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Number sequences illustration | A chain
Numbers sequences are just chains of numbers put together by certain rules.

Number Sequences 3 (Difficult)

This is the third of our Difficult Eleven Plus maths quizzes on Number Sequences. In the first two we asked you to find the missing term in a series. This quiz is more of a mixed bag. You’ll also be asked to find the rule for the nth term which governs the sequence, and to create a sequence when you are given the rule.

In some number sequences the rules are very obvious. They might be increasing or decreasing by a certain amount each time. Others can be trickier, such as the nth term squared or cubed. There are two ways to master number sequences: trial and error (try all the potential answers out for size – only one of them will work) and practise!

If you haven’t already played our previous quizzes on number sequences, then please go back and give them a try. The things you’ll learn by playing them will help you out, not just in this quiz, but in your exams when they come along. Practise makes perfect!

1 .
Which sequence can be formed from the given rule for the nth term?
nth term = 4n - 17
-13, -9, -5, -1, …
-21, -25, -29, -33, ...
13, 9, 5, 1, ...
21, 25, 29, 33, ...
The terms of the sequence are found by first putting n = 1, then n = 2, then n = 3 and finally n = 4 in the rule for the nth term = 4n - 17. As follows:
n = 1 gives (4 x 1) - 17 = -13
n = 2 gives (4 x 2) - 17 = -9
n = 3 gives (4 x 3) - 17 = -5
n = 4 gives (4 x 4) - 17 = -1
2 .
Which sequence can be formed from the given rule for the nth term?
nth term = -n + 20
21, 22, 23, 24, ...
19, 18, 17, 16, ...
-21, -22, -23, -24, ...
-19, -18, -17, -16, ...
the rule for the nth term = -n + 20. As follows:
n = 1 gives -1 + 20 = 19
n = 2 gives -2 + 20 = 18
n = 3 gives -3 + 20 = 17
n = 4 gives -4 + 20 = 16
3 .
Which sequence can be formed from the given rule for the nth term?
nth term = 2.5n + 22
19.5, 22, 24.5, 27, ...
22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, ...
24.5, 27, 29.5, 32, …
25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, ...
The terms of the sequence are found by first putting n = 1, then n = 2, then n = 3 and finally n = 4 in the rule for the nth term = 2.5n + 22. As follows:
n = 1 gives (2.5 x 1) + 22 = 24.5
n = 2 gives (2.5 x 2) + 22 = 27
n = 3 gives (2.5 x 3) + 22 = 29.5
n = 4 gives (2.5 x 4) + 22 = 32
4 .
What is the rule for the nth term in the following sequence?
8, 12, 16, 20, …
nth term = 5n + 2
nth term = 8n
nth term = 5n - 2
nth term = 4n + 4
To find the rule, test each option against the numbers in the sequence. Only one will work:
n = 1, and 8 = (4 x 1) + 4
n = 2, and 12 = (4 x 2) + 4
n = 3, and 16 = (4 x 3) + 4
n = 4, and 20 = (4 x 4) + 4
5 .
What is the rule for the nth term in the following sequence?
27, 26, 25, 24, …
nth term = -n + 28
nth term = 9n
nth term = -n + 30
nth term = 7n + 20
To find the rule, test each option against the numbers in the sequence. Only one will work:
n = 1, and 27 = -1 + 28
n = 2, and 26 = -2 + 28
n = 3, and 25 = -3 + 28
n = 4, and 24 = -4 + 28
6 .
What is the rule for the nth term in the following sequence?
-1, -2, -3, -4, …
nth term = n - n
nth term = n - 2n
nth term = -n2
nth term = -n - n
To find the rule, test each option against the numbers in the sequence. Only one will work:
n = 1, and -1 = 1 - (2 x 1)
n = 2, and -2 = 2 - (2 x 2)
n = 3, and -3 = 3 - (2 x 3)
n = 4, and -4 = 4 - (2 x 4)
Of course, -n would work too, but that wasn’t one of the options!
7 .
Find the missing term.
88, X , 122, 139, …
110
108
105
100
The values are increasing by 17 as the sequence continues:
88 + 17 = 105
105 + 17 = 122
122 = 17 = 139, etc…
8 .
Find the missing term.
-22, -26.5, X, -35.5, …
-29.5
-30
-30.5
-31
The values are decreasing by 4.5 as the sequence continues:
-22 - 4.5 = -26.5
-26.5 - 4.5 = -31
-31 - 4.5 = -35.5, etc…
9 .
Find the missing term.
0.5, 2, 4.5, X, 12.5, 18, …
6.5
7.5
8
10
This one was very tricky, so well done if you got it right.
The rule for this sequence is the nth term = n2 ÷ 2:
12 ÷ 2 = 0.5
22 ÷ 2 = 2
32 ÷ 2 = 4.5
42 ÷ 2 = 8
52 ÷ 2 = 12.5
62 ÷ 2 = 18, etc…
10 .
Find the missing term.
5.5, 6, X, 7, …
6.25
6.5
6.75
6.9
The sequence is increasing by 0.5 as it progresses:
5.5 = 0.5 = 6
6 + 0.5 = 6.5
6.5 + 0.5 = 7, etc…
Author:  Frank Evans

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