Grade 11 Maths Essentials

Number Patterns SCIENCE CLINIC 2022 ©

Patterns/ Sequences: ordered set of numbers

REMINDERS: Linear: Quadratic:
F
Constant first difference between consecutive terms. Constant second difference between consecutive terms.
1. Consecutive: directly follow one another Tn = general term Tn = general term
Tn = d n+ c d = constant difference Tn = a n2 + bn+ c
2. Common/constant difference: difference n = number of the term n = number of the term
between two consecutive terms in a
pattern Notice how this is similar to a linear function y = m x + c Notice how this is similar to the quadratic equation and formula for the parabola
d = T2 − T1
Steps to determine the nth term: Steps to determine the nth term:
3. General term Tn: also referred to as the 1. Find the constant difference 1. Find the constant difference
nth term. 2. Substitute the constant difference (d) and the term value, along with the 2. Use the value of the second difference to find “a”
term number
• General term for linear patterns: 3. Use the “a” value and first difference to find “b”
3. Substitute the c- and d-values to define the nth term.
Tn = d n + c / Tn = a + (n− 1)d 4. Use “a” and “b” to find “c”
• General term for quadratic patterns:
Tn = a n2 + b n + c EXAMPLE EXAMPLE
1. Determine the nth term of the following sequence: Determine the nth term of the following sequence:
4. T1; T2; . . . . T100: Terms indicated by T T1 T2 T3 T4 T1 T2 T3 T4
and the number of the term as a sub- Term 1
2; 7; 12; 17 6; 17; 34; 57
script. 7−2 12 − 7 17 − 12
(a + b + c)
17 − 6 34 − 17 57 − 34

5. Objective: First difference

5 5 5 11 17 23
(3a + b)
7−2 12 − 7
a. Find the values of the variables Second difference
b. Use the values to find the general Using term 3 where T3 = 12 6 6
(2a)
term Tn = 5n + c OR Tn = a + (n− 1)d
c. Use the general term to calculate 12 = 5(3) + c = 2 + (n− 1)(5) Second difference = 2a
specific term values
12 = 15 + c = 2 + 5n− 5 6 = 2a
d. Use specific term values to find the
term number 12 − 15 = c Tn = 5n− 3 3= a
−3 = c
First difference = 3a + b
11 = 3a + b
∴ Tn = 5n− 3
11 = 3(3) + b
2= b
2. Determine the 100th term
T100 = 5(100) − 3 Term 1 = a + b + c
= 500 − 3 6 = (3) + (2) + c
= 497 6−3−2 = c
1= c
∴ T100 = 497

∴ Tn = 3n2 + 2n + 1

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Grade 11 Maths Essentials
Number Patterns SCIENCE CLINIC 2022 ©

Solving Quadratic Number Patterns

EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 3
Prove that the second difference is 2a. The relationship between the term value (Tn) and the term number (n) can be plotted on a graph.
Tn = a n2 + b n + c

The terms will then be:

T1 = a (1)2 + b (1) + c n 1 2 3 4
For Tn = 3n2 + 2n + 1 Tn
T1 = a + b + c Tn 6 17 34 57

T2 = a (2)2 + b (2) + c
T2 = 4a + 2b + c 0 1 2 3 4
n
T3 = a (3)2 + b (3) + c
T3 = 9a + 3b + c Use the quadratic equation for the graph above (Tn = 3n2 + 2n + 1) and find the next two terms.

a+ b+ c 4a + 2b + c 9a + 3b + c Term 5: T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 OR n=5
6; 17; 34; 57; + 29 86 T5 = 3(5)2 + 2(5) + 1
3a + b 5a + b First difference = 75 + 10 + 1
11 17 23 29 = 86
+6
2a Second difference

6 6 6
EXAMPLE 2
Determine the term number for a specific value: Term 6: T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 OR n=6
Which term is equal to 80 in the quadratic pattern with the general term
Tn = 2n2 + n + 2? 6; 17; 34; 57; 86; + 35 121 T6 = 3(6)2 + 2(6) + 1
= 108 + 12 + 1

80 = 2n2 + n + 2 Prove that n = 6 11 17 23 29 35 = 121

+6
0 = 2n2 + n + 2 − 80 T6 = 2(6)2 + (6) + 2
6 6 6 6
0 = 2n2 + n− 78 = 72 + 6 + 2
0 = (2n + 13)(n− 6) = 80
Now find the value of the 100th term:
2n + 13 = 0 or n− 6 = 0
T100 = 3(100)2 + 2(100) + 1
2n = − 13 or n= 6
−13 = 30 000 + 200 + 1
n= BUT no half terms/decimal number of terms
2 = 30 201
∴ n= 6

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Grade 11 Maths Essentials
Number Patterns SCIENCE CLINIC 2022 ©

Solving Quadratic Number Patterns

EXAMPLE 4 EXAMPLE 6
Find the general term by inspecting the pictures Researchers investigate the change in a new cell. Each hour they record the growth of the cell. In the table below, you can
review the recorded changes. The researchers realised that the size of the cell followed a quadratic pattern.
T1 T2 T3
Time Hour monitored Size (pm) 2. Determine the size of the cell at 20:00 that evening.
Recording started at 07:00, ∴ 20:00 - 07:00 = 13 hrs
08:00 1 3
1 by 2, + 1
2 by 3, + 1
09:00 2 7 T1 T2 T3 T4
3 by 4, + 1
Term 1 3; 7; 13; 21
10:00 3 x (a + b + c)

T1 = 3: 1 × 2 + 1: n(n + 1) + 1 11:00 4 21 First difference 4 6 8

(3a + b)
12:00 5 31
T2 = 7: 2 × 3 + 1: n(n + 1) + 1 Second difference 2 2
13:00 6 43 (2a)

T3 = 13: 3 × 4 + 1: n(n + 1) + 1 Second difference = 2a

1. What is the size of the cell after 3 hours (x)? 2 = 2a
∴ Tn = n(n + 1) + 1 T1 T2 T3 T4 1= a
3; 7; x; 21 First difference = 3a + b
= n2 + n+ 1
4 = 3(1) + b
4 x-7 21 - x 1st difference 4−3= b
EXAMPLE 5
Determine the value of x if 6; 15; x ; 45... is a quadratic sequence 1= b
(x - 7) - 4 (21 - x) - (x - 7) 2nd difference Term 1 = a + b + c
T1 T2 T3 T4
3 = (1) + (1) + c
6; 15; x; 45
NB: Because this is a quadratic sequence, 3−1−1= c
the second difference is equal! 1= c
9 x - 15 45 - x 1st difference
∴ (x − 7) − 4 = (21 − x) − (x − 7)
Tn = 1n2 + 1n + 1
(x - 15) - 9 (45 - x) - (x - 15) 2nd difference x − 11 = 21 − x − x + 7
∴ T13 = 1(13)2 + 1(13) + 1
x + 2x = 28 + 11
NB: Because this is a quadratic sequence, = 169 + 13 + 1
the second difference is equal! 3x = 39
= 183
x = 13
(x − 15) − 9 = (45 − x) − (x − 15)
∴ At 20:00, the size of the cell will be 183 pm
x − 24 = 45 − x − x + 15
x + 2x = 45 + 24 + 15
3x = 84
x = 28

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