Sequences and nth terms

1. Write the first 6 terms of each sequence.

a. 2n + 1 b. 5n c. 2n - 2
d. 3n + 4 e. 3n - 1 f. 4n - 3
g. 2n + 5 h. 3n + 2 i. n - 3
j. 3n - 5 k. 10 - n l. 20 - 3n
m. 30 - 2n n. n(n + 1) o. (n - 1)(n + 1)
2 2
p. n q. 2n r. (2n)2
1 21
s. t. 2+1
u.
3+2

2. For each of the sequences in question 1 find the value of term 10 and term 50.
Part (a) has been done as an example.
a. 2n + 1 Term 10 = 20 + 1 = 21
Term 50 = 100 + 1 = 101

3. Find the nth term for each of these sequences, then find the value of term 20.
a. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 b. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18
c. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 d. 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27
e. 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 f. 4, 14, 24, 34, 44, 54
g. 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 h. 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22
i. 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 j. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
k. -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, 11 l. 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10
m. 7, 4, 1, -2, -5, -8 n. 25, 21, 17, 13, 9, 5
1 2 3 4 5 2 4 6 8 10
o. , , , , p. , , , ,
2 5 8 11 14 4 7 10 13 16

4. You are given the term to term rule for each sequence and the value of the third term.
Work out the first term.
a. Multiply the previous term by 2 then subtract 3 Third term = 27
b. Multiply the previous term by 2 then add 4 Third term = 32
c. Multiply the previous term by 3 then subtract 1 Third term = 59
d. Add 4 to the previous term then multiply by 2 Third term = 36

5.
a. Find which term in the sequence 3n + 1 has the value 76.
b. Find which term in the sequence 2n - 5 has the value 31.
c. Find which term in the sequence 4n - 2 has the value 82.

6.
a. Is 37 a term in the sequence 4n - 1?
b. Is 71 a term in the sequence 2n + 3?
c. Is 60 a term in the sequence 5n + 4?
d. Is 40 a term in the sequence 3n - 5?
e. Which is the first term greater than 100 in the sequence 6n - 5?

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 Sequences and nth terms
Answers

1. Write the first 6 terms of each sequence.

a. 2n + 1 = 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
c. 2n 2 = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
e. 3n 1 = 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17
g. 2n + 5 = 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17
i. n 3 = -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3
k. 10 n = 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4
m. 30 - 2n = 28, 26, 24, 22, 20, 18
o. (n - 1)(n + 1) = 0, 3, 8, 15, 24, 35
q. 2n2 = 2, 8, 18, 32, 50, 72
1
s.
= , , , , ,
21
u. 3+2
= , , , , ,
b. 5n = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
d. 3n + 4 = 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22
f. 4n 3 = 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21
h. 3n + 2 = 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20
j. 3n 5 = -2, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13
l. 20 - 3n = 17, 14, 11, 8, 5, 2
n. n(n + 1) = 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, 42
p. n2 = 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36
r. (2n)2 = 4, 16, 36, 64, 100, 144
t. = , , , , ,
2+1

2. For each of the sequences in question 1 find the value of term 10 and term 50.

10th term 50th term

a. 2n + 1 21 101
b. 5n 50 250
c. 2n 2 18 98
d. 3n + 4 34 154
e. 3n 1 29 149
f. 4n 3 37 197
g. 2n + 5 25 105
h. 3n + 2 32 152
i. n 3 7 47
j. 3n 5 25 145
k. 10 n 0 -40
l. 20 - 3n -10 -130
m. 30 - 2n 10 -70
n. n(n + 1) 110 2550
o. (n - 1)(n + 1) 99 2499
2
p. n 100 2500
2
q. 2n 200 5000
2
r. (2n) 400 10000
1
s.

t. 2+1
21
u. 3+2

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 Sequences and nth terms

3. Find the nth term for each of these sequences, then find the value of term 20.

nth term term 20

a. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 2n - 1 39
b. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 3n 60
c. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 3n 2 58
d. 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 4n + 3 83
e. 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 3n + 1 61
f. 4, 14, 24, 34, 44, 54 10n 6 194
g. 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 2n + 15 55
h. 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22 4n 2 78
i. 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 2n + 6 46
j. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 n+2 22
k. -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, 11 3n 7 53
l. 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10 -2n + 22 or 22 - 2n -18
m. 7, 4, 1, -2, -5, -8 -3n + 10 or 10 3n -50
n. 25, 21, 17, 13, 9, 5 -4n + 29 or 29 4n -51
1 2 3 4 5
o. , , , ,
2 5 8 11 14
2 4 6 8 10
p. , , , ,
4 7 10 13 16 +

4. You are given the term to term rule for each sequence and the value of the third term.
Work out the first term.

a. Multiply the previous term by 2 then subtract 3 Third term = 27

9, 15, 27 1st term = 9

b. Multiply the previous term by 2 then add 4 Third term = 32

5, 14, 32 1st term = 5

c. Multiply the previous term by 3 then subtract 1 Third term = 59

7, 20, 59 1st term = 7

d. Add 4 to the previous term then multiply by 2 Third term = 36

3, 14, 36 1st term = 3

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 Sequences and nth terms
5.
a. Find which term in the sequence b. Find which term in the sequence
3n + 1 has the value 76. 2n - 5 has the value 31.
3n + 1 = 76 2n 5 = 31
3n = 75 2n = 36
75 36
n= 3 n= 2
n = 25 n = 18
Term 25 Term 18

c. Find which term in the sequence 4n -

2 has the value 82.
4n 2 = 82
4n = 84
84
n=4
n = 21
Term 21

6.
a. Is 37 a term in the sequence 4n - 1? b. Is 71 a term in the sequence 2n + 3?
4n 1 = 37 2n + 3 = 71
4n = 38 2n = 68
38 68
n= 4 n= 2
19 n = 34
n=
2
Yes, term 34
n= 9.5
No

c. Is 60 a term in the sequence 5n + 4? d. Is 40 a term in the sequence 3n - 5?

5n + 4 = 60 3n 5 = 40
5n = 56 2n = 45
56 45
n= 5 n= 3
n = 11.2 n = 15
No Yes, term 15

e. Which is the first term greater than 100

in the sequence 6n - 5?
First term > 100
6n 5 > 100
6n > 105
105
n> 6
n > 17.5
Term 18

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