Mathematics

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Arithmetic sequences and series

An arithmetic sequence is a sequence of numbers such that the difference of any two successive members of the sequence is a constant.

Example

2,4,6,8,10….is an arithmetic sequence with the common difference 2.

If the first term of an arithmetic sequence is a1 and the common difference is d, then the nth term of the sequence is given by:

an=a1+(n−1)dan=a1+(n−1)d

An arithmetic series is the sum of an arithmetic sequence. We find the sum by adding the first, a 1 and last term, an, divide by 2 in order to get the
mean of the two values and then multiply by the number of values, n:

Sn=n2(a1+an)Sn=n2(a1+an)

Example

Find the sum of the following arithmetic series 1,2,3…..99,100

We have a total of 100 values, hence n=100. Our first value is 1 and our last is 100. We plug these values into our formula and get:

S100=1002(1+100)=5050

Definition and Basic Examples of Arithmetic Sequence

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An arithmetic sequence is a list of numbers with a definite pattern. If you take any number in the sequence then subtract it by the previous one,
and the result is always the same or constant then it is an arithmetic sequence.

The constant difference in all pairs of consecutive or successive numbers in a sequence is called the common difference, denoted by the letter dd.
We use the common difference to go from one term to another. How? Take the current term and add the common difference to get to the next
term, and so on. That is how the terms in the sequence are generated.

 If the common difference between consecutive terms is positive, we say that the sequence is increasing.

 On the other hand, when the difference is negative we say that the sequence is decreasing.

Examples of How to Apply the Concept of Arithmetic Sequence

Example 1: Find the next term in the sequence below.

First, find the common difference of each pair of consecutive numbers.

 15−7 = 815−7=8

 23−15 = 823−15=8

 31−23 = 831−23=8

Since the common difference is 88 or written as d=8d=8, we can find the next term after 3131 by adding 88 to it. Therefore, we have 31 + 8 =
3931+8=39.
Example 2: Find the next term in the sequence below.

Observe that the sequence is decreasing. We expect to have a common difference that is negative in value.

 24−31 = −724−31=−7

 17−24 = −717−24=−7

 10−17 = −710−17=−7

To get to the next term, we will add this common difference of d=-7d=−7 to the last term in the sequence. Therefore, 10 + \left( { - 7} \right) = 310+
(−7)=3.

Example 3: Find the next three terms in the sequence below.

Be careful here. Don’t assume that if the terms in the sequence are all negative numbers, it is a decreasing sequence. Remember, it is decreasing
whenever the common difference is negative. So let’s find the common difference by taking each term and subtracting it by the term that comes
before it.

The common difference here is positive four \left( { + \,4} \right)(+4) which makes this an increasing arithmetic sequence. We can obtain the next
three terms by adding the last term by this common difference. Whatever is the result, add again by 44, and do it one more time.

Here’s the calculation:

The next three terms in the sequence are shown in red.

Example 4: Find the seventh term (7th) in the sequence below.

Sometimes you may encounter a problem in an arithmetic sequence that involves fractions. So be ready to use your previous knowledge on  how to
add or subtract fractions.

Also, always make sure that you understand what the question is asking so that you can have the correct strategy to approach the problem.

In this example, we are asked to find the seventh term, not simply the next term. It is a good practice to write all the terms in the sequence and
label them, if possible.

Now we have a clear understanding of how to work this out. Find the common difference, and use this to find the seventh term.

Finding the common difference,

Then we find the 7th term by adding the common difference starting with the 4th term, and so on. Here’s the complete calculation.

Therefore, the seventh term of the sequence is zero (0). We can write the final answer as,
Example 5: Find the \color{red}{35^{th}}35th term in the arithmetic sequence 33, 99, 1515, 2121, …

You can solve this problem by listing the successive terms using the common difference. This method is tedious because you will have to keep
adding the common difference (which is 66) thirty-five times starting with the last term in the sequence.

You don’t have to do this because it is cumbersome. And not only that, it is easy to commit a careless error during the repetitive addition process.

If you decide to find the \color{red}{35^{th}}35th term of the sequence using this “successive addition” method, your solution will look similar
below. The “dot dot dot” means that there are calculations there but not shown as it can easily occupy the entire page.
 A. DEFINITION
sequence is arithmetic if the differences between consecutive terms are the same. 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, . . . 9 – 4 = 5 14 – 9 =
5 19 – 14 = 5 24 – 19 = 5 arithmetic sequence The common difference, d, is 5. II. Arithmetic Sequences FYI: Common
differences can be negative.

How do I know if it is an arithmetic sequence?

• Look for a common difference between consecutive terms

IV. Finding the nth Term of an Arithmetic Sequence

Ex 1: Find the 25th term in the sequence of 5, 11, 17, 23, 29 . . .

an = a1 + (n - 1)d a25 = 5 + (24)6 =149

Common difference a2 - a1 = 11 – 5 = 6 a25 = 5 + (25 -1)6

 Find the common difference between the values.

 Start with the explicit sequence formula
 Substitute in known values
 Simplify
 V. APPLICATION OF ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE

Ex. 4: Suppose you have saved $75 towards the purchase of a new tablet. You plan to save at least $12 from
mowing your neighbor’s yard each week. In all, what is the minimum amount of money you will have in 26
weeks?

an = a1 + (n-1)d a26 = 75 + (26)12 =$387

difference = 12 a26 = 75 + (27 -1)12
 Start with the explicit sequence formula Find the common difference between the values.
You will save $12 a week so this is your difference
 Substitute in known values Simplify WAIT:
 Why 27 and not 26 for n ? The first term in the sequence, 75, came before the weeks started (think of it as week
0). Therefore you want one more week in your formula to account for the $75 that you had before you started
saving.

VI. Arithmetic Means

Arithmetic Means: the terms between any two nonconsecutive terms of an arithmetic sequence
Example: 17, 10, 3, -4, -11, -18, … Between 10 and -18 there are three arithmetic means 3, -4, -11.

VII. Arithmetic Series

• A series is the expression for the sum of the terms of a sequence, not just “what is the next term?”
Ex: 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 . . . This is a list of the numbers in the pattern an not a sum. It is a sequence.
Note it goes on forever, so we say it is an infinite sequence.

Ex: 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18 Here we are adding the values. We call this a series. Because it does not go
on forever, we say it is a finite series

Note: if the numbers go on forever, it is infinite; if it has a definitive ending it is finite.

Sum of a Finite Arithmetic Series

For Example, 2 + 11 + 20 + 29 + 38 + 47 = 147

Let’s try one: evaluate the series: 5, 9, 13,17,21,25,29

VIII. Application of Arithmetic Series

 Ofelia sells houses in a new development. She makes a commission of $3750 on the sale of her first house. For
each additional house sold, her commission increases by $500. Thus on her next house she will make $4250.
How many houses will she have to sell for her total commission to be at least $65,000?
 In this situation, her commission is increasing by the same amount each time, and we are asking for the sum of
all her commissions. Therefore, this represents an arithmetic series. We are solving for n.

• Because we have two unknowns (n and an ), we need to substitute something in for one of them. We can substitu

• a1 + (n-1)d for an
 She will need to sell 11 houses to make at
lest $65,000 a year.