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Algebra Level pending

If S ( n ) S(n) is the sum of the first n n terms of a geometric progression such that S ( 20 ) = 10 S ( 10 ) = 400 S(20) =10 S(10 ) = 400 , then find the positive value of S ( 40 ) S ( 5 ) \frac {S(40)}{S(5)} .


The answer is 3280.

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1 solution

Hosam Hajjir
Apr 25, 2017

The formula for S ( n ) S(n) is given by,

S ( n ) = a r n 1 r 1 S(n) = a \dfrac{r^n - 1}{r - 1}

where a a is the first term and r r is the common ratio. Therefore,

S ( 20 ) S ( 10 ) = r 20 1 r 10 1 = 10 \dfrac{S(20)}{S(10)} = \dfrac{r^{20} - 1}{r^{10} - 1} = 10

Using the difference between squares identity, and simplifying, we obtain,

( r 10 1 ) ( r 10 + 1 ) r 10 1 = r 10 + 1 = 10 \dfrac{ (r^{10}-1)(r^{10}+1) }{r^{10} - 1} = r^{10} + 1 = 10

So that, r 10 = 9 r^{10} = 9 .

Hence, r 5 = 9 = 3 r^5 = \sqrt{9} = 3

Now,

S ( 40 ) S ( 5 ) = r 40 1 r 5 1 = ( r 10 ) 4 1 r 5 1 = 9 4 1 3 1 = 6560 2 = 3280 \begin{aligned} \dfrac{S(40)}{S(5) } &= \dfrac{ r^{40} - 1 }{r^{5} - 1} = \dfrac{ (r^{10})^4 - 1}{r^5 - 1} \\ &= \dfrac{ 9^4 - 1}{3 - 1} = \dfrac{ 6560 }{2} = 3280 \\ \end{aligned}

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