Okay, let's recap what we've learned already. We just learned that a geometric sequence is built by multiplying a term by a common ratio, creating the next term. This is then repeated over and over again. The common ratio can be a negative or positive number.
An arithmetic sequence is built similarly, but instead of multiplication, a fixed amount called the common difference is added to each term, creating the next term. The common difference can be a negative or positive number. Here are examples of some arithmetic sequences.
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, ...
This arithmetic sequence has a common difference of 2.
10, 15, 20, 25, ...
This arithmetic sequence has a common difference of 5.
In the activity below, determine if each sequence is geometric or arithmetic. Drag the circle to the correct answer.
|
3, 15, 75, 375, ...
|
Geometric
Arithmetic
|
|
2, 8, 14, 20, ...
|
Geometric
Arithmetic
|
|
39, 69, 99, 129, ...
|
Geometric
Arithmetic
|
Complete
