NUMBER PATTERNS
Key Concepts
1. Number Patterns:
• A number pattern is a sequence of numbers that follow a certain rule or formula.
• These sequences can be arithmetic, geometric, or a combination of different types.
2. General Term (nth term):
• The general term of a sequence is an expression that allows you to find any term in
the sequence based on its position.
Types of Number Patterns
1. Arithmetic Sequences (AP - Arithmetic Progression):
• Definition: A sequence where the difference between consecutive terms is constant.
• General Form: a,a+d,a+2d,a+3d,…
• Here, a is the first term and d is the common difference.
• Nth Term Formula:
Tn=a+(n−1)⋅d
• Where Tn is the nth term, a is the first term, and d is the common difference.
• Sum of the First n Terms:
Sn=2n⋅(2a+(n−1)⋅d)
or equivalently:
Sn=2n⋅(a+l)
Where l is the last term in the sequence.
• Key Properties:
• Constant difference between consecutive terms.
• The graph of an arithmetic sequence is a straight line.
2. Geometric Sequences (GP - Geometric Progression):
• Definition: A sequence where each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a
constant ratio.
• General Form: a,ar,ar2,ar3,…
• Here, a is the first term and r is the common ratio.
• Nth Term Formula: Tn=a⋅rn−1
• Where Tn is the nth term, a is the first term, and r is the common ratio.
• Sum of the First n Terms:
• When r=1:
Sn=1−ra(1−rn)
• When r=1, the sum is simply:
Sn=n⋅a
• Key Properties:
• Constant ratio between consecutive terms.
• The graph of a geometric sequence is exponential (curved).
3. Quadratic Sequences:
• Definition: A sequence where the second difference between consecutive terms is constant.
• A typical quadratic sequence looks like: a,b,c,d,… where the difference of
differences between consecutive terms is constant.
• Nth Term Formula: The nth term of a quadratic sequence can be written in the form: Tn
=an2+bn+c To find the values of a, b, and c, you can use the first few terms of the sequence
to set up a system of equations.
Special Number Patterns
1. Fibonacci Sequence:
• The Fibonacci sequence is a special number pattern where each term is the sum of the two
preceding ones, typically starting with 0 and 1. 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,…
• The general recurrence relation is: Fn=Fn−1+Fn−2
• With initial conditions F0=0 and F1=1.
2. Square Numbers:
• A sequence of numbers where each term is a perfect square. 12,22,32,42,…
• The nth term is Tn=n2.
3. Triangular Numbers:
• A sequence of numbers that represent triangular patterns. 1,3,6,10,15,21,…
• The nth term of the triangular numbers is given by: Tn=2n(n+1)
4. Cubic Numbers:
• A sequence of numbers where each term is a perfect cube. 13,23,33,43,…
• The nth term is Tn=n3.
Common Techniques for Solving Number Patterns
1. Identifying the Pattern:
• Start by analyzing the sequence. Check if the difference between terms is constant
(arithmetic), or if the ratio is constant (geometric).
• If neither, check if the second difference is constant (quadratic).
2. Finding the General Term:
• For arithmetic sequences, use the nth term formula: Tn=a+(n−1)⋅d.
• For geometric sequences, use the nth term formula: Tn=a⋅rn−1.
• For quadratic sequences, fit a quadratic expression of the form Tn=an2+bn+c to the
given terms.
3. Sum of Terms:
• Use the sum formula for arithmetic or geometric sequences to find the sum of the
first n terms.
4. Using Recursive Relations:
• For sequences like the Fibonacci sequence, express the relation recursively and solve
it using initial conditions.
Examples and Practice Problems
Example 1: Arithmetic Sequence
Find the 10th term of the arithmetic sequence: 3, 7, 11, 15, ...
• Solution: The first term a=3 and the common difference d=4.
• Use the nth term formula: Tn=a+(n−1)⋅d. T10=3+(10−1)⋅4=3+36=39
• The 10th term is 39.
Example 2: Geometric Sequence
Find the sum of the first 5 terms of the geometric sequence: 2, 6, 18, 54, ...
• Solution: The first term a=2 and the common ratio r=3.
• Use the sum formula for geometric sequences: S5=1−ra(1−r5) S5=1−32(1−35)=−22(1−243)
=−22(−242)=242
• The sum of the first 5 terms is 242.
