Post-UTME Past Questions - Original materials are available here - Download PDF for your school of choice + 1 year SMS alerts
WAEC and NECO CBT Software for Computers and Laptops - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now

1998 WAEC Mathematics Theory The third term of a Geometric Progression (G.P) is 360 and the sixth term is...

Mathematics
WAEC 1998

The third term of a Geometric Progression (G.P) is 360 and the sixth term is 1215. Find the 

(a) common ratio;

(b) first term ;

(c) sum of the first four terms.

Post-UTME Past Questions - Original materials are available here - Download PDF for your school of choice + 1 year SMS alerts
Your School's Whatsapp Group - Join Us now
WAEC and NECO CBT App for Mobile Devices - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now
Explanation

\(T_{n} = ar^{n - 1}\) (terms of a geometric progression)

\(T_{3} = ar^{3 - 1} = ar^{2} = 360 ... (1)\)

\(T_{6} = ar^{6 - 1} = ar^{5} = 1215 ... (2)\)

Divide (2) by (1).

\(\frac{ar^{5}}{ar^{2}} = \frac{1215}{360}\)

\(r^{3} = \frac{27}{8}\)

\(\therefore r = \sqrt[3]{\frac{27}{8}} = \frac{3}{2}\)

(b) Putting r in (1), we have

\(ar^{2} = 360\)

\(a \times (\frac{3}{2})^{2} = 360 \implies \frac{9a}{4} = 360\)

\(a = \frac{360 \times 4}{9} = 160\)

(c) \(S_{n} = \frac{a(r^{n} - 1)}{r - 1}\) (sum of terms of a G.P)

\(S_{4} = \frac{160((\frac{3}{2})^{4} - 1)}{\frac{3}{2} - 1}\)

= \(\frac{160(\frac{81}{16} - 1)}{\frac{1}{2}}\)

= \(\frac{160 \times \frac{65}{16}}{\frac{1}{2}}\)

= \(1300\)


Report an Error Ask A Question Download App
Post-UTME Past Questions - Original materials are available here - Download PDF for your school of choice + 1 year SMS alerts
Post UTME Past Questions Agent
WAEC and NECO CBT Software for Computers and Laptops - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now

Contributions ({{ comment_count }})

Please wait...

{{ settings.no_comment_msg ? settings.no_comment_msg : 'There are no comments' }}

Quick Questions

Post your Contribution

Please don't post or ask to join a "Group" or "Whatsapp Group" as a comment. It will be deleted. To join or start a group, please click here

{{ quote.posted_by.display_name }}
{{ settings.form_textarea_description }}
 
Post-UTME Past Questions - Original materials are available here - Download PDF for your school of choice + 1 year SMS alerts
Post UTME Past Questions Agent
Your School's Whatsapp Group - Join Us now
WAEC and NECO CBT Software for Computers and Laptops - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now
WAEC and NECO CBT App for Mobile Devices - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now
Post UTME Past Questions Agent
WAEC and NECO CBT Software for Computers and Laptops - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now
Your School's Whatsapp Group - Join Us now
WAEC and NECO CBT App for Mobile Devices - Candidates, Schools, Centres, Resellers - 100% Offline -Download Now