Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A monotonic sequence is a sequence of numbers that either consistently increases or consistently decreases. In other words, the terms in a monotonic sequence always have the same trend.
Related terms
Non-monotonic Sequence: A non-monotonic sequence is a sequence that does not have a consistent trend. The terms in a non-monotonic sequence can increase, decrease, or stay the same at different points.
Increasing Sequence: An increasing sequence is a type of monotonic sequence where each term is greater than or equal to the previous term.
Decreasing Sequence: A decreasing sequence is another type of monotonic sequence where each term is less than or equal to the previous term.