Bellwork

Simplify.
1.

2.

Evaluate.
3. (2)8
Solve for x.

5.

2564.

96

Geometric Sequences and

Series

Objectives
Find terms of a geometric sequence,
including geometric means.
Find the sums of geometric series.

Vocabulary
geometric sequence
geometric mean
geometric series

Serena Williams was the winner out of 128

players who began the 2003 Wimbledon
Ladies Singles Championship. After each
match, the winner continues to the next
round and the loser is eliminated from the
tournament. This means that after each
round only half of the players remain.

The number of players remaining after

each round can be modeled by a
geometric sequence. In a geometric
sequence, the ratio of successive
terms is a constant called the common
ratio
r (r 1) . For the players remaining, r
is ..

Recall that exponential

functions have a
common
ratio. When you graph
the ordered pairs (n, an)
of a
geometric sequence,
the points lie on an
exponential
curve as shown. Thus,
you can think of a
geometric
sequence as an
exponential function

Example 1A: Identifying Geometric Sequences

Determine whether the sequence could be
geometric or arithmetic. If possible, find the
common ratio or difference.
100, 93, 86, 79, ...

100, 93, 86, 79

Differences
Ratios

93
86 79
100 93 86

It could be arithmetic, with d = 7.

Example 1B: Identifying Geometric Sequences

Determine whether the sequence could be
geometric or arithmetic. If possible, find the
common ratio or difference.
180, 90, 60, 15, ...
180,
Differences

90

90,
30

Ratios
2
It is neither.

60,

1
3

15

45

1
4

Example 1C: Identifying Geometric Sequences

Determine whether the sequence could be
geometric or arithmetic. If possible, find the
common ratio or difference.
5, 1, 0.2, 0.04, ...

Differences

5,

1,

0.8

0.16

1
5

Ratios
5

0.2,

0.04

It could be geometric, with

Try 1a
Determine whether the sequence could be
geometric or arithmetic. If possible, find the
common ratio or difference.

Differences
Ratios

It could be geometric
with

Try 1b
Determine whether the sequence could be
geometric or arithmetic. If possible, find the
common ratio or difference.

1.7, 1.3, 0.9, 0.5, . . .

1.7

Differences

0.4

1.3
0.4

0.9

0.5

0.4

Ratio

It could be arithmetic, with r = 0.4.

Each term in a geometric sequence is

the product of the previous term and the
common ratio, giving the recursive rule
for a geometric sequence.
nth term

an =
an1r

First term

Common
ratio

You can also use an explicit rule to find the

nth term of a geometric sequence. Each term
is the product of the first term and a power
of the common ratio as shown in the table.

This pattern can be generalized into a rule for all

geometric sequences.

Example 2: Finding the nth Term Given a Geometric Sequence

Find the 7th term of the geometric sequence

3, 12, 48, 192, ....

Step 1 Find the common ratio.

a2
12
r=
=
=4
a1
3

Example 2 Continued

tep 2 Write a rule, and evaluate for n = 7.

an = a1 r

General rule

a7 = 3(4)71
= 3(4096) = 12,288

The 7th term is 12,288.

Substitute 3 for a1,7 for n, and 4 for

r.

Try 2a
Find the 9th term of the geometric sequence.

Step 1 Find the common ratio.

Try 2a Continued

tep 2 Write a rule, and evaluate for n = 9.

an = a1 r

The 9th term is

n1

General rule

Substitute
n, and

for a1, 9 for

for r.

Try 2b

Find the 9th term of the geometric

sequence.
0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, . . .

Step 1 Find the common ratio.

Try 2b Continued

ep 2 Write a rule, and evaluate for n = 9.

an = a1 r

General rule

a9 = 0.001(10)

91

Substitute 0.001 for a1,

9 for n, and 10 for r.

= 0.001(100,000,000) = 100,000
The 7th term is 100,000.

Example 3: Finding the nth Term Given Two Terms

Find the 8th term of the geometric sequence
with a3 = 36 and a5 = 324.

Step 1 Find the common ratio.

a5 = a3 r(5 3)
a5 = a3 r2
324 = 36r2
9 = r2
3 = r

Use the given terms.

Simplify.
Substitute 324 for a5 and 36 for a3.
Divide both sides by 36.

Take the square root of both sides.

Example 3 Continued
Step 2 Find a1.

onsider both the positive and negative values for r.

an = a 1 r

n-1

36 = a1(3)3 - 1
4 = a1

a n = a 1r

n-1

or 36 = a1(3)
4 = a1

3-1

General rule

Use a3 = 36 and
r = 3.

Example 3 Continued
Step 3 Write the rule and evaluate for a8.

Consider both the positive and negative values for r.

an = a 1 r

n-1

an = a 1 r

n-1

an = 4(3)n - 1

or an = 4(3)n - 1

a8 = 4(3)8 - 1

a8 = 4(3)8 - 1

a8 = 8748

a8 = 8748

The 8th term is 8748 or 8747.

General rule
Substitute a1 and r.

Evaluate for n = 8.

Caution!

When given two terms of a sequence, be

sure to consider positive and negative
values for r when necessary.

Try 3a
Find the 7th term of the geometric sequence
with the given terms.

a4 = 8 and a5 =
40 Step 1 Find the common ratio.
a5 = a4 r(5 4)
a5 = a4 r
40 = 8r
5=r

Use the given terms.

Simplify.
Substitute 40 for a5 and 8 for a4.
Divide both sides by 8.

Try 3a Continued
Step 2 Find a1.

an = a1r

n-1

8 = a1(5)4 - 1
0.064 = a1

General rule
Use a5 = 8 and r = 5.

Try 3a Continued
Step 3 Write the rule and evaluate for a7.

an = a1r

n-1

an = 0.064(5)n - 1

Substitute for a1 and r.

a7 = 0.064(5)7 - 1

Evaluate for n = 7.

a7 = 1,000
The 7th term is 1,000.

Geometric means are the terms between

any two nonconsecutive terms of a geometric
sequence.

Example 4: Finding Geometric Means

Find the geometric mean of

.
Use the formula.

and

Try 4

Find the geometric mean of 16 and 25.

Use the formula.

The indicated sum of the terms of a geometric

sequence is called a geometric series. You
can derive a formula for the partial sum of a
geometric series by subtracting the product of
Sn and r from Sn as shown.

Example 5A: Finding the Sum of a Geometric Series

Find the indicated sum for the geometric series.
S8 1for
+ 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + ...

Step 1 Find the common ratio.

Example 5A Continued
Step 2 Find S8 with a1 = 1, r = 2, and n = 8.

Check Use a graphing

calculator.

Example 5B: Finding the Sum of a Geometric Series

Find the indicated sum for the geometric series.

Step 1 Find the first term.

Example 5B Continued
Step 2 Find S6.
Check Use a graphing
calculator.

= 1(1.96875) 1.97

Try 5a
Find the indicated sum for each geometric series.

S6 for

Step 1 Find the common ratio.

Try 5a Continued

Step 2 Find S6 with a1 = 2, r = , and n

= 6.
Sum formula

Substitute.