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If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +

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Bunuel
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If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   03 Apr 2020, 05:39
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If \(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\), ..., then \(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) is

A. 25/151
B. 1/4
C. 1/2
D. 1
E. 111/55


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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   03 Apr 2020, 06:47
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Bunuel wrote:
If \(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\), ..., then \(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) is

A. 25/151
B. 1/4
C. 1/2
D. 1
E. 111/55


\(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\)
--> \(a_n = \frac{1}{(3n - 1)*(3n + 2)}\)

\(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) = \(\frac{1}{2*5}\) + \(\frac{1}{5*8}\) + \(\frac{1}{8*11}\) + . . . . . . \(\frac{1}{299*302}\)

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{3}{2*5}\) + \(\frac{3}{5*8}\) + \(\frac{3}{8*11}\) + . . . . . . \(\frac{3}{299*302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{5 - 2}{2*5}\) + \(\frac{8 - 5}{5*8}\) + \(\frac{11 - 8}{8*11}\) + . . . . . . \(\frac{302 - 299}{299*302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{1}{2}\) - \(\frac{1}{5}\) + \(\frac{1}{5}\) - \(\frac{1}{8}\) + \(\frac{1}{8}\) - \(\frac{1}{11}\) + . . . . . . . . . + \(\frac{1}{299}\) - \(\frac{1}{302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{1}{2}\) - \(\frac{1}{302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{151 - 1}{302}\))

= \(\frac{25}{151}\)

Option A
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   04 Apr 2020, 08:46
The 100th term will be 1/299*302
The series is:
1/(2*5) + 1/(5*8) + 1/(8*11) + ……………+ 1/(299*302)
It can also be written as
3[1/2 – 1/5 + 1/5 – 1/8 + ………………………+ 1/299 – 1/302]
3(1/2 – 1/302) = 300/(3*2*302)
25/151
Option (A)
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   02 May 2020, 08:41
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Bunuel wrote:
If \(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\), ..., then \(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) is

A. 25/151
B. 1/4
C. 1/2
D. 1
E. 111/55


notes: this is close to an infinite series
sum inf series: a/1-r
a=1/10
r=n_2/n_1=1/40/1/10=1/4
a/1-r=(1/10)/(3/4)=4/30=2/15~25/151

ans (A)
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   09 May 2020, 15:55
Could someone please advise if this approach is advisable?

As the denominators are increasing over a constant numerator which means decimal is getting smaller and smaller with each next number in the sequence. And hence the solution should be in decimal and should be closer to 0.12... And the only viable choice here seems to be option A.

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If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   09 May 2020, 16:39
Bunuel wrote:
If \(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\), ..., then \(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) is

A. 25/151
B. 1/4
C. 1/2
D. 1
E. 111/55


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Dear GMATBusters GMATGuruNY BrentGMATPrepNow

Can you please show how to think and appraoch such a question? In above solutions, it seems there is an equation which I do not know. Can I solve the question without it?

Thanks in advance
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   07 Feb 2022, 04:03
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The given statement can be expressed as :
a1 = \(\frac{1}{3}\cdot\left(\frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{5}\right)\)
a2 = \(\frac{1}{3}\cdot\left(\frac{1}{5}-\frac{1}{8}\right)\)
............................
a100 = \(\frac{1}{3}\cdot\left(\frac{1}{299}-\frac{1}{302}\right)\)
Adding the terms :
a1+a2+....................... a100 = \(\frac{1}{3}\left(\frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{5}+\frac{1}{5}-\frac{1}{8}+.............-\frac{1}{302}\right)\)
All the terms gets cancelled out other than the firs and the last last term.
\(\frac{1}{3}\cdot\left(\frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{302}\right)\ =\ \frac{100}{\left(2\cdot302\right)}=\ \frac{25}{151}\)
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   07 Feb 2022, 07:14
Dillesh4096 wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
If \(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\), ..., then \(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) is

A. 25/151
B. 1/4
C. 1/2
D. 1
E. 111/55


\(a_1 = \frac{1}{2*5}\), \(a_2 = \frac{1}{5*8}\), \(a_3 = \frac{1}{8*11}\)
--> \(a_n = \frac{1}{(3n - 1)*(3n + 2)}\)

\(a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + ...... + a_{100}\) = \(\frac{1}{2*5}\) + \(\frac{1}{5*8}\) + \(\frac{1}{8*11}\) + . . . . . . \(\frac{1}{299*302}\)

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{3}{2*5}\) + \(\frac{3}{5*8}\) + \(\frac{3}{8*11}\) + . . . . . . \(\frac{3}{299*302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{5 - 2}{2*5}\) + \(\frac{8 - 5}{5*8}\) + \(\frac{11 - 8}{8*11}\) + . . . . . . \(\frac{302 - 299}{299*302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{1}{2}\) - \(\frac{1}{5}\) + \(\frac{1}{5}\) - \(\frac{1}{8}\) + \(\frac{1}{8}\) - \(\frac{1}{11}\) + . . . . . . . . . + \(\frac{1}{299}\) - \(\frac{1}{302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{1}{2}\) - \(\frac{1}{302}\))

= \(\frac{1}{3}\)*(\(\frac{151 - 1}{302}\))

= \(\frac{25}{151}\)

Option A


Can you explain how \(\frac{1}{2*5}\) becomes \(\frac{1}{3}\)*\((\frac{1}{2}\) - \(\frac{1}{5}\))?
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink] If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 +   19 Feb 2024, 05:56
­Here is how I solved this

a1 + a2 = 1/(2*5) + 1/(5*8) = 1/8

So I want to find the 'second multiplier' in the denominator for a100.

I notice that the two multipliers in denominator increase by 3 in every term.

So the 'second multiplier' is 5 + 99 *3 = 302 which is what's going to be in the denominator for the sum.

Then for nominator, because a1+a2 equals 1, my thinking is that for the sum of 100 it's going to be 50

So 50/302 = 25/151.

I probably got lucky. 
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Re: If a1 = 1/(2*5), a2 = 1/(5*8), a3 = 1/(8*11), ..., then a_1 + a2 + [#permalink]
19 Feb 2024, 05:56
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