Q.Find the sum to indicated number of terms in the geometric progression 7,21,37,… n terms.
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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 |
Concept: Geometric Progression – each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a constant ratio r.
Step 1: Identify the first term and common ratio
First term a=7.
Second term =21=7×3=7⋅3.
So common ratio r=721=3.
Step 2: Apply the sum formula for a GP
For r=1, sum of n terms is
Sn=ar−1rn−1.
Step 3: Substitute and simplify
Sn=7⋅3−1(3)n−1. …
The given GP has first term a=7 and common ratio r=3. Using the sum formula for n terms, the sum is 3−17(3n−1).
A geometric progression (GP) is a sequence where each term after the first is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a fixed number called the common ratio (r). The key to summing a GP is to identify a (the first term) and r correctly, then apply the standard sum formula.
Here, the terms are 7,21,37,…. Let’s find r by dividing the second term by the first:
r=721=721=3.
Check with the third term: 21×3=63=9×7=37. It matches. So a=7 and r=3.
A common mistake is to mis-simplify 21/7 as 3 incorrectly — but it is correct because a/b=a/b for positive numbers. Always verify with the next term.
Now, the sum of the first n terms of a GP is given by:
Sn=r−1a(rn−1)for r=1.
Since r=3>1, we use this form. Substituting a=7 and r=3:
Sn=3−17((3)n−1). …
Showing the 12 most recent of 43 on this concept.
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04174 marksMCQQ.The sum of the first two terms of a geometric series is 12 and the third term is 16. Then the common ratio r>0 of the geometric progression is (A) 21 (B) 32 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 23
›Reveal solutionSolution
From a+ar=12 and ar2=16 derive 3r2−4r−4=0; the positive root is r=2.
Let the GP have first term a and ratio r. Then
a(1+r)=12,ar2=16.
From the first, a=1+r12. Substituting:
1+r12r2=16⇒12r2=16+16r⇒3r2−4r−4=0. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04174 marksMCQQ.The sum of four consecutive terms in a geometric progression is 960. If the fourth term is 8 times as large as the first term, then the smallest number in the geometric progression is (A) 40 (B) 64 (C) 128 (D) 160 (E) 240
›Reveal solutionSolution
The ratio is r=2 (since term 4 =8× term 1), and 15a=960 gives smallest term a=64.
Let the four consecutive terms be a,ar,ar2,ar3. The condition ar3=8a gives r3=8, so r=2.
The sum is
a(1+r+r2+r3)=a(1+2+4+8)=15a=960⇒a=64. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.A geometric series has common ratio 31. If the sum of first four terms is 200, then the first term is (A) 90 (B) 100 (C) 115 (D) 145 (E) 135
›Reveal solutionSolution
Solve a⋅2740=200 to get first term 135.
Geometric series with r=31:
S4=a1−r1−r4=a1−311−811=a⋅2/380/81=a⋅2740. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.The sum of the second and third terms of a G.P. is 8 and the fourth term is 4. The common ratio r=1 is (A) 2−1 (B) 21 (C) 4−1 (D) 3−1 (E) 41
›Reveal solutionSolution
Ratio of t4 to (t2+t3) yields 2r2−r−1=0, so r=−21.
Let terms be ar,ar2,ar3. Given:
ar+ar2=8,ar3=4.
Divide the second by the first:
ar(1+r)ar3=1+rr2=84=21. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.The first and the twentieth terms of a G.P. are 512 and 10241 respectively. Then the common ratio is (A) 21 (B) 2 (C) 41 (D) 4 (E) 81
›Reveal solutionSolution
r19=2−19, so r=21.
With first term a=512=29 and t20=ar19:
29r19=10241=2−10⇒r19=2−19. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04184 marksMCQQ.If k, 6 and k+5 are the first three terms of a geometric series, then the possible values of the common ratio are (A) 21,2 (B) 2,−2 (C) 31,3 (D) 23,3−2 (E) 32,2−3
›Reveal solutionSolution
Solve k2+5k−36=0 (k=4,−9), then r=6/k=23 or −32.
