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Series and Sequences question HELP! (1 Viewer)

star*eyed

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FInd the least number of terms for which the series 20 + 4 + 4/5... is greater than 24.99.

Can anyone answer that??
 

star*eyed

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ANother question: The sum of the first 5 terms of a geometric series is 77 and the sim of the next 5 is -2464. Find the 4th term.

Geez i suck at this stuff
 

Loz_metalhead

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star*eyed said:
FInd the least number of terms for which the series 20 + 4 + 4/5... is greater than 24.99.

Can anyone answer that??
Is the answer 2? If it is I will tell you how I worked it out
 

SoulSearcher

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star*eyed said:
FInd the least number of terms for which the series 20 + 4 + 4/5... is greater than 24.99.

Can anyone answer that??
You have a = 20, r = 1/5 = 0.2

Therefore 24.99 < 20(1-0.2n)/(1-0.2)
99.96 < 100(1-0.2n)
0.9996 < 1-0.2n
0.2n < 0.0004
ln (0.2n) > ln 0.0004
n ln 0.2 > ln 0.0004
n > ln 0.0004 / ln 0.2
n > 4.86
Therefore n = 5 for the the sum to first go above 24.99
 
P

pLuvia

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First one
Use the sum of a GP, Sn=a(1-rn)/(1-r)
where
a=20
r=1/5
And let Sn>24.99

Second question
Similar to question one use the sum of a GP formula, find a and r, by using the two equations you get from the given information that is:
S5=a(1-r5)/(1-r)
S10=a(1-r10)/(1-r)
Solve simulatenously, and get your a and r values. Then use tn=arn-1 and sub n=4 and you should get your answer

SS solved it for you :)
 
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star*eyed

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Loz_metalhead said:
Is the answer 2? If it is I will tell you how I worked it out
Um i dunno wat the answer is....but cant it not be 2 caus isnt the answer to that 4??? i dunno though....
 

SoulSearcher

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star*eyed said:
ANother question: The sum of the first 5 terms of a geometric series is 77 and the sim of the next 5 is -2464. Find the 4th term.

Geez i suck at this stuff
S5 = a(r5-1)/(r-1) = 77 ... (1)
S10 - S5 = a(r10-1)/(r-1) - a(r5-1)/(r-1) = -2464 ... (2)
a(r10-1)/(r-1) - 77 = -2464
a(r10-1)/(r-1) = -2387 ... (3)
(3) / (1)
(r10-1)/(r5-1) = -2387/77
(r5-1)(r5+1)/(r5-1) = -31
r5+1 = -31
r5 = -32
Therefore r = -2
Therefore, substituting r = -2 into (1),
a((-2)5-1)/(-2-1) = 77
-33a = -231
a = 7
Therefore, fourth term is ar3
= 7 * (-2)3
= 7 * -8
= -56
 

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