MCR3U

UNIT #8: DISCRETE FUNCTIONS

SECTION PAGE NUMBERS HOMEWORK

6.1 p. 360 - 363 # 1aef, 2def, 3abd, 7, 8ab, 10bde(For part b, make a table of values to
calculate the value of the car for the first 10 years).

6.2 p. 370 - 372 #1abde, 3ae, 6, 7, 8abef, 12

6.3 p. 378 - 379 #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Quiz on 6.1 – 6.3

6.4 p. 385 - 387 #1acef, 2bdf, 3, 4ac, 7ac, 10a, 11a, 13, 14

6.5 p. 392 – 394 #1acd, 2bcd, 3ab, 4ace, 6

6.6 & 6.7 p. 400 – 401 # 1ace, 2ace, 3cf, 4ac, 5bd, 6, 7, 8ab, 10

p. 408 - 409 # 1bc, 2bcd, 3cf, 4ac, 5bd, 6ac, 7bc, 8, 9

Quiz on 6.4 – 6.7

 6.1 SEQUENCES AS DISCRETE FUNCTIONS

Sequence: An ordered list of numbers identified by a pattern or rule that may stop at some number or
continue indefinitely. Ex. 1, 2, 4, 8, … Ex. 3, 7, 11, 15

Term (of a sequence): A single value or object in a sequence.

Each number in a sequence is called a term. Each term is identified by its
position in the sequence.

A sequence is a function whose domain is the set, or subset, of the natural numbers and whose
range is the terms of the sequence.

Explicit Formula: A formula that represents any term in a sequence relative to the term number, n,
where nN.

Example: Use each explicit formula to write the first 3 terms in each sequence. Then determine the
th
10 term of each sequence.
2
a) tn = 4n + 1 b)

Example: For each sequence, make a table of value using the term number and term. Calculate the
finite differences to determine whether the function is linear or quadratic. Use this information to
determine an explicit formula for the nth term using function notation.

a) 3, 7, 11, 15, … b) 4, 13, 28, 49, ….

Continuous Function: A function that maps real numbers to real numbers and has a graph that is a
curve with no holes or jumps. Points on graph are connected with a line or a
y
smooth curve.

Discrete Function: A function whose graph is made up of separate points that are not connected. Points
y on a graph are not connected.

Example: The charge in a battery decrases by about 2% per day and can be modeled by the
d
function C(d) = 100(0.98) where d is the time in days and C is the level of charge as a percent.

a) How much charge is left after 15 days?

b) Is this function continuous or discrete? Explain your answer.

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Example: Determine an explicit formula for the n term of each sequence. Then use the formula to
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write the 11 term.
a) 1, 2, 3, 4, … b) 1, 4, 9, 16, …
 6.2 RECURSIVE PROCEDURES

The Fibonacci sequence is the sequence of numbers 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, …

Each number after the first two numbers, 1 and 1, is the sum of the preceding two numbers.

A recursion formula is a formula by which each term of a sequence is generated from the preceding
term or terms.

A recursion formula is a “recipe” for generating the terms, starting with the first term.

A recursion formula has 2 parts:

1) First part: begins the sequence
ex. t1 = 3
2) Second part: used to write the terms, one after the other.
ex. tn = tn-1 + 5, n  1

A recursion formula allows you to calculate any term provided you know the preceding term.

Examples:
1. Write the first 4 terms for the following sequences given their recursion formula.
a) t1 = -5, tn = 2tn-1 , n  1 b) f(1) = , f(n) = f(n-1) + ,n1

c) t1 = 2, t2 = 3, tn = tn-1 + tn-2 , n  2 d) t1 = 4, tn = ,n1

2. Write a recursion formula for the Fibonnaci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, … Then
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determine the 10 , 11 , and 12 , term.

3. Write a recursion formula for the following sequences.

a) 2, -6, 18, -54, … b) 4, 5, 7, 10, 14, …
 6.3 PASCAL’S TRIANGLE AND THE BINOMIAL THEOREM

 Pascal’s Triangle is a triangular arrangement of number with a 1 in the first row, and 1 and 1 in the
second row. Each number in the succeeding rows is the sum of the two numbers above it in the
preceding row.
PASCAL’S TRIANGLE
1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
1 6 15 20 15 6 1
1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1
1 8 28 56 70 56 28 8 1
1 9 36 84 126 126 84 36 9 1
Constructing Pascal’s Triangle :
th st nd
 The top 1 is the 0 row, the 1 1 is the 1 row, the 1 2 1 is the 2 row, etc…
th th th
 In each row, the first 1 is the 0 term. For example, in the 4 row, 1 4 6 4 1, the first 1 is the 0
st nd rd
term, the first 4 is the 1 term, the 6 is the 2 term, the second 4 is the 3 term, and the last 1 is the
th
4 term.

