Checking and securing understanding of geometric sequences
I can recognise the features of a geometric sequence and continue it.
Checking and securing understanding of geometric sequences
I can recognise the features of a geometric sequence and continue it.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Identifying a common ratio between each term can help us identify a geometric sequence.
- Divide each term by its previous consecutive term, if the results are all the same, this is the common ratio.
- If there is a common ratio, then the sequence is geometric.
Keywords
Geometric sequence - A geometric sequence is a sequence with a constant multiplicative relationship between successive terms.
Common ratio - A common ratio is a key feature of a geometric sequence. The constant multiplier between successive terms is called the common ratio.
Common misconception
The common multiplier must be a positive integer for the sequence to be geometric.
The multiplier needs to be the same between consecutive terms but it can be any value. Examples of this can be seen in the lesson.
To help you plan your year 11 maths lesson on: Checking and securing understanding of geometric sequences, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 maths lesson on: Checking and securing understanding of geometric sequences, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 maths lessons from the Further sequences unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
$$2,4,6,8,10, ...$$ -
'Start at $$2$$ and add $$2$$'
$$2,4,8,16,32, ...$$ -
'Start at $$2$$ and double each time'
$$1,2,4,8,16, ...$$ -
'Start at $$1$$ and double each time'
$$1,2,3,4,5, ...$$ -
'Start at $$1$$ and add $$1$$'
$$1,3,5,7,9, ...$$ -
'Start at $$1$$ and add $$2$$'
$$2,0,-2,-4,-6, ...$$ -
'Start at $$2$$ and add $$-2$$'