Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Introducing Series

The first thing we did in class today is answer some simple questions. Pretty straight forward, should be easy to do. Even if you weren't in class yesterday. Noo excuses, 'cuz I wasn't in class yesterday.

We also graphed the function 'y = [square root] x', which looks like half a sideways parabola.

Next, we learned about 'young Gauss', who was a pretty clever seven-year-old. His teacher told the class one day to add up all the numbers from 1 to 100. Instead of writing it all out and adding it, he found a pattern.





When the numbers are laid out like above, their sums equal 101. There should be a hundred 101's, hence the reason we multiply 100 and 101. We divide it because you added one hundred twice. That's what Karl Gauss figured out. If you want to know the details, you can go ahead and visit this link: http://www.sigmaxi.org/amscionline/gauss-snippets.html


Using the same idea as above, we found the formula for an arithmetic series.
Sn = (n/2)[2a+(n-1)d]


A series is the sum of numbers in a sequence to a particular term in a sequence (definition can be found on blog). You can't have a series if you don't have a sequence first, or else, what are you adding?

We also found the formula for a geometric series.
Sn = [a(1-r^n)]/(1-r)



Lastly, we touched a little bit on 'Sigma', which is located on the second-last slide (8).



Mmm, yeah, that's it. I'm tired now, I'm sorry. Hahaha, next scribe is Joseph, since he asked.. again.

Scribe List

Cycle 6

Francis
Joyce
Eleven
benofschool
roxanne

JamieNeRd123C
zeph
Richard
Hi I'm Justus

nelsa
Rence
kristina
Paul

Quote of the Cycle ;

"There's no such thing in the world as absolute reality. Most of what they call real is actually fiction. What you think you see is only as real as your brain tells you it is."

And remember to watch...
... it's epic

Stay Phi everyone,

Rence ~ Out

Today's Slides: June 3

Here they are ...



Monday, June 2, 2008

Geometric Sequences

WARNING: The geometric sequences unit does not have any new material; rather the unit gives a new perspective to what we already know from previous learning.

OVERVIEW:
  • What is a sequence?
  • Recursive definition vs. implicit definition
  • Common difference vs. common ratio
  • Determining any term (the nth term) in an arithmetic sequence vs. determining any term (the nth term) in a geometric sequence

SLIDE 2
An example of an arithmetic sequence is the first sequence of numbers found on SLIDE 2. Examples of geometric sequences is the second and the third sequence of numbers. Note that arithmetic sequences and geometric sequences aren't the only sequences that exists, such as the Fibonacci sequence, but the main scope of the unit focuses on geometric sequences.

We find the next three terms by determining a rule for each sequence of numbers.
  1. For the first sequence of numbers (4, 7, 10, 13...), we see that 3 is added to any term to get the next term.
  2. For the second sequence of numbers (3, 6, 12, 24...), we see that 2 is multiplied to any term to get the next term.
  3. For the third sequence of numbers (32, 16, 8, 4...), we see that 1/2 is multiplied to any term to get the next term. (Remember, in grade 12, we multiply by 1/2 instead of dividing by 2; it's to make our calculations easier to do.)
  4. For the fourth sequence of numbers (1, 1, 2, 3...), we see that we have to add the previous two terms to get the next term.

SLIDE 3
Let's take a closer look at the first sequence of numbers (4, 7, 10, 13...).

How did we determine that the rule is to add 3 to any term to get the next term? We find that out by determining that the common difference is 3 (green font). We then find out that if we're given any term, n, then 3n+1 is the equation we use to get what n equals. For example,

3n+1 = 3(1)+1 = 4.

So if the rank (n) is 1, then its term is 4. If the rank is 2, then its term is 7. If the rank is 7, then its term is 22. This is expressed with the equation 3n+1.

The rank represents the term. For example, in this sequence, the rank of the first term is 1, the rank of the second term is 2, the rank of the third term is 3, the rank of the nth term is 3n+1, and so on.

Graph 3n+1, and we find that it is the equation of a line. Also, we can determine the 0th term by plugging 0 into the equation.

3n+1 = 3(0)+1 = 1.

For the zeroth term, the output 1. It is also the y-intercept of the graph.

Term 1 (t1), or in some textbooks it's called a, equals 4. The common difference, d, is 3.

The recursive definition, in this sequence of numbers, is to take a term and add 3 continuously.

The implicit definition, in this sequence of numbers, is the equation of the sequence, tn = 3n+1.


SLIDE 4

Let's take a closer look at the second sequence of numbers (3, 6, 12, 24...).

How did we determine that the rule is to multiply 2 to any term to get the next term? Firstly, there isn't a common difference in this case but a common ratio. The common ratio is 2. We then find out that if we're given any term, n, then (3/2)(2^n) is the equation we use to get what n equals.

tn = (3/2)(2^n) = [3 * (1/2) * 2^n] = [3 * 2^(n-1)]

(Refer to the bottom-right corner of SLIDE 4.)

So if the rank (n) is 1, then its term is 3. Similarly, if the rank is 2, then its term is 6. If the rank is 7, then its term is 192. Etcetera.

Graph [3 * 2^(n-1)], and we find that it is the equation of an exponential function. Also, we can determine the 0th term by plugging 0 into the equation.

tn = [3 * 2^(n-1)]
t(0) = [3 * 2^(0-1] = 3/2

For the zeroth term, the output 3/2. It is also the y-intercept of the graph.

The recursive definition, in this sequence of numbers, is to take a term and multiply it continuously by 2.

The implicit definition, in this sequence of numbers, is the equation of the sequence, tn = 3*2^(n-1).


SLIDE 5
Let's take a closer look at the third sequence of numbers (32, 16, 8, 4...).

The recursive definition, in this sequence of numbers, is to take a term and multiply it continuously by 1/2.

The implicit definition, in this sequence of numbers, is the equation of the sequence.


VOCABULARY/SUMMARY is found on SLIDES 6 to 9.


HOMEWORK
  • Exercise 45: Geometric Sequences

Next Scribe is Nelsa.

Today's Slides: June 2

Here they are ...



Scribe List

Cycle 5

Francis
Joyce
Eleven
benofschool
roxanne

JamieNeRd123C
zeph
AnhThi
Richard
Hi I'm Justus

nelsa
Rence
kristina
Paul

Quote of the Cycle ;

"We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when told they are loved."


Stay Phi everyone,

Rence ~ Out