 All numbers outside Pascal’s Triangle are zeros. To obtain a term, add the two numbers to the left
rd nd
and the right in the row above. For example, to create the 3 row add the terms in the 2 row : 0 + 1
= 1, 1 + 2 = 3, 2 + 1 = 3, and 1 + 0 = 1.

Position of Terms
A term in Pascal’s Triangle can be represented by t n,r where n is the horizontal row number and r is the
diagonal row number.
r=0
n=0 1 r=1
n= 1 1 1 r=2
r=3
n=2 1 2 1
n=3 r=4
1 3 3 1
n=4 1 4 6 4 1 r=5
n=5 1 5 10 10 5 1 r=6
n=6 1 6 15 20 15 6 1 r=7
n=7 1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1 r=8
n=8 1 8 28 56 70 56 28 8 1 r=9
n=9 1 9 36 84 126 126 84 36 9 1

So we can represent the triangle as such

t0,0
t1,0 t1,1
t2,0 t2,1 t2,2
t3,0 t3,1 t3,2 t3,3
t4,0 t4,1 t4,2 t4,3 t4,4
t5,0 t5,1 t5,2 t5,3 t5,4 t5,5 …………. And so on…….
Each term is equal to the sum of the two terms immediately above it. tn,r = tn-1,r-1 + tn-1,r.

Example: Express t5,3 + t5,4 as a single term.

Some of the Patterns of Pascal’s Triangle :

1) The Sums of the Rows (Powers of 2): The sum of the numbers in any row is equal to 2 to
the n power or  , when n is the number of the row.
th n

0
Row 0: sum = 1 2 =1
1
Row 1: sum = 2 2 = 2 …. And so on….

2) Prime Numbers: If the 1st term in a row is a prime number, all the terms in that row (excluding
the 1’s) are divisible by the first term.

3) Hockey Stick Pattern: If a diagonal of numbers of any length is selected starting at any of the
1’s bordering the sides of the triangle and ending on any number inside the triangle on that diagonal,
the sum of the numbers inside the selection is equal to the number below the end of the selection that
is not on the same diagonal itself.

4) Fibonacci’s Sequence : The sum of the numbers in the consecutive diagonals starting with the
1 at the tip of the triangle. The Fibonacci Sequence is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, … Each
term in the sequence can be formed by adding the two preceding terms in the sequence.

5) Binomial Expansion :
Example : Expand the following.

a  b 
a  b

a  b 

a  b 
a  b

a  b 
a  b
 Compare the n power to the n row’s elements in Pascal’s Triangle. Now compare these to the
th th
*
coefficients of the expanded polynomial. Look for other patterns in the expanded polynomials.
* Powers of binomials can be expanded using patterns. The coefficients on the expansion of
n
(a + b) can be found in row n of Pascal’s Triangle.
n
Value of n (a + b)
0 1
1 a+b
2 2
2 a + 2ab + b
3 2 2 3
3 a + 3a b + 3ab + b
4 3 2 2 3 4
4 a + 4a b + 6a b + 4ab + b
5 4 3 2 2 3 4 5
5 a + 5a b + 10a b + 10a b + 5ab + b
And so on……………………

* The pattern found in the powers of a and b is as follows…in each expansion the power of a begins as
the value of n and decreases in each term, the power of b begins as 1 and increases in each term.
The degree of each term is always equal to n. This is the Binomial Theorem.

Examples: Expand the following using the Binomial Theorem from Pascal’s Triangle.

a) a  b7

b) m  n4

c) x  


d) m  n 


e) a 3  3b 2 
4
 6.4 ARITHMETIC SEQUENCES

An arithmetic sequence is a sequence in which the difference between consecutive terms is a constant.
The difference between consecutive terms of an arithmetic sequence is called a common difference.
Ex. 1, 5, 9, 13, …  In this example the common difference is 4.

The Formula for the General Term of an Arithmetic Sequence :

The general term for an arithmetic sequence a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d, …, a + (n – 1)d where a is the first
term, d is the common difference, n is the number of terms and tn is the number value of the term is:
tn = a + (n – 1)d

A recursion formula for an arithmetic sequence a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d, …, a + (n – 1)d can be written
as t1 = a, t2 = a + d or t1 + d, t3 = t2 + d, …..and so on….. therefore,

t1 = a, tn = tn-1 + d

Examples:
1. For each arithmetic sequence, determine a and d.
1 7
a) 3, 9, 15, 21, … b) ,2, ,5, … c) tn = 4n – 3
2 2

2. Consider the sequence 14, 9, 4, …

a) Is this sequence arithmetic? How do you know?

b) Determine an explicit formula for the general term.

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c) Determine the value of the 15 term.

d) Determine a recursion formula for the sequence.

3. Given the sequence -30, -24, -18, ….

a) Determine the general term for this sequence.

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b) Use the general term to find value of the 50 term.

c) Which term in the sequence is 60?

