A sequence of numbers is a string of values which all have a pattern from one number to the next.

Sequences come in many forms and you need to know how to find patterns and also describe them.

An example of a sequence is:

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, etc.

In this sequence you add 2 to the previous number or multiply the position of the number by 2 (i.e. 1st

number = 1 × 2 and the 10th number = 10 × 2).

Sequences can be defined in two ways:

• An Inductive Definision

This describes the pattern using the previous number in the sequence. You need a number to start you

off.

An example is: un+1 = un + 5 if u1 = 1

The sequence is - 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, etc.

• An Iteration

An iteration creates a sequence by using the position of the number. To find the first number you put 1

into the formula and to find the second number you put 2 into the formula.

An example is: un = 2n + 1

The sequence is - 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, etc.

There are several types of sequences:

• An arithmetic progression has an added fixed number

• A geometric progression have terms multiplied by a fixed number

• If a sequence gets closer to a number all the time it is convergent

• If a sequence gets further away from a number is is divergent