Scribd
Upload
50 views6 pages

SN Arithmetic Progression 14

1. The document discusses arithmetic progressions (AP), which are sequences where the difference between consecutive terms is constant. It defines key properties of APs including the common difference, general nth term formula, and methods for determining terms, numbers of terms, and sums of terms given information about the AP. 2. Examples are provided to demonstrate how to identify if a sequence is an AP, calculate common differences and general terms, find specific terms given indexes or positions from the end, and determine properties of APs based on information like three terms or sums of terms. 3. Formulas covered include the general nth term formula an = a + (n - 1)d, the sum of the first n terms

Uploaded by

bvs rama krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
50 views6 pages

SN Arithmetic Progression 14

1. The document discusses arithmetic progressions (AP), which are sequences where the difference between consecutive terms is constant. It defines key properties of APs including the common difference, general nth term formula, and methods for determining terms, numbers of terms, and sums of terms given information about the AP. 2. Examples are provided to demonstrate how to identify if a sequence is an AP, calculate common differences and general terms, find specific terms given indexes or positions from the end, and determine properties of APs based on information like three terms or sums of terms. 3. Formulas covered include the general nth term formula an = a + (n - 1)d, the sum of the first n terms

Uploaded by

bvs rama krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Study Notes on Arithmetic Progression

1. Arithmetic Progression (A.P.).


Arithmetic Progression (or Arithmetic sequence) is a sequence in which the difference of a term and its
predecessor is always constant, i.e., an − an −1 = d, where d is the common difference. The successive terms
of an A.P. are a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d, a + 4d ......... .
• Finite A.P.: An A.P. containing finite number of terms is called finite A.P.
e.g. 147, 149, 151 ………………….. 163.

• Infinite A.P.: An A.P. containing infinite terms is called infinite A.P.


e.g. 6, 9, 12, 15 ………………………..

For Example:
Which of the following are A.P’s? If they form an A.P., find the common difference d and the next three
terms after last given term.
(i) 3, 6, 9, ... (ii) 12, 52, 72, 73, …

(i) 3, 6, 9, ...

a 2 − a1 = 6 − 3 = 3 ( 2 − 1)
a3 − a 2 = 9 − 6 = 3 ( 3 − 2 )
..............................................................
..............................................................
As the common difference between any two consecutive terms is not the same
 The given sequence is not an A.P.
(ii) 12 ,5 2 ,7 2 ,73,....

a2 − a1 = 5 2 − 1 = 25 − 1 = 24
a3 − a2 = 7 2 − 5 2 = 49 − 25 = 24

a 4 − a3 = 73 − 49 = 24
.................................................
.................................................
As the common difference between any two consecutive terms is the same
 The given sequence is an A.P.
Next three terms are:
a5 = 73 + 24 = 97 a6 = 97 + 24 = 121
a7 = 121 + 24 = 145

2. General Term.
General term or nth term of an A.P. is an = a + (n − 1)d, where a = first term, d = common difference.
• The formula an = a + (n − 1)d contains four quantities an , a, n and d. Three quantities being given, the
fourth can be found by using above relation.

For Example:

Find the 18th term and nth term for the sequence 7, 4, 1, −2, −5.
Here a=7
and d = a 2 − a1
=4−7=−3
n = 18
a n = a + (n − 1)d
a18 = 7 + (18 − 1)  −3 = 7 + 17  −3
= 7 − 51 = −44
an = a + (n − 1)d
= 7 + (n − 1) (−3)
= 7 − 3n + 3
= 10 − 3n
• If only two quantities are given, two conditions (equations) in the problem should be given. Therefore,
to determine these two unknowns, we have to solve both the conditions (equations) linearly.

For Example:
The third term of an A.P. is 7 and the seventh term exceeds three times the third term by 2. Find the first
term, the common difference and the sum of first 20 terms.
a3 = 7
a7 = 3a3 + 2
a + 2d = 7 ..... (i)
a + 6d = 3 × 7 + 2
a + 6d = 23 ..... (ii)
Solving (i) and (ii)
4d = 16
d= 4
Putting the value of d in equation (i),
a+2×4= 7
a= –1
20
 S20 = [(2  ( −1) + (20 − 1)  4]
2
= 10 [–2 + 76]
S20 = 10 (74)
So, S20 = 740
d= 4
a = –1

3. First negative term


To find the first negative term of the given sequence, put an  0 .
For example:
1 1 3
To find the first negative term of the sequence 20, 19 ,18 ,17 ,.... .
4 2 4
3
Here a = 20 and d = −
4
Then, an  0
 a + (n − 1)d  0
 3
 20 + (n − 1)   −   0
 4
83 3n
 − 0
4 4
 83 − 3n  0
2
 3n  83  n  27  n  28
3
Thus, 28th term of the given sequence is the first negative term.

