Geometric Sequence

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the Geometric Sequence lecture notes.

Geometric Sequence

A sequence where each term after the first is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a nonzero constant called the common ratio (r).

Common ratio (r)

The constant factor by which you multiply to obtain the next term in a geometric sequence; r = an / a{n-1} for nonzero a_{n-1}.

a_n (nth term)

The nth term of a geometric sequence.

a1 (first term)

The first term of a geometric sequence.

Nonzero constant

The common ratio r must be nonzero; it cannot be 0.

Doubling pattern

A geometric sequence with a common ratio r = 2, where each term is twice the previous term.

Geometric progression

Another name for a geometric sequence.

Exponential growth

Growth by a constant factor per time step (e.g., doubling), a characteristic of geometric sequences.

Missing terms in a geometric sequence

Finding absent terms in a sequence using the rule an = a1 r^{n-1} and the common ratio.