Dawnbridge

TI-84 Plus CE field manual for IB Math

Everyone · 10 of 45

10

Summing a sequence

All courses

Use the calculator's Σ command to add the terms of a sequence over a specified range.

Goal

Find ​n=1∑12​3(1.2)n−1.

1

Open the summation template: press (the F2 shortcut) to open the FUNC menu, then press for 2:summation ​Σ​(.

2

Fill the template, moving between boxes with the arrow keys: type for the variable, for the lower limit, and for the upper limit. The expression box already opens with a parenthesis, so type , then press to step out of the exponent and to close that opening parenthesis. The dummy variable name does not change the value of the sum.

3

Press to evaluate.

NORMALFLOATAUTOREALRADIANMP
X=1∑12​(3(1.2)X−1)
118.7415067
Result

​n=1∑12​3(1.2)n−1≈119.

Your turn

Work each one on your calculator, then check the answer.

  1. 1

    Find ​n=1∑18​4(1.15)n−1.

  2. 2

    Find ​n=1∑10​5(0.8)n−1.

  3. 3

    Find ​n=1∑20​n(0.8)n.