Sequences & Series · Guided Practice

Sequences & Series

15 questions with answers and video solutions. Try each one before revealing the answer.

1
The second and fifth terms of an arithmetic sequence are 7\displaystyle 7 and 19\displaystyle 19 respectively.
Find the sum of the first 50\displaystyle 50 terms of this sequence.
Video solution coming soon
2
The second and fifth terms of an geometric sequence are 24\displaystyle 24 and 3\displaystyle 3 respectively.
Find the sum of the first 10\displaystyle 10 terms of this sequence.
Video solution coming soon
3
A geometric series has first term 6\displaystyle 6 and sum to infinity 18\displaystyle 18.
Find its fourth term.
Video solution coming soon
4
The first three terms of a geometric series are given by x+6\displaystyle x+6, x+2\displaystyle x+2, x1\displaystyle x-1.
Find x\displaystyle x, explain why this series converges and find the sum to infinity.
Video solution coming soon
5
Find the lowest value of n\displaystyle n for which the sum Sn\displaystyle S_n of the arithmetic series 5+8+11+14+\displaystyle 5+8+11+14+\cdots exceeds 500\displaystyle 500.
Video solution coming soon
6
Find the sum of the finite arithmetic series 7+11+15++163\displaystyle 7+11+15+\cdots+163.
Video solution coming soon
7
Find the value of L\displaystyle L for which 65+61+57+53++L=96\displaystyle 65+61+57+53+\cdots+L = 96.
Video solution coming soon
8
Sn\displaystyle S_n is defined by r=1n(r32r)\displaystyle \sum^{n}_{r=1}\,\left(r^3-2r\right).
Find and fully factorise an expression for Sn\displaystyle S_{n}.
Video solution coming soon
9
Evaluate r=20503r2\displaystyle \sum^{50}_{r=20} 3r^2.
Video solution coming soon
10
2015 Q3
The sum of the first twenty terms of an arithmetic sequence is 320\displaystyle 320. The twenty-first term is 37\displaystyle 37.
What is the sum of the first ten terms?
Video solution coming soon
11
2023 P1 Q7
(2, 2)4 Marks

(a)Find an expression for r=1n(r2+3r)\displaystyle \sum_{r=1}^{n} (r^2 + 3r) in terms of n.\displaystyle n.
Express your answer in the form 13n(n+a)(n+b).\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}n(n + a)(n + b).

(b)Hence, or otherwise, find r=1120(r2+3r).\displaystyle \sum_{r=11}^{20} (r^2 + 3r).

12
2023 P2 Q8
(1, 1, 2)4 Marks

The fourth and seventh terms of a geometric sequence are 9 and 243 respectively.

(a)Find the:
(i) common ratio
(ii) first term.

(b)Show that S2nSn=1+3n\displaystyle \frac{S_{2n}}{S_n} = 1+3^n where Sn\displaystyle S_n represents the sum of the first n\displaystyle n terms of this geometric sequence.

13
2024 P1 Q3
(2, 1, 1, 1)5 Marks

A geometric sequence of positive terms has third term 36 and fifth term 16.

(a)Calculate the value of the common ratio.

(b)Calculate the value of the first term.

(c)State why the associated geometric series has a sum to infinity.

(d)Find the value of this sum to infinity.

14
2024 P2 Q9
(1, 1, 3)5 Marks

An arithmetic sequence has first term 3\displaystyle -3 and common difference d.\displaystyle d.

(a)State an expression for the third term.

The eighth term is five times the third term.

(b)Find the value of d.\displaystyle d.

(c)Determine algebraically the least number of terms required so that the sum of the associated series is greater than 500.

15
2025 P2 Q10
2 Marks

Find and fully factorise an expression for r=1n(r33r).\displaystyle \sum_{r=1}^{n} (r^3 - 3r).

Practice questions courtesy of Maths.scot. Full written solutions are on his site — the links above go straight to them.