A sequence is an ordered list of numbers; formally, a finite sequence on n terms is a function f:{1,2,…,n}→R with f(k)=ak, while an infinite sequence is a function on all of N. Terms may repeat (unlike the elements of a set).
Arithmetic progression (AP):a,a+d,a+2d,…, where d is the common difference. The nth term is
Tn=a+(n−1)d.
Every term (after the first) is the arithmetic mean of its neighbours: ak=2ak−1+ak+1 (Result 5.1) — equivalently, Tm+n+Tm−n=2Tm for any valid m,n.
Geometric progression (GP):a,ar,ar2,… (a=0,r=0), where r is the common ratio. The nth term is
Tn=arn−1.
Every term is the geometric mean of its neighbours: ak=ak−1ak+1 (Result 5.2), so tn−k,tn,tn+k is again a GP for any k. Taking logs of a GP with r>0 turns it into an AP with common difference logr.
Arithmetico-geometric progression (AGP): term-by-term product of an AP and a GP, a,(a+d)r,(a+2d)r2,…, with nth term Tn=(a+(n−1)d)rn−1. Setting r=1 recovers an AP; setting d=0 recovers a GP — AP and GP are special cases of AGP.
Harmonic progression (HP): a sequence whose reciprocals form an AP: h1,h2,… is an HP exactly when h11,h21,… is an AP, giving the general HP form a1,a+d1,a+2d1,… (provided no denominator vanishes). If a,b,c are in HP then b=a+c2ac. …
Since the sequence's differences grow arithmetically, the nth term is quadratic; checking n=1,2,3,4 against n2+2n−1 confirms it fits all four given terms.
The sequence is 2,7,14,23,…. First differences: 7−2=5, 14−7=7, 23−14=9. These differences themselves increase by 2 each time, which is the signature of a quadratic nth term an2+bn+c.
Rather than solving the full system, test the candidate options directly: …
Q.The number of bacteria in a certain culture doubles every hour. If there were 40 bacteria present in the culture originally, the number of bacteria present at the end of 2nd hour and 4th hour are respectively:
(a) 40, 160
(b) 40, 80
(c) 80, 640
(d) 160, 640
›Reveal solutionSolution
With population doubling each hour, count after n hours =40×2n; at n=2 this is 160, and at n=4 it is 640.
Starting count =40. Since the population doubles every hour, after n hours the count is 40×2n (a geometric progression with first term 40 and common ratio 2).