Sequences
Numerical Sequence
Definition Numerical sequence
A numerical sequence is a list of numbers that follow a rule. Each number in the sequence follows this rule, helping us know what the next number will be.
Example
What do you think the next number in the sequence will be?$$0, 1, 2, 3, 4, \boxed{\phantom{5}}$$
The next number is \(5\), because each number increases by \(1\).
Definition Arithmetic Sequence
An arithmetic sequence is a list of numbers where the same number is added or subtracted each time to get the next number.
Example
What is the next number in the sequence?$$3, 6, 9, 12, \boxed{\phantom{15}}$$
The next number is \(15\), because each number increases by \(3\).
Definition Geometric Sequence
A geometric sequence is a list of numbers where the same number is multiplied or divided each time to get the next number
Example
What is the next number in the sequence?$$2, 4, 8, 16, \boxed{\phantom{32}}$$
The next number is \(32\), because each number is multiplied by \(2\).