DP Math AI · HL / SL · Number and Algebra · Updated

SL 1.3—Geometric Sequences

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What is a Geometric Sequence?

You've already seen arithmetic sequences, where you add (or subtract) a fixed number each time. Geometric sequences work differently — instead of adding, you multiply by a fixed value each time.

Geometric Sequence

A sequence in which each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a fixed constant called the common ratio, .

The general form of a geometric sequence looks like this:

where is the first term and is the common ratio.

Analogy

Think of a geometric sequence like compound interest — your bank balance isn't growing by a fixed £50 each year, it's growing by a fixed percentage (say 5%) of whatever you currently have. That's multiplication, not addition.

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