Predicting What Comes Next: Sequences and Progressions | Exercise 8.3

Question 1

Find the 12th12^{\text{th}} term of a GP with common ratio 2, whose 8th8^{\text{th}} term is 192.

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Solution

We need to find the first term and then the 12th term of the GP.

Step 1 — Find the first term

Let's write the formula for the nthn^{\text{th}} term of a GP. The formula is tn=arn1t_n = ar^{n-1}. We are given the common ratio r=2\mathbf{r = 2}. We know the 8th8^{\text{th}} term is 192\mathbf{192}. So, we can write t8=ar81t_8 = ar^{8-1}.

t8=ar7t_8 = ar^7

192=a(2)7192 = a(2)^7

192=a×128192 = a \times 128

a=192128a = \frac{192}{128}

a=32a = \frac{3}{2}

a=32\boxed{a = \frac{3}{2}}

Step 2 — Calculate the 12th term

Now we know the first term a=32\mathbf{a = \frac{3}{2}}. We also know the common ratio r=2\mathbf{r = 2}. Let's find the 12th12^{\text{th}} term using the same formula tn=arn1t_n = ar^{n-1}. For the 12th12^{\text{th}} term, nn will be 12\mathbf{12}.

t12=ar121t_{12} = ar^{12-1}

t12=ar11t_{12} = ar^{11}

t12=32×(2)11t_{12} = \frac{3}{2} \times (2)^{11}

t12=3×21121t_{12} = 3 \times \frac{2^{11}}{2^1}

t12=3×210t_{12} = 3 \times 2^{10}

t12=3×1024t_{12} = 3 \times 1024

t12=3072t_{12} = 3072

t12=3072\boxed{t_{12} = 3072}

Answer

(i) The 12th term of the GP is 3072.

More questions in Exercise 8.3

Q1

Find the 12th12^{\text{th}} term of a GP with common ratio 2, whose 8th8^{\text{th}} term is 192.

Q2

Find the 10th10^{\text{th}} and nthn^{\text{th}} terms of the GP: 5, 25, 125, ... .

Q3

A sequence is given by the recursive rule t1=2t_1 = 2, tn+1=3tn2t_{n+1} = 3t_n - 2 for n1n \ge 1. Which term of the sequence is 730?

Q4

Which term of the GP: 2, 6, 18, ... is 4374? Write the explicit formula as well as the recursive formula for the nthn^{\text{th}} term.

Q5

A ball is dropped from a height of 80 metres. After hitting the ground, it bounces back to 60% of the height from which it fell. It continues bouncing in this way—each time rising to 60% of the previous height.

(i) What height does the ball reach after the 5th5^{\text{th}} bounce? (ii) What is the total vertical distance the ball has travelled by the time it hits the ground for the 6th6^{\text{th}} time?

Q6

Which term of the sequence 2,22,4,2, 2\sqrt{2}, 4, \dots is 128?

Q7

Fig. 8.12 shows Stages 0 to 3 of the Sierpiński square carpet. Stage 0 of this fractal is a square sheet of paper. To construct Stage 1, each side of the square is trisected and the points of trisection of opposite sides are joined to obtain nine smaller squares. The centre square is then removed and the 8 smaller squares are retained, leaving a square hole in the centre. The same process is repeated on the eight smaller shaded squares to obtain Stage 2 and so on.

Look at Fig. 8.12 and try to answer the following questions.

(i) How many red squares are there in Stages 0 to 3? (ii) Can you predict the number of red squares in Stages 4 and 5? (iii) Can you find a rule for the number of red squares at the nthn^{\text{th}} stage? Write the explicit formula as well as the recursive formula for the number of red squares at any stage. (iv) Suppose the area of the square in Stage 0 is 1 square unit. What is the area of the red region in Stages 1, 2 and 3? What will be the area of the red region in Stages 4 and 5? Find the explicit as well as the recursive formula for the area of the red region at the nthn^{\text{th}} stage. What happens to this area as nn, the number of stages, goes on increasing?

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