A geometric sequence has 400 terms. The first term is 1600 and the common ratio is $-\frac{1}{2}.$ How many terms of this sequence are greater than 1000?

1 answer

The geometric sequence is defined by the first term and the common ratio. Here, the first term \( a_1 \) is 1600 and the common ratio \( r \) is \( -\frac{1}{2} \). The \( n \)-th term of a geometric sequence can be expressed as:

\[ a_n = a_1 \cdot r^{n-1} \]

In this case, the \( n \)-th term is given by:

\[ a_n = 1600 \cdot \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} \]

We need to find how many terms \( a_n \) are greater than 1000:

\[ |a_n| > 1000 \]

We start by calculating the absolute value of the \( n \)-th term, since the common ratio is negative, alternating the sign based on whether \( n-1 \) is even or odd:

\[ |a_n| = |1600 \cdot \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1}| = 1600 \cdot \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} \]

Next, we set up the inequality:

\[ 1600 \cdot \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} > 1000 \]

Dividing both sides by 1600 gives:

\[ \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} > \frac{1000}{1600} \] \[ \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} > \frac{5}{8} \]

Taking the logarithm of both sides (using any base, but we can use base 2 for convenience), we implement the change of base if necessary:

\[ n-1 < \log_{\frac{1}{2}}\left(\frac{5}{8}\right) \]

Using properties of logarithms, we can change the base:

\[ \log_{\frac{1}{2}}\left(x\right) = -\log_{2}\left(x\right) \]

Thus, we get:

\[ n-1 < -\log_{2}\left(\frac{5}{8}\right) = -\left(\log_{2}(5) - \log_{2}(8)\right) = -\log_{2}(5) + 3 \]

Now we can express \( n \):

\[ n < -\log_{2}(5) + 4 \]

Calculating \( \log_{2}(5) \):

\[ \log_{2}(5) \approx 2.32193 \]

So we compute:

\[ n < 4 - 2.32193 \approx 1.67807 \]

Since \( n \) must be a positive integer, the only integer satisfying this inequality is \( n = 1, 2, 3 \).

But we need to include negative terms based on the indexed nature of the common ratio. We check \( n = 1 \), \( 2 \), and \( 3 \):

  1. For \( n = 1 \): \[ a_1 = 1600 \] \( 1600 > 1000 \)

  2. For \( n = 2 \): \[ a_2 = 1600 \cdot \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)^{1} = -800 \] \( -800 < 1000 \)

  3. For \( n = 3 \): \[ a_3 = 1600 \cdot \left(-\frac{1}{2}\right)^{2} = 400 \] \( 400 < 1000 \)

Continuing for later terms, we can see that the pattern of growth in absolute value continues to decrease as \( n \) increases through 400 terms.

The only viable terms that satisfy \( |a_n| > 1000 \) are \( a_1 = 1600 \). Hence, the only term greater than 1000 is the first term.

Thus, the final answer is:

\[ \boxed{1} \]