Defining Sequences and Evaluating Terms
Let's imagine, instead of numbers, we have a sequence of animals. The sequence begins with three animals: green tap dancing elephant, purple singing cockatoo, and orange quarterback tiger. We could...
Patterns
Evaluating terms of a sequence, given the formula, isn't so bad. Going the other way around is a little trickier. It can be a bit like juggling buzzing chainsaws while riding a unicycle and chewi...
Sequences Can Start at n = 0
Remember the Count from Sesame Street? Now a little bit older and with a few gray hairs, he needs a good pick-me-up in the morning, "One. One large coffee. Ha.Ha.Ha." Why would we begin counting...
Arithmetic Sequences
An arithmetic sequence is a sequence where the step from one term to the next is constant. That is, you always add the same thing to get from one term to the next. An arithmetic sequence is like go...
Geometric Sequences
We already know that an arithmetic sequence is one where the difference between successive terms is constant. The distance from each term is the same. A geometric sequence is a lot like an arithmet...
Visualizing Sequences
For those who like pictures better than formulas, we can visualize sequences on number lines and on graphs. For those who like Kit Kats, we can visualize a giant Kit Kat bar. Either way, creating a...
Other Useful Sequence Words
Imagine a Kung Fu black belt took a function and chopped through it, leaving only discrete values. Those discrete values would form a sequence. Because the sequence is just a coarse-chopped list of...
Word Problems
Sequences, especially arithmetic and geometric ones, are good for word problems. Sequence story problems come in two main flavors. If these flavors were ice cream, they'd be vanilla and rocky road....