Name: _______________________________________________

IGCSE (9–1) Maths new topics:

Sequences

Date:

Time: 50 minutes

Total marks available: 41

Total marks achieved: ______

[Awards]
Q1. Here are the first four terms of an arithmetic sequence.
8 11 14 17
(a) Write an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term of this sequence.
(2)
(b) Find the difference between the 62nd term and the 63rd term of this sequence.
(1)
(c) Find the sum of the first 20 terms of this sequence.
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

[Awards]
Q2. The nth term of an arithmetic series is 5n − 3
(a) (i) Find the first term of this series.
(ii) Find the common difference of this series.
(2)
(b) Find an expression, in terms of n, for the sum of the first n terms of this series.
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

[Awards]
Q3. Here are the first five terms of an arithmetic series.
3 5.5 8 10.5 13
(a) Write down an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term of this series.
(1)
100.5 is a term in this series.
(b) Work out the sum of all the terms in this series up to and including 100.5
(3)
(Total 4 marks)

[Awards]
Q4. The first term of an arithmetic series is 4
The sum of the first 40 terms is 2500
Work out the common difference of the series.
(Total 3 marks)

2 IGCSE (9–1) Maths topics new topics:

Sequences
Q5. The 4th term of an arithmetic series is 17
The 10th term of the same arithmetic series is 35
Find the sum of the first 50 terms of this arithmetic series.
(Total 5 marks)

[Awards]
Q6. The sum of the first two terms of an arithmetic series is 47.
The thirtieth term of this series is −62
(a) Find the first term of the series and the common difference.

First term .......................................................

Common difference .......................................................

(3)
(b) The sum of the first 60 terms of the series.
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

[Awards]
Q7. (a) The first term of an arithmetic series is 100
The common difference of the series is −4
Find an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term of this series.
Give your answer in its simplest form.
(2)
(b) The common difference of a different arithmetic series is 3
The sum of the first 50 terms of this series is 2500
Find the first term of this series.
(3)
(Total 5 marks)

[Awards]
Q8. The first term of an arithmetic series is 7.
The common difference is 4.
(a) Find the 60th term of this series.
(2)
The first term of a different arithmetic series is 3.
The sum of the first 30 terms of this series is −780.
(b) Work out the common difference of this series.
(3)
(Total 5 marks)

3 IGCSE (9–1) Maths topics new topics:

Sequences
[Awards]
Q9. The first term of an arithmetic series is 5
The common difference of the same series is 2.5
(a) Work out the 100th term of this series.
(2)
The common difference of a different arithmetic series is −5
The sum of the first 40 terms of this arithmetic series is 6100
(b) Work out the first term of this series.
(3)
(Total 5 marks)

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Sequences
Examiner's Report

Q1.
Most students successfully found a correct expression for the nth term in part (a) of this question
though a surprising number of students wrote down 8 + ( n − 1)3 (presumably because they used the
formula for an arithmetic series) but did not simplify it. There were a small number of weak
students who gave n + 3 or 5 n + 3 as their answer.

Part (b) answers were often long winded with students finding the 62nd and 63rd terms and finding
the difference between them – a pity they did not think about the properties of an arithmetic
sequence! Nearly all students scored the mark for this part of the question.

Part (c) was also quite well answered. Many students knew and could use the formula for the sum to
n terms but a significant number of students evaluated 2 × 8 + (20 − 1)3 as (16 + 19)3. There were
also many students who wrote down and used an incorrect formula. Students who resorted to
attempting to add up the 20 terms concerned usually made errors in their arithmetic and so scored
no marks for their attempts.

Q2.
On the whole students were able to gain some credit on this question. Many gave the correct first
term and common difference. Some were able to state a correct formula for the summation of the
series but then were unable to substitute the values in correctly often trying to give n a value as
well. A few mistakes were seen in the formula used. Simple errors in arithmetic also led to lost
marks.

Q3.
Part (a) was well answered by most students.

In part (b) most students were able to produce the required formulae but n = 40 was only obtained
by a minority, many assumed that n was 100.5, obviously not understanding what n represented and
so not being able to use the formula correctly.

Q4.
There were many correct answers seen to this question on arithmetic series. More students seemed
familiar with the topic and the formula needed than had been the case in the past. However, only
about a half of students gained some marks for their answers. A significant number of students
wrote down a correct equation in d only to make an error in simplifying and/or solving it. 8 + 39d
was often simplified to 47d.

Q5.
No Examiner's Report available for this question

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Sequences
Q6.
No Examiner's Report available for this question

Q7.
Part (a) was well answered with the majority of students scoring full marks. Some errors in
arithmetic were seen and others struggled with the initial interpretation but on the whole this was
well answered.

Part (b) was not so well answered. Many students did not know the correct formula to use missing
out signs or full terms. Of those that did know the formula many were able to equate it to 2500 thus
gaining the second mark. As this is a non-calculator paper the arithmetic involved is kept to a
reasonable level, there is often a simple way to deal with the numbers involved and those that did
2500÷25=100 first were more successful at achieving a final answer than those that multiplied out
the bracket requiring 147×25. Centres should encourage students to look at the numbers involved
before deciding upon the order of calculations.

Q8.
Success in this question varied widely. Part (a) of the question was answered correctly by a much
larger proportion of students than part (b). A minority of students had a good knowledge of relevant
formulae and could manipulate them with apparent ease. Many students stated incorrect formulae or
were unable to use them efficiently. For example, it was disconcerting to see so many students
simplify 6 + 29d to 35d in part (b) of the question.

Q9.
No Examiner's Report available for this question

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Sequences
Mark Scheme

Q1.

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Q5.

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Q8.

Q9.

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