Linear sequences and finding the nth term

Linear sequences and finding the nth term

Whether you've recently covered this in a maths lesson and need a bit of extra help, are looking at it for the first or if you are using this to help you with your maths GCSE revision I hope you find this video useful.

If you're getting ready for your GCSE maths exams then this topic could appear in either the GCSE maths foundation or higher paper so is well worth practising as part of your Maths GCSE revision.

In this video we look at how to find what the nth term of a linear sequence is and how to use that to find out what any term in a sequence is. Linear sequences are simply ones that increases by the same amount each time.

If we had the sequence 11, 18, 25, 32, 39 what would be the nth term and what would be hundredth term in that sequence?

It’s a pretty straightforward process:

First you need to find out by how much the sequence is increasing each time. In the example above it increases by 7. That means the first part of the description would be 7n.

But 7n describes the 7 times table. This sequence is not the same as the 7 times table but it is similar; it is like the 7 times table all shifted on 4 places. Therefore, we describe this sequence as 7n+4.

I go through similar examples to this in the video as well as some slightly harder ones and giving you some practice questions to do.

Hope you find it useful - thanks for watching!

James, Maths Kitchen

[emmaross]

This is the 4th time my teacher has played one of your videos to help with Math. I'm not complaining it saves me a lot of confusion

[annmaryabraham]

THIS IS THE FIRST VIDEO THAT EVER had this concept to click in my head!!! after 2 years of struggle, thsi video is my saviour

[adeleleech]

Thank you! My Year 10's understood everything and it was lovely to see how their confidence grew. Highly recommended. ACL.

[jmw]

Hope you find the video useful. Let me know below if you have any videos you'd like me to do.

[pranjal]

I know I’m really late on this, but this is the most helpful video about linear sequences I’ve seen! Tysm! I’m taking my 11+ into a grammar school tomorrow, and thanks to this vid, I have a tiny bit larger change of getting in. Thanks once again :3

[georgeshipley]

Rather than just showing a formula or method it makes you understand, so you can write your own formula.. well done

[h.junaid]

Finally I got the easiest video for nterm..

[penguins.crib]

I LOVE U FOR THIS METHOD I WAS USING COMPLICATED METHOD TO FIND THE Nth TERM TYYYY

[ccksg]

Ah this video really helps me understanding this matH

[onalane]

The most helpful explanation of the nth term I have seen. Thank you. Finally got it!

[markbullock]

This is great! So helpful THANK YOU 👍🏻👍🏻

[anglingalf]

Thus is going to help me so much for my test tomorrow thanks I dropped a sub

[merlyn]

Excellent way of explaining!! Good luck !

[peterheard]

Could you do a video on circle theorems... Higher GCSE....?

[KaylaHa]

Tysm this is super helpful 👍I finally under stand the Nth term!!! 😎:)

[kavithaganessane]

When the second term is 9 and fifth term is6x what is sixth term? Please could you explain this question

[Phillips]

Very helpful. I liked you way you explained it. Are you still updating this channel with new content?

[fionawillmott]

I enjoyed the hidden minecraft theme. Thanks!

[peterheard]

Can you do a video on gcse probability?

[haneefahshah]

Can u do finding the nth term of a quadratic sequence?