For a GP, the middle term squared equals the product of neighbours:
62=k(k+5)⇒k2+5k−36=0⇒(k−4)(k+9)=0. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04194 marksMCQQ.The number of terms in the sequence 2,6,18,…,1458 is (A) 14 (B) 12 (C) 10 (D) 8 (E) 7
›Reveal solutionSolution
Geometric sequence with ratio 3; solve 2⋅3k−1=1458.
The sequence 2,6,18,… is a GP with first term a=2 and ratio r=3.
The k-th term is tk=2⋅3k−1. Set 2⋅3k−1=1458: …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04194 marksMCQQ.Let t1,t2,t3,…,t2n−2,t2n−1,t2n be in G.P. with common ratio r. Then (A) t1,t3,t5,…,t2n−5,t2n−3,t2n−1 are in G.P. with common ratio r (B) t1,t4,t7,…,t2n−7,t2n−4,t2n−1 are in G.P. with common ratio r2 (C) t1,t3,t5,…,t2n−5,t2n−3,t2n−1 are in G.P. with common ratio r2 (D) t2,t4,t6,…,t2n−4,t2n−2,t2n are in G.P. with common ratio r3 (E) t2,t4,t6,…,t2n−4,t2n−2,t2n are in G.P. with common ratio r5
›Reveal solutionSolution
Every-other term of a GP forms a GP with ratio r2.
In a GP tk=t1rk−1. The odd-indexed subsequence t1,t3,t5,… has
tktk+2=t1rk−1t1rk+1=r2. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04194 marksMCQQ.If 4n+16n4n+1+16n+1 is the Geometric Mean between 4 and 16, then the value of n is (A) 21 (B) 23 (C) 10 (D) 2−1 (E) 8
›Reveal solutionSolution
The GM of 4 and 16 is 8; solving yields n=−21.
Geometric mean of 4 and 16 is 4⋅16=8. So
4n+16n4n+1+16n+1=4n+16n4⋅4n+16⋅16n=8.
Let a=4n, b=16n: 4a+16b=8(a+b)⇒8b=4a⇒a=2b, i.e. 4n=2⋅16n. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04194 marksMCQQ.The first and last term of a G.P. are 7 and 448 respectively. If the sum is 889, then the common ratio is (A) 4 (B) 2 (C) 21 (D) 41 (E) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
Solve r−1448r−7=889 to get r=2.
For a GP with first term a=7, last term l=448, sum S=r−1lr−a:
r−1448r−7=889. …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04204 marksMCQQ.Let t1,t2,t3,…,tn be in G.P. Then (t2t4)3 is equal to (A) (t3t7)2 (B) (t4t7)2 (C) (t4t6)2 (D) (t2t7)2 (E) (t8t9)2
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a geometric progression the ratio tm/tn=rm−n. The given quantity is (r2)3=r6; among the options only (t7/t4)2=(r3)2=r6 matches.
Let the common ratio be r, so tk=t1rk−1 and tm/tn=rm−n.
Given quantity:
(t2t4)3=(r4−2)3=(r2)3=r6.
Evaluate each option:
- (A) (t7/t3)2=(r4)2=r8
- (B) (t7/t4)2=(r3)2=r6 ✓ …
- KEAM 2026Set eng-2026-04204 marksMCQQ.The sum of the first n terms in a G.P. is sn=100−1001−n. The common ratio r is (A) 1003 (B) 5001 (C) 201 (D) 501 (E) 1001
›Reveal solutionSolution
A G.P. sum has the form Sn=1−ra(1−rn)=1−ra−1−rarn. Writing the given Sn=100−1001−n=100−100⋅(1/100)n shows the geometric factor is rn=(1/100)n, so r=1/100.
For a G.P. with first term a and ratio r,
Sn=1−ra(1−rn)=1−ra−1−rarn.
The given sum is
Sn=100−1001−n=100−100⋅100−n=100−100(1001)n. …
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