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Question 7:
Given a Geometric Progression (GP): 125128,...,100,250,625.
a) Find the number of terms.
Step 1: Identify the first term and common ratio.
The first term is a=125128.
From the given terms 100,250,625, we can find the common ratio r.
r=100250=25
We can verify this with the next pair:
r=250625=25
Step 2: Use the formula for the n-th term of a GP.
The last term is an=625. The formula for the n-th term is an=arn−1.
Substitute the values of a, r, and an:
125128(25)n−1=625
Step 3: Solve for n.
Express the numbers as powers of their prime factors: 128=27, 125=53, 625=54.
5327(25)n−1=54
53272n−15n−1=54
27−(n−1)⋅5(n−1)−3=54
28−n⋅5n−4=54
For this equality to hold, the powers of the bases must match.
Equating the powers of 2:
8−n=0⟹n=8
Equating the powers of 5:
n−4=4⟹n=8
Both equations yield n=8.
The number of terms is 8.
b) Write down the first three terms.
Step 1: Identify the first term.
The first term is a1=a=125128.
Step 2: Calculate the second term.
The second term is a2=ar.
a2=125128×25=25×564×2×25=2564
Step 3: Calculate the third term.
The third term is a3=ar2.
a3=125128×(25)2=125128×425=5×2532×4×425=532
The first three terms are 125128,2564,532.
Question 8:
Which term of the sequence: 1081,643,421,... is 2187256?
Step 1: Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions and identify the first term.
1081=88×10+1=881
643=44×6+3=427
421=22×4+1=29
The sequence is 881,427,29,...
The first term is a=881.
Step 2: Find the common ratio r.
r=firsttermsecondterm=81/827/4=427×818=8127×48=31×2=32
Verify with the next pair:
r=secondtermthirdterm=27/49/2=29×274=279×24=31×2=32
The common ratio is r=32.
Step 3: Use the formula for the n-th term of a GP and solve for n.
We want to find n such that an=2187256.
The formula is an=arn−1.
881(32)n−1=2187256
Step 4: Express numbers as powers of their prime factors and solve for n.
81=34
8=23
256=28
2187=37
Substitute these into the equation:
2334(32)n−1=3728
23343n−12n−1=3728
2(n−1)−3⋅34−(n−1)=28⋅3−7
2n−4⋅35−n=28⋅3−7
Equating the powers of 2:
n−4=8⟹n=12
Equating the powers of 3:
5−n=−7⟹n=5+7⟹n=12
Both equations give n=12.
The term is the 12thterm.
Drop the next question.