4. Finding term from the end


To find the nth term from the end, apply an = l + (n − 1)(−d ) or an = l − (n − 1)d , where l is the last term.
or take last term (l) of the given sequence as ‘a’ and take common difference as (−d)
For example:
Find the 5th term from the end of the AP, 17, 14, 11, ….., −40
1st method
l = −40, d = 14 − 17 = −3
Using l − (n − 1)d
5th term from the end will be
= −40 − (5 − 1)  −3 = −40 − 4  −3

= −40 + 12 = −28
2nd method
Sequence can be written as −40, −37, …. 11, 14, 17
 a = −40
d = −37 − ( −40) = −37 + 40 = 3
n=5
Using a n = a + (n − 1)d
= − 40 + (5 − 1)  3 = −40 + 4  3
= − 40 + 12 = −28

5. Condition for terms to be in A.P.


If three terms a, b, c are in A.P. then b − a = c − b, i.e., 2b = a + c.
For example:
If 2x, x + 10,3x + 2 are in A.P., find the value of x.
Since, 2x, x + 10,3x + 2 are in A.P.
 2(x + 10 ) = 2x + (3 x + 2)

 2 x + 20 = 5 x + 2
 3 x = 18
 x=6

6. Choice of terms in A.P.


No. of terms Terms Common difference
3 a − d, a, a + d d
4 a − 3d, a − d, a + d, a + 3d 2d
5 a − 2d, a − d, a, a + d, a + 2d d
6 a − 5d, a − 3d, a − d, a + d, a + 3d, a + 5d 2d
For example:
The sum of three numbers in A.P. is -3, and their product is 8. Find the numbers.
Let the number be (a − d ), a, (a + d ) . Then
Sum = −3  (a − d ) + a + (a + d ) = −3
 3a = −3
 a = −1 …(i)
Now, Product = 8
 (a − d )(a )(a + d ) = 8
 (
a a2 − d 2 = 8 )
 (− 1)(1 − d 2 ) = 8 [from (i)]

 d 2 = 9  d = 3
If d = 3 the numbers are − 4,−1, 2. If d = -3, the numbers are 2, -1, -4.
Thus, the numbers are − 4,−1, 2 or 2,−1,−4.
7. Sum of first n-terms of an A.P.
n
Sn = [2a + (n − 1)d ]
2
where a = first term, d = common difference.

8. Sn is also given by the expression


n
Sn = (a + l ),
2
where l = last term as l = a + (n − 1)d = an .
For example:
The first term of an A.P. is 5, the last term is 45 and the sum is 400. Find the number of terms and the common
difference.
Here, a = 5, l = an = 45, Sn = 400

 Sn =
n
a + l 
2

 400 =
n
5 + 45  = 25n
2
400
 n= = 16
25
Also l = 45
 an = a + (n − 1)d = 45
 5 + (16 − 1)  d = 45 [ a = 5, n = 16]
15d = 45 − 5 = 40
40 8
 d= =
15 3
8
Hence, number of terms(n) = 16, d =
3
9. If sum (S n ) of n terms of a sequence is given then nth term (a n ) of the sequence can be determined
by nth term a n = S n − S n −1 and common difference
d = an − an −1 = S n − 2S n −1 + S n − 2 .
For example:
If the sum of first n terms of an A.P. is 3n 2 − 2n, find the A.P. and its 19th term.

Sn = 3n 2 − 2n
Put n = 1 ; S1 = 3 − 2 = 1

Put n = 2 ; S2 = 3(2)2 − 2(2)


=3×4–48
Put n = 3 ; S3 = 3(3)2 − 2(3)
= 27 – 6 = 21
 a = S1 = 1

a2 = S2 − S1 = 7

a3 = S3 − S2 = 21 − 8 = 13

 Required A.P. is; 1, 7, 13, ..........


a = 1, d = 6
a19 = a + 18d

= 1 + 18 × 6
= 1 + 108 = 109

You might also like