An arithmetic series has positive first term aa and common difference dd. The first, fifth and second terms of the arithmetic series are the first three consecutive terms of a geometric series respectively. It is also given that the terms of the arithmetic series are decreasing. It is given that the sum to infinity of the geometric series is 327\dfrac{32}{7}.

  1. (a)

    Show that d=−716ad = -\dfrac{7}{16}a.

  2. (b)

    Give a reason why the geometric series converges.

  3. (c)

    Find the sum of the first twenty terms of the arithmetic series.

  4. (d)

    Given that the sum of all the terms after the nnth term of the geometric series is greater than 2%2\% of the sum of the first nn terms of the geometric series, find the possible values of nn.

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Worked solution

11(a)

1. Express the first three terms of the geometric series using the $n$th term formula for an arithmetic series.

Let the first three terms of the geometric series be g1g_1, g2g_2, and g3g_3.
g1=ag_1 = a
g2=a+4dg_2 = a + 4d
g3=a+dg_3 = a + d

2. Equate the common ratios of the geometric series to form an equation in terms of $a$ and $d$.

For a geometric series, the ratio between consecutive terms is constant:
g2g1=g3g2\frac{g_2}{g_1} = \frac{g_3}{g_2}
a+4da=a+da+4d\frac{a + 4d}{a} = \frac{a + d}{a + 4d}
(a+4d)2=a(a+d)(a + 4d)^2 = a(a + d)
a2+8ad+16d2=a2+ada^2 + 8ad + 16d^2 = a^2 + ad
16d2+7ad=016d^2 + 7ad = 0

3. Solve the quadratic equation for $d$ and reject the invalid root based on the given conditions.

d(16d+7a)=0d(16d + 7a) = 0
d=0or16d+7a=0d = 0 \quad \text{or} \quad 16d + 7a = 0
Since the terms of the arithmetic series are decreasing, the common difference d<0d < 0.
Given that the first term aa is positive, d=0d = 0 is rejected.
16d=−7a16d = -7a
d=−716ad = -\frac{7}{16}a

Answer

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11(b)

1. Calculate the common ratio $r$ of the geometric series using the expression for the second term divided by the first term.

The common ratio rr is the ratio of the second term of the geometric series to the first term.
r=T5T1=a+4dar = \frac{T_5}{T_1} = \frac{a + 4d}{a}
Substitute the result d=−716ad = -\frac{7}{16}a from part (a):
r=a+4(−716a)ar = \frac{a + 4\left(-\frac{7}{16}a\right)}{a}
r=1−74=−34r = 1 - \frac{7}{4} = -\frac{3}{4}

2. State the condition for convergence to justify that the series converges.

For an infinite geometric series to converge, its common ratio must satisfy ∣r∣<1|r| < 1.
∣r∣=∣−34∣=34|r| = \left|-\frac{3}{4}\right| = \frac{3}{4}
Since 34<1\frac{3}{4} < 1, the geometric series converges.

Answer

The common ratio r=−34r = -\frac{3}{4}. Since ∣r∣<1|r| < 1, the geometric series converges.

11(c)

1. Find the common ratio $r$ of the geometric series.

The first and second terms of the geometric series correspond to the first and fifth terms of the arithmetic series.
g1=ag_1 = a
g2=a+4dg_2 = a + 4d
Using d=−716ad = -\frac{7}{16}a from part (a):
r=a+4da=a+4(−716a)a=a−74aa=−34r = \frac{a + 4d}{a} = \frac{a + 4(-\frac{7}{16}a)}{a} = \frac{a - \frac{7}{4}a}{a} = -\frac{3}{4}

2. Use the sum to infinity of the geometric series to find the first term $a$.

S∞=a1−r=327S_\infty = \frac{a}{1 - r} = \frac{32}{7}
a1−(−34)=327\frac{a}{1 - (-\frac{3}{4})} = \frac{32}{7}
a74=327\frac{a}{\frac{7}{4}} = \frac{32}{7}
a=327×74=8a = \frac{32}{7} \times \frac{7}{4} = 8

3. Find the common difference $d$ and the sum of the first 20 terms of the arithmetic series.

d=−716(8)=−72d = -\frac{7}{16}(8) = -\frac{7}{2}
For the arithmetic series:
S20=202[2a+(20−1)d]S_{20} = \frac{20}{2}[2a + (20 - 1)d]
S20=10[2(8)+19(−72)]S_{20} = 10\left[2(8) + 19\left(-\frac{7}{2}\right)\right]
S20=10(16−66.5)=−505S_{20} = 10(16 - 66.5) = -505

Answer

−505-505

11(d)

1. Identify the common ratio $r$ and first term $a$ of the geometric series from earlier parts.

From part (a), the first two terms of the geometric series are T1=aT_1 = a and T2=a+4dT_2 = a+4d.
With d=−716ad = -\frac{7}{16}a, the common ratio rr is:
r=a+4(−716a)a=1−74=−0.75r = \frac{a+4(-\frac{7}{16}a)}{a} = 1 - \frac{7}{4} = -0.75
Given S∞=327S_\infty = \frac{32}{7}, we find aa:
a1−(−0.75)=327  ⟹  a=327×1.75=8\frac{a}{1 - (-0.75)} = \frac{32}{7} \implies a = \frac{32}{7} \times 1.75 = 8

2. Formulate an inequality expressing that the sum after the $n$th term is greater than $2\%$ of the sum of the first $n$ terms.

The sum of the first nn terms is Sn=a(1−rn)1−r=327(1−(−0.75)n)S_n = \frac{a(1-r^n)}{1-r} = \frac{32}{7}(1 - (-0.75)^n).
The sum of all terms after the nnth term is S∞−Sn=327−327(1−(−0.75)n)=327(−0.75)nS_\infty - S_n = \frac{32}{7} - \frac{32}{7}(1 - (-0.75)^n) = \frac{32}{7}(-0.75)^n.
The given condition S∞−Sn>0.02SnS_\infty - S_n > 0.02 S_n translates to:
327(−0.75)n>0.02(327(1−(−0.75)n))\frac{32}{7}(-0.75)^n > 0.02 \left( \frac{32}{7}(1 - (-0.75)^n) \right)

3. Simplify the inequality to isolate the exponential term.

Dividing both sides by 327\frac{32}{7} (since it is positive):
(−0.75)n>0.02(1−(−0.75)n)(-0.75)^n > 0.02(1 - (-0.75)^n)
(−0.75)n>0.02−0.02(−0.75)n(-0.75)^n > 0.02 - 0.02(-0.75)^n
1.02(−0.75)n>0.021.02(-0.75)^n > 0.02
(−0.75)n>0.021.02=151(-0.75)^n > \frac{0.02}{1.02} = \frac{1}{51}

4. Solve for the possible values of $n$, noting the constraint on the parity of $n$.

Since 151>0\frac{1}{51} > 0, (−0.75)n(-0.75)^n must be strictly positive. This requires nn to be an even integer.
For even nn, we have (−0.75)n=0.75n(-0.75)^n = 0.75^n:
0.75n>1510.75^n > \frac{1}{51}
Taking the natural logarithm on both sides:
nln⁡0.75>ln⁡(151)n \ln 0.75 > \ln \left(\frac{1}{51}\right)
Since ln⁡0.75<0\ln 0.75 < 0, dividing by it flips the inequality sign:
n<ln⁡(1/51)ln⁡0.75≈13.67n < \frac{\ln(1/51)}{\ln 0.75} \approx 13.67
Since nn is a positive even integer (n≥1n \ge 1), the possible values are:
n=2,4,6,8,10,12n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

Answer

n=2,4,6,8,10,12n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

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