Find the sum of the first 9 terms of the following sequence. Round to the nearest hundredth if necessary. 30, -120, 480, ... Sum of a finite geometric series: a₁ - arn Sn = 1-r

Intermediate Algebra
19th Edition
ISBN:9780998625720
Author:Lynn Marecek
Publisher:Lynn Marecek
Chapter12: Sequences, Series And Binomial Theorem
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 328PT: Find the first term and common difference of an arithmetic sequence whose ninth term is -1 and the...
icon
Related questions
Question

Help needed!!

### Finding the Sum of a Geometric Sequence

**Problem Statement:**
Find the sum of the first 9 terms of the following sequence. Round to the nearest hundredth if necessary.

\[30, \, -120, \, 480, \, \ldots\]

**Sum of a Finite Geometric Series:**
To find the sum of a finite geometric series, we use the formula:

\[
S_n = \frac{a_1 - a_1 r^n}{1 - r}
\]

where:

- \( S_n \) is the sum of the first \( n \) terms.
- \( a_1 \) is the first term of the sequence.
- \( r \) is the common ratio.
- \( n \) is the number of terms.

**Explanation of Terms:**
- **First Term (\( a_1 \))**: This is the initial term of the sequence. For the given sequence, \( a_1 = 30 \).
- **Common Ratio (\( r \))**: This can be found by dividing the second term by the first term. For the sequence, the common ratio \( r \) is \(\frac{-120}{30} = -4 \).
- **Number of Terms (\( n \))**: For this problem, \( n = 9 \).

By plugging the values into the formula, we can calculate the sum of the first 9 terms of the given geometric sequence.
Transcribed Image Text:### Finding the Sum of a Geometric Sequence **Problem Statement:** Find the sum of the first 9 terms of the following sequence. Round to the nearest hundredth if necessary. \[30, \, -120, \, 480, \, \ldots\] **Sum of a Finite Geometric Series:** To find the sum of a finite geometric series, we use the formula: \[ S_n = \frac{a_1 - a_1 r^n}{1 - r} \] where: - \( S_n \) is the sum of the first \( n \) terms. - \( a_1 \) is the first term of the sequence. - \( r \) is the common ratio. - \( n \) is the number of terms. **Explanation of Terms:** - **First Term (\( a_1 \))**: This is the initial term of the sequence. For the given sequence, \( a_1 = 30 \). - **Common Ratio (\( r \))**: This can be found by dividing the second term by the first term. For the sequence, the common ratio \( r \) is \(\frac{-120}{30} = -4 \). - **Number of Terms (\( n \))**: For this problem, \( n = 9 \). By plugging the values into the formula, we can calculate the sum of the first 9 terms of the given geometric sequence.
Expert Solution
steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps with 2 images

Blurred answer
Recommended textbooks for you
Intermediate Algebra
Intermediate Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9780998625720
Author:
Lynn Marecek
Publisher:
OpenStax College
College Algebra (MindTap Course List)
College Algebra (MindTap Course List)
Algebra
ISBN:
9781305652231
Author:
R. David Gustafson, Jeff Hughes
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Glencoe Algebra 1, Student Edition, 9780079039897…
Glencoe Algebra 1, Student Edition, 9780079039897…
Algebra
ISBN:
9780079039897
Author:
Carter
Publisher:
McGraw Hill
Algebra and Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Algebra and Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Algebra
ISBN:
9781305071742
Author:
James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781337282291
Author:
Ron Larson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781938168383
Author:
Jay Abramson
Publisher:
OpenStax