=0
1+0+c=2
c=1 Tn = n2 + 1

b) 1 2 7 16 29 46
1 5 9 13 17
4 4 4 4

a+b+c=1
OR = −1
3a + b = 1
2a = 4 ∴ =1 −1 1
∴ =1 −1 2 −6 4
∴ =2 −5 4
a=2
3(2) + b = 1
b=-5
2–5+c=1
c=4 Tn = 2n2 – 5n + 4

c) 3 6 12 21 33
3 6 9 12
3 3 3

a+b+c=3 35 6 =3
3a + b = 3 b=−
2a = 3 − =3
a= c=3 = − 3
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d) 1 3 10 22 39 61
2 7 12 17 22
5 5 5 5

a+b+c=1 35 6 =2
3a + b = 2 b= −
2a = 5 − =1
a= c=4 = − 4

e) 3 5 8 12 17
2 3 4 5
1 1 1

a+b+c=3 35 6 =2
3a + b = 2 b=
2a = 1 =3
a= c=2

= 2

f) 2 6 11 17 24 32
4 5 6 7 8
1 1 1 1

a+b+c=2 35 6 =4
3a + b = 4 b=
2a = 1 =2
a= c=-1 ∴ = −1

2. 3 4 7 12 19 28
1 3 5 7 9
2 2 2 2

a) 28 39 52
9 11 13
2 2
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b) a + b + c = 3 3(1) + b = 1
3a + b = 1 b = -2
2a = 2 1 -2 + c = 3
a=1 c=4 Tn = n2 - 2n + 4

c) T22 = (22)2 – 2(22) + 4

= 444

d) Tn = 199 = n2 – 2n + 4
0 = n2 – 2n – 195 [To find the factors go to the table mode
0 = (n – 15)(n + 13) on your calculator (press )
n = 15 or n = - 13 then type in:
N/A
.
Press the button and look at the factor pairs for
example, does 1 and -195 add up to -2? … No, so we look at the next pair. We
continue doing this until we have found both factors, in our example 13 and -15.
Once we have our factors we can put them back into the brackets.

3. 2 4 9 17
2 5 8
3 3

a) 28 42 59
11 14 17
3 3

b) a + b + c = 2 35 6 =2
3a + b = 2 b= −
2a = 3 − =2
a= c=3 = − 3

c) T13 = 13 − 13 3
= 224
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d) Tn = 612 = − 3
1 224 = 3n2 – 5n + 6
0 = 3n2 – 5n – 1 218
0 = (3n + 58) (n – 21)
7
n=− or n = 21
N/A → because n cannot be negative or a fraction.

4. 10 20 36 58
10 16 22
6 6

a) Before you can find n, you need to find the formula:

a + b + c = 10 3(3) + b = 10
3a + b = 10 b=1
2a = 6 3 + 1 + c = 10
a=3 c=6 Tn = 3n2 + n + 6

206 = 3n2 + n + 6
0 = 3n2 + n – 200
0 = (3n + 25)(n – 8)
= − or n = 8
N/A

b) For this question, continue the sequence until your last term (206)
10 20 36 58 86 120 160 206
10 16 22 28 34 40 46
6 6 6 6 6 6

Now add the terms:

10 + 20 + 36 + 58 + 86 + 120 + 160 + 206
= 696 chickens

c) 2 weeks = 14 days n = 14
T14 = 3 (14)2 + (14) + 6
= 608 chickens on the 14th day.