4. In an arithmetic sequence t10 = 50 and t27 = 152, determine the first term and the common
difference.
5. Suppose you have a part time job where you earn $100 per week. You start with $250 in your
savings account and at the end of each week you deposit your earnings into your account.
a) Write the first 3 terms of this sequence. (Hint: term 1 is the amount after week 1)

b) Write the general term of this sequence.

c) How much will you have saved after 16 weeks?

d) If you have $2850 in your account and you have not spent anything, how many weeks have
you worked?
 6.5 GEOMETRIC SEQUENCES

A geometric sequence is a sequence where the ratio of consecutive terms is a constant. The ratio of
any two consecutive terms of a geometric sequence is called a common ratio.
Ex. 3, 6, 12, 24, …  In this example the common ratio is 2.

The Formula for the General Term of a Geometric Sequence :

2 3 n–1
The general term for a geometric sequence a, ar, ar , ar , …, ar where a is the first term, r is the
common ratio, n is the number of terms and tn is the number value of the term is:

tn = arn – 1
2 3 n–1
A recursion formula for a geometric sequence a, ar, ar , ar , …, ar can be written as t1 = a,
t2 = ar, or rt1 , t3 = rt2 , …..and so on….. therefore,

t1 = a, tn = rtn-1

Examples:
1. State whether each sequence is arithmetic, geometric, or neither. Explain. Then write the
general term for each arithmetic and each geometric sequence.
a) 2, -10, 50, -250, … b) 10, 4, -2, -8, … c) 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, …

1 1
d) 5, 30, 55, 80, … e) 4, 5, 8, 13, … f) 2, 1, , ,…
2 4
2. Write the first three terms in each geometric sequence.
1
a) tn   2n1 b) f(n) = 4(3)
n-1

3. Determine which term has a value of 3072 in the geometric sequence 3, 12, 48, …

4. A new car is worth $35 000. It decreases in value by 18% each year.
a) Determine the general formula to predict the worth of the car after n years.

b) What will the vehicle be worth after 4 years?

 6.6 ARITHMETIC SERIES

 An arithmetic series is the sum of the terms of an arithmetic sequence.

Ex. 2, 5, 8, 11, …  arithmetic sequence 2 + 5 + 8 + 11 + …  arithmetic series
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In a sequence, t 4 means the value of the 4 term.
In a series, S 4 means the sum of the first 4 terms.
Ex. 2, 5, 8, 11, …  t 4  11 2 + 5 + 8 + 11 + …  S 4  2  5  8  11
S 4  26

 The Sum of an Arithmetic Series :

For the general arithmetic series a + (a + d) + (a + 2d) + (a + 3d) + … + t n , the sum of the first
n terms is :
n  a  tn 
Sn  2a  (n  1)d  or Sn   n
2  2 
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Where a = first term, d = common difference, n = number of terms, t n = n term, and S n =
sum of n terms.

Examples:

1. Determine the sum of the first 10 terms of the following arithmetic series.

a) a = 4 and d = -5 b) 3 + 10 + 17 + …

c) a = -2, d = 4 and t10 = 34 d) -5m – 2m + m + 4m + …

2. Determine the sum of each arithmetic series.

a) 29 + 25 + 21 + … - 39.

b) 4 3  6 3  8 3  ...  52 3

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3. The 7 term in an arithmetic sequence is 23 and the sum of the first 7 terms of the series is 98.
a) Determine the first term and the common difference. Then write the first 3 terms of the
series.

b) Determine the sum of the first 6 terms.

 6.7 GEOMETRIC SERIES

 A geometric series is the sum of the terms in a geometric sequence.

 The Sum of a Geometric Series:

2 3
For the general geometric series a + ar + ar + ar + … + tn, the sum of the first n terms is:
n
Sn = a(r – 1) , r  1
r–1

WhereSn = sum of n terms, n = number of terms, a = first term, r = common ratio

Examples:

1. Determine the sum of the first 9 terms of the geometric series 3 + 6 + 12 + 24 + …

2. Determine Sn for each geometric series. Write answers as a fraction, where necessary. No
decimals!
3 3 3
a) S10 for -2 + 8 – 32 + 128 - … b) S6 for 3    ...
2 4 8
3. Calculate the sum of the following geometric series. Write answers as a fraction, where
necessary. No decimals!

a) 4 + 12 + 36 + … + 2916. b) 32 + 16 + 8 + …+

4. The sum of the geometric series 11 + 33 + 99 + … + tn is 4004. How many terms are in this
series?

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5. The 4 term in a geometric sequence is 320 and t7 = 20480. Determine the sum of the first 7
terms in the series.
6. A tennis tournament has 128 entrants. A player is dropped from the competition after losing one
match. Winning players go on to another match.

a) Write the first 3 terms of the series with respect to the number of singles matches in each
round.

b) What is the last term and explain your reasoning?

c) What is the total number of matches that will be played in this tournament?