Sum of n terms of Geometric Sequence
Sum of n terms of Geometric Sequence
Sum of n terms of a finite geometric sequence is given by two formulas depending on the values of common ratio(r).
Let ‘a’ be the first term of geometric sequence and ‘r’ be its common ratio then sum of n terms, is given as,
Example1. Consider the geometric series -90+30+(-10)+10/3 +….
- Find the sum of first 16 terms .
- Find n such that
Solution: a) First term(a) = -90
Common ratio(r) = -1/3
Here |r| < 1 so we use second formula.
Sum of first 16 terms
b) Given that
[ For same bases , exponents can be equated]
4 = n
Example2: Find sum of given finite geometric series.
Solution: Here we are going to find for the given series
First term(a) = 8
Common ratio(r) = 3/4
Example3: Find the sum of following series.
5+55+555+….n terms
Solution: Let be the sum of given series then,
= 5+55+555+……..n terms
= 5[1+11+111+…..n terms]
= 5/9[9+99+999+……. n terms]
= 5/9 [(10-1)+(100-1)+(1000-1) +…….n terms]
=
=
=
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Example4: Sum of first three numbers in a G.P. is 16 and sum of next three terms is 128. Find the sum of n terms .
Solution: Let a be the first term and r be the common ratio of G.P. Then,
———(i)
Also
——–(ii)
Dividing equation (ii) by equation(i) we get,
r = 2
Substitute r=2 into equation (i) we get,
a(7) = 16
a = 16/7
And sum is given as,
Example 5: A G.P. consists of even number of terms. If the sum of all terms is 5 times the sum of the terms occupying the odd places. Find the common ratio r.
Solution: Let there be 2n(even) terms in G.P with first term as a and common ratio as r.
Given that,
Sum of all terms = 5(sum of terms occupying the odd places)
Note: if there are total 2n terms then there would be n even terms and n odd terms.
Canceling from numerators and (1-r) from denominators on both sides, we get
a(1+r) = 5a
1+r = 5
r = 4
Sum of Infinite G.P.
Sum of infinite G.P with a as first term and r as common ratio is given as,
Example6: Find the sum of following geometric infinite series
Solution: We can separate these terms to get two infinite geometric series.
(Infinite G.P with a=1/2, r=1/4) + (infinite G.P with a=1/9 , r=1/9)
Example 7: prove that
Solution:
Here is a infinite geometric series so we can use formula
Example8: In 1990 the average monthly bill for cellular telephone service in the United States was $80.90. From 1990 through 1997, the average monthly bill decreased by about 8.6% per year.
On average, what did a person pay for cellular telephone service during 1990–1997?
Solution: Here we have,
Common ratio(r) = 1-0.086=0.914
Average monthly bill =$80.90
Average annual bill = 12*80.90=970.8
So first term(a) =970.8
Average cost for cellular telephone service during 8 years is given as,
On average a person pay 5790 dollars for cellular telephone service.
Practice problems:
- Find the sum of the first 8 terms of the geometric series 1 + 8 + 64 + 512 + . . .
- Find sum of following series.
- Find the sum of following series 0.7+0.77+0.777+….n terms
- How many terms of the geometric series 3, 3/2 , 3/4 ….be taken together to make 3069/512
- Find a G.P. for which sum of first two terms is -4 and the fifth term is 4 times the third term.
- A person writes a letter to four of his friends. He asks each of them to copy the letter and mail it to four different persons with instruction that they move the chain similarly. Assuming that the chain is not broken and that it costs 50 cents to mail one letter. Find the amount spent on the postage when 8th set of letter is mailed.
Answers:
1) 2396745
2) 124.6875
3)
4) 10
5) -4/3 ,-8/3 , -16/3…… or 4,-8,16….
6) $43690