GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

10.2 Special sequences — Practise with help

Try each item before opening its hints. Reveal the full working when you want to check your reasoning.

Warm-up: remember

  1. What is 626^2?
  2. Continue 3,6,9,…3,6,9,\ldots.
  3. What is 232^3?
Check your warm-up
  1. 3636.
  2. 1212.
  3. 88.

Practise with help

1. Write the first five square numbers.

Hint

Square the positions 1 to 5.

One step

12=11^2=1, 22=42^2=4, 32=93^2=9, 42=164^2=16, 52=255^2=25.

Full working

1,4,9,16,251,4,9,16,25.

2. Find the next two triangular numbers: 1,3,6,10,…1,3,6,10,\ldots.

Hint

Add the next row size each time.

One step

10+5=1510+5=15, then 15+6=2115+6=21.

Full working

The next terms are 15,2115,21.

3. Continue 4,7,11,18,…4,7,11,18,\ldots as a Fibonacci sequence.

Hint

Add the previous two terms.

One step

11+18=2911+18=29, then 18+29=4718+29=47.

Full working

The next terms are 29,4729,47.

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