Q.Which term of the sequence 3,3,33,… is 729?
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Geometric Progression: The Idea of Repeated Multiplication
Imagine you're folding a piece of paper in half. Start with thickness 1 unit. After one fold, thickness becomes 2. After two folds, thickness becomes 4. After three folds, thickness becomes 8. The sequence of thicknesses is:
1, 2, 4, 8, 16, ...
Notice the pattern: each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by the same number (here, 2). That's the core intuition behind a geometric progression — you keep multiplying by a fixed number, step after step.
This is different from an arithmetic progression, where you keep adding a fixed number. Here, the growth is multiplicative, not additive. That's why geometric progressions grow (or shrink) much faster.
Precise Definition
A Geometric Progression (GP) is a sequence of numbers where the ratio of any term to its preceding term is constant. This constant is called the common ratio, denoted by r.
If the first term is a, then the sequence looks like:
a, ar, ar2, ar3, ar4, …
The common ratio r can be any real number — positive, negative, or even a fraction. If r is negative, the terms alternate in sign. If 0<r<1, the terms get smaller and smaller.
The n-th Term
To find any term directly without listing all previous ones, use the formula:
Tn=a⋅rn−1
where Tn is the n-th term, a is the first term, r is the common ratio, and n is the term number (starting from 1).
Example: For the paper-folding sequence, a=1, r=2. The 5th term is 1⋅25−1=24=16, which matches our list.
Sum of n Terms
There are two cases, depending on whether r=1 or not.
Sum of first n terms of a GP:
Sn=⎩⎨⎧a⋅r−1rn−1,n⋅a,r=1r=1
When r=1, every term is just a, so the sum is simply n×a.
Why the formula works (intuition):
Let S=a+ar+ar2+⋯+arn−1. Multiply both sides by r: rS=ar+ar2+⋯+arn. Subtract the first from the second: rS−S=arn−a, so S(r−1)=a(rn−1), giving the formula above.
Sum of an Infinite GP
If the common ratio r lies strictly between −1 and 1 (i.e., ∣r∣<1), the terms get smaller and smaller, and the sum of all terms approaches a finite value:
S∞=1−ra,for ∣r∣<1
If ∣r∣≥1, the infinite sum does not exist (it diverges to infinity or oscillates without settling). Never apply the infinite sum formula when ∣r∣≥1.
Example: 1+21+41+81+… has a=1, r=21, so S∞=1−1/21=2. This matches the intuition that repeatedly halving a unit length eventually fills exactly 2 units.
Quick Reference Table
| Property | Formula | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Common ratio | r=TnTn+1 | Always |
| n-th term | Tn=arn−1 | Always |
Expressing each term of this geometric progression as a power of the common ratio 3 lets us match it against the given value 729.
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The sequence is a G.P. with common ratio 3; express the nth term as a power of 3 and match it to 729.
The sequence 3,3,33,… has first term a=3 and common ratio r=33=3 (check: 33/3=3 too).
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Showing the 12 most recent of 40 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.20th term of the G.P. 25,45,85,…(a) 2205(b) 2201(c) 2195(d) 2185
›Reveal solutionSolution
Identify the first term and common ratio, then apply an=arn−1 for n=20.
The G.P. is 25,45,85,… with first term a=25 and common ratio r=5/25/4=21.
The nth term of a G.P. is an=arn−1. For n=20: …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Which term of the sequence 3,3,33,… is 729?(a) 9th(b) 12th(c) 13th(d) 11th
›Reveal solutionSolution
The sequence is a G.P. with common ratio 3; express the nth term as a power of 3 and match it to 729.
The sequence 3,3,33,… has first term a=3 and common ratio r=33=3 (check: 33/3=3 too).
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Given a G.P. with a=729 and 7th term 64, then S7=?(a) 2187(b) 64(c) 2159(d) 2059
›Reveal solutionSolution
First find the common ratio from ar6=64, then sum the first 7 terms directly.
Given a=729 and the 7th term a7=ar6=64:
729r6=64⟹r6=72964=(32)6⟹r=32
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- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The value of x for which the progression 2/7, x, 14 is in G.P., is:(a) 4(b) 2(c) 1(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
In a G.P., each term squared (the middle term) equals the product of its neighbours; solving gives x = 2.
For 72,x,14 to be in G.P., the middle term squared must equal the product of the outer terms:
x2=72×14=4
x=±2
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- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The Geometric mean of 2 and 8 is:(a) −4(b) 5(c) −5(d) 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
The geometric mean of two numbers a,b is ab; for 2 and 8 this gives 16=4.
The geometric mean (GM) of two positive numbers a and b is defined as G=ab, the number such that a,G,b form a G.P.
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- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Fill in the blank: If −72,x,−27 are consecutive terms of a geometric progression, then the value of x will be ______.
›Reveal solutionSolution
If a,x,c are consecutive terms of a G.P., then x2=a⋅c; here that gives x=±1, and x=−1 is the value consistent with a single common ratio across the progression.
For three consecutive G.P. terms a,x,c: ax=xc⇒x2=ac.
Here a=−72, c=−27, so x2=(−72)(−27)=1, giving x=±1.
Checking x=−1: common ratio r=ax=−2/7−1=27, and indeed x⋅r=−1×27=−27=c ✓ — a single positive ratio 27 carries all three (negative) terms consistently.
…
- CBSE 2026Set 1A1 markQ.Find the sum to infinity in Geometric Progression 1,31,91,…
›Reveal solutionSolution
With a=1, r=31, S∞=1−311=23.
The GP 1,31,91,… has first term a=1 and common ratio r=31 (with ∣r∣<1). The sum to infinity is …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The common ratio of the geometrical progression 91,27−1,811,243−1,… is(a) 1/3(b) 3(c) -3(d) −1/3
›Reveal solutionSolution
The common ratio r=−31.
For a G.P., r=a1a2.
Here a1=91, a2=−271: r=1/9−1/27=−271×19=−279=−31.
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- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The 10th term of the geometrical progression 1,5,25,125,… is(a) 59(b) 510(c) 511(d) 512
›Reveal solutionSolution
The 10th term is 59.
For the G.P. 1,5,25,125,…: first term a=1, common ratio r=5/1=5.
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- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The geometrical mean of 44 and 11 is(a) 27.5(b) 25(c) 55(d) 22
›Reveal solutionSolution
The geometric mean of 44 and 11 is 22.
For two positive numbers a and b, the geometric mean is ab.
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- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.For what value of x are the numbers 7−2,x,2−7 in G.P.?(a) x=1,x=−1(b) x=−1,x=3(c) x=0,x=2(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
For three numbers in G.P., the middle term squared equals the product of the outer terms: x2=(−72)(−27)=1, so x=±1.
If −72,x,−27 are in G.P., then the middle term is the geometric mean of the other two: …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If third term of a G.P. is 24 and 6th term is 192, then its common ratio is:(a) 1/2(b) 2(c) 6(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Dividing the 6th term by the 3rd term of a G.P. gives r3.
Let the G.P. have first term a and common ratio r.
a3=ar2=24, a6=ar5=192.
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