SEQUENCES

Definition:
A sequence is a function from
the set N = {1, 2, 3,….} of positive
integers into a set A. The notation
an is used to denote the image of the
integer n. Thus a sequence is
a1, a2, a3,…or {an: n ∈ N} or simply {an}
usually denoted by:
Sometimes the domain of a sequence
is the set {0, 1, 2,…} of non-negative
integers rather than N. In such a ease
we say n begins with 0 rather than 1.
SEQUENCES
Definition:
A finite sequence over a set A
is a function from {1, 2, 3,…, m}
into A, and it is usually denoted by
a1, a2, a3,…,am

Such a finite sequence is sometimes

called a list or an m-tuple.
SEQUENCES
Example:
b. The following are two familiar sequences:

(i) 1, 1 , 1 1 1
, ….which may be defined by an =
2 3 4 n
(ii) 1, 1 , 1 , 1 ….which may be defined by b = 2-n
n
2 4 8

Note that the first sequence begins

with n = 1 and the second sequence
begins with n = 0.
SEQUENCES
Example:

c.The important sequence 1, -1, 1, -1,…

may be formally defined by
n+1 n
an = (-1) or, equivalently, by bn = (-1)
where the first sequence begins with
n = 1 and the second sequence begins
with n = 0.
SEQUENCES
Example:
• Strings.
Suppose a set A is finite and A
is viewed as a character set or an
alphabet. Then a finite sequence
over A is called a string or word,
and it is usually written in the form
a1a2…am, that is, without
parentheses. The number m of
characters in the string is called its
length. One also views the set
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Here we introduce the summation symbol Σ(the Greek
letter sigma). Consider a sequence a1, a2, a3,….
Then we define the following:
n

Σ aj = a1 + a2 +….+ an and Σ aj = am + am + 1 +….+ an

j=1

The letter j in the expression is called a

dummy index or dummy variable. Other
letters frequently used as dummy variables
are i, k, s, and t.
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Example:
n

Σ aibi = a1b1 + a2b2 + …. + anbn

i=1

Σ j = 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 = 54
j=2
2 2 2 2 2

Σ j = 1 + 2 + ….. + n
j=1
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Other Examples:
Blue Taxi Inc. charges $1 for the first mile and 50 cents
for each additional mile. The table below shows the
cost of travelling from 1 to 10 miles.
Mileage Cost
1 $1.00
2 1.50
3 2.00
4 2.50
5 3.00
6 3.50
7 4.00
8 4.50
9 5.00
10 5.50
 SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
In general, the cost C of travelling n miles is 1.00(the
n
cost of travelling the first mile) plus 0.50 times the
number(n – 1) of additional miles. That is,

Cn = 1 + 0.5(n – 1)

As examples,

C1 = 1 + 0.5(1 – 1) = 1 + 0.5 • 0 = 1
C5 = 1 + 0.5(5 – 1) = 1 + 0.5 • 4 = 1 + 2 = 3
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
A sequence is a list in which order is taken
into account. Notice that the order is
important. If s is a sequence, we frequently
denote the first element of the sequence as s1,
the second element of the sequence as s2,
and so on. In general, sn denotes the nth
element of the sequence. We call n the index
of the sequence.
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Example:

Define a sequence {tn} by the rule

2
tn = n – 1, n ≥ 1.

The first five terms of this sequence are

0, 3, 8, 15, 24.

What are the 40th, 55th, 67th, 72th, 85th terms?

SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Answer this:

If x is the sequence defined by

Xn = 1/2n, -1 ≤ 4

Click here for the answer

SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Answer this:

If x is the sequence defined by

n
Xn = 1/2 , -1 ≤ n ≤ 4

The elements of x are

2, 1, ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/16
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Definition:
n
If {a }
i i=m is a sequence, we define
n
∏
i=m
a i = a m • a m+1 …..a n

The formalism
n
∏ ai
i=m

Is called the product notation.

where i is called the index, m is called the lower limit, and n
is called the upper limit.
SUMMATION SYMBOL,
SUMS
Example:
Let a be the sequence defined by an = 2n,n ≥ 1.
3
∏
i=1
a i = a 1 • a 2 • a 3 = 2 • 4 • 6 = 48
Answer this:
n
• Find for the first 7 terms, given, an = 2(-1) , n ≥ 0.

• Find for the following terms, given, an = 2n, n ≥ 0

8
∏ ai
i=5