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Infinite Geometric Series Help! (1 Viewer)

Aerath

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lyounamu said:
I did put m = 0. I just copied the wrong one from my word document. I forgot to copy m = 0 and added.
OK. :)
 

Zak Ambrose

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ah ok. thanks for the help. much appreciated.

last question then im on to breeze through probability.

the sum of the first 8 terms is 17 times the sum of its first 4 terms. find r.

S8 = 17(S4)=17 [a(1-r^4)/(1-r)]
 

lolokay

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Zak Ambrose said:
ah ok. thanks for the help. much appreciated.

last question then im on to breeze through probability.

the sum of the first 8 terms is 17 times the sum of its first 4 terms. find r.

S8 = 17(S4)=17 [a(1-r^4)/(1-r)]
terms 5-8 are 16 times larger than terms 1-4, and also r^4 times larger. Therefore r^4 = 16, r = +-2
 

Zak Ambrose

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how did you arrive at
"terms 5-8 are 16 times larger than terms 1-4, and also r^4 times larger"
 

lolokay

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Well terms 1-8 is 17 times larger than terms 1-4. So terms [1-8 - 1-4] must be 16 times larger.

If r is the common ratio, then to get from a term to the term n after it you must multiply the number by r^n. So, term 5 is r^4 times greater than term 1 ... term 8 is r^4 times greater than term 4. This means that the sum of terms 5-8 is r^4 times greater than the sum of terms 1-4. (if you take out a factor of r^4 from terms 5-8 you end up with terms 1-4)
 

Zak Ambrose

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S8 - S4 = 17S4 - S4
= 16S4
= 16[a(1-r^4)/(1-r)]


am i on the right track?
 

lolokay

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the first two lines are right, but I wouldn't bother writing it in the form you wrote it as in the 3rd line.

[S8 - S4] = r^4 S4 = 16S4 is all I would do


* r^1 + r^2 + r^3 + r^4 + r^5 + r^6 + r^7 + r^8
= r^1 + r^2 + r^3 + r^4 + r^4(r^1 + r^2 + r^3 + r^4)
in case you still don't quite understand
 
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Zak Ambrose

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dam, im still not getting it.

i've got to...

(r^4)(S4)=16(S4)
r^4 = 16
r = +-2


but what im having trouble with is how i/you got (r^4)(S4)=16(S4)
more precisely - the (r^4)(S4) part.

perhaps if you wrote it out as you would in an exam?
 
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lolokay

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=(r^1 + r^2 + r^3 + r^4) + (r^5 + r^6 + r^7 + r^8)
= (r^1 + r^2 + r^3 + r^4) + r^4(r^1 + r^2 + r^3 + r^4)
= (r^4 + 1)S4 = 17S4


"[S8 - S4] = r^4 S4 = 16S4
r^4 = 16, r = +-2" is probably all I would write in an exam

if you divide terms 5-8 by r^4, you get terms 1-4
 
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Zak Ambrose

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oh ok. my brain just clicked.
the sum of the terms 5 to 8 = r^4 x S4

I'VE GOT IT!!!

thank you very much for your patience and help.

if you need any help with music or economics gimme a buzz [the only 2 subjects i consider myself worthy of giving internet advice on]
 

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