S4= -3.5, S5= -3.75, S6= -3.875. The sum of the first 5 terms S5 minus the sum of the first 4 terms S4 is the fifth term a5. That is: -3.75 = S5 = a1+a2+a3+a4+a5 -3.5 = S4 = a1+a2+a3+a4 ----------------------------------- Subtract those equations term by term -3.75 - (-3.5) = a5 -3.75 + 3.5 = a5 -0.25 = a5 ------------------------------------ Similarly, the sum of the first 6 terms S6 minus the sum of the first 5 terms S5 is the sixth term a6. That is: -3.875 = S6 = a1+a2+a3+a4+a5+a6 -3.75 = S5 = a1+a2+a3+a4+a5 ----------------------------------- Subtract those equations term by term -3.875 - (-3.75) = a6 -3.875 + 3.75 = a6 -0.125 = a6 ------------------------------------ So we have found two consecutive terms of the geometric series. a5 = -0.25 a6 = -0.125 We can find the common ratio by dividing ANY term by the preceding term, so we can find the common ratio r by dividing the 6th term by the 5th term: r == 0.5 Edwin