07 - The Geometric Sequence - Definition & Meaning - Part 1

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In this lesson, we will learn about the concept of a geometric sequence. A geometric sequence in math is a list, or sequence, of numbers where each term is calculated by taking the previous term and multiplying by a constant number. For example if we start with a known first term, we could find the second term by multiplying by 2. The third term could then be found by multiplying the second term by 2, and so on. Because of this, every term is related to the previous term in the sequence by a constant multiple. This is usually described by saying that each pair of terms is related by a common ratio. Geometric sequences are usually introduced in Algebra, but find most of their uses in pre-calculus and calculus. In calculus, we use the geometric sequence and the related geometric series quite often when determining if and when a series converges. Finally, the geometric sequence is related to the arithmetic sequence, where each term differs by a common difference. That is, in an arithmetic sequence, each subsequent term is found by taking the previous term and adding or subtracting a constant number.