Arithmetic Sequences and Series
An introduction…………
1, 4, 7, 10, 13 35 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 62
9, 1, 7, 15 12 9, 3, 1, 1/ 3 20 / 3
6.2, 6.6, 7, 7.4 27.2 1, 1/ 4, 1/16, 1/ 64 85 / 64
, 3, 6 3 9 , 2.5, 6.25 9.75
Arithmetic Sequences Geometric Sequences
ADD MULTIPLY
To get next term To get next term
Arithmetic Series Geometric Series
Sum of Terms Sum of Terms
Arithmetic Series: An indicated sum of terms in an
arithmetic sequence.
Example:
Arithmetic Sequence VS Arithmetic Series
3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13
USING AND WRITING SEQUENCES
The numbers in sequences are called terms.
You can think of a sequence as a function whose domain
is a set of consecutive integers. If a domain is not
specified, it is understood that the domain starts with 1.
USING AND WRITING SEQUENCES
n
DOMAIN: 1 2 3 4 5 The domain gives
the relative position
of each term.
The range gives the
an
RANGE: 3 6 9 12 15
terms of the sequence.
This is a finite sequence having the rule
an = 3n,
where an represents the nth term of the sequence.
Writing Terms of Sequences
Write the first five terms of the sequence an = 2n + 3.
SOLUTION
a 1 = 2(1) + 3 = 5 1st term
a 2 = 2(2) + 3 = 7 2nd term
a 3 = 2(3) + 3 = 9 3rd term
a 4 = 2(4) + 3 = 11 4th term
a 5 = 2(5) + 3 = 13 5th term
Writing Terms of Sequences
n
Write the first five terms of the sequence an .
n 1
SOLUTION
(1) 1
a1 1st term
(1) 1 2
(2) 2
a2 2nd term
(2) 1 3
(3) 3
a3 3rd term
(3) 1 4
(4) 4
a4 4th term
(4) 1 5
(5) 5
a5 5th term
(5) 1 6
Writing Terms of Sequences
Write the first five terms of the sequence an = n! - 2.
SOLUTION
a 1 = (1)!-2 = -1 1st term
a 2 = (2)! - 2 = 0 2nd term
a 3 = (3)! - 2 = 4 3rd term
a 4 = (4)! - 2 = 22 4th term
a 5 = (5)! - 2 = 118 5th term
Writing Terms of Sequences
Write the first five terms of the sequence f (n) = (–2) n – 1 .
SOLUTION
f (1) = (–2) 1 – 1 = 1 1st term
f (2) = (–2) 2 – 1 = –2 2nd term
f (3) = (–2) 3 – 1 = 4 3rd term
f (4) = (–2) 4 – 1 = – 8 4th term
f (5) = (–2) 5 – 1 = 16 5th term
Arithmetic Sequences and Series
Arithmetic Sequence: sequence whose consecutive terms
have a common difference.
Example: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, ...
The terms have a common difference of 2.
The common difference is the number d.
To find the common difference you use a n+1 – a n
Example: Is the sequence arithmetic?
–45, –30, –15, 0, 15, 30
Yes, the common difference is 15
Example
• Determine if each sequence is arithmetic. If yes, find the common
difference
• 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 Yes, d = 3
• 15, 10, 5, 0, -5, -10 Yes, d = -5
• 1, ½ , 0, - ½ , -1, - 3/2 Yes, d = - ½
• 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49 no
Find the next four terms of –9, -2, 5, …
Arithmetic Sequence
-2 - -9 = 7 and 5 - -2 = 7
7 is referred to as the common difference (d)
Common Difference (d) – what we ADD to get next term
Next four terms……12, 19, 26, 33
Find the next four terms of 0, 7, 14, …
Arithmetic Sequence, d = 7
21, 28, 35, 42
Find the next four terms of -3x, -2x, -x, …
Arithmetic Sequence, d = x
0, x, 2x, 3x
Find the next four terms of 5k, -k, -7k, …
Arithmetic Sequence, d = -6k
-13k, -19k, -25k, -31k
How do you find any term in this sequence?
To find any term in an arithmetic sequence, use the formula
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
where d is the common difference.
Vocabulary of Sequences (Universal)
a1 First term
an nth term
n number of terms
Sn sum of n terms
d common difference
nth term of arithmetic sequence an a1 n 1 d
n
sum of n terms of arithmetic sequence Sn a1 an
2
Find the 14th term of the
arithmetic sequence
4, 7, 10, 13,……
an a1 (n 1)d
a14 4 (14 1)3
4 (13)3
4 39
43
Try this one: Find a16 if a1 1.5 and d 0.5
1.5 a1 First term
a16 an nth term
16 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
0.5 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
a16 = 1.5 + (16 - 1)(0.5)
a16 = 1.5 + (15)(0.5)
a16 = 1.5+7.5
a16 = 9
The table shows typical costs for a construction company to rent a
crane for one, two, three, or four months. Assuming that the arithmetic
sequence continues, how much would it cost to rent the crane for
twelve months?
Months Cost ($) 75,000 a1 First term an a1 n 1 d
1 75,000 a12 an nth term a12 = 75,000 + (12 - 1)(15,000)
2 90,000
3 105,000 12 n number of terms a12 = 75,000 + (11)(15,000)
4 120,000 NA Sn sum of n terms a12 = 75,000+165,000
15,000 d common difference a12 = $240,000
In the arithmetic sequence
4,7,10,13,…, which term has a
value of 301?
an a1 (n 1)d
301 4 (n 1)3
301 4 3n 3
301 1 3n
300 3n
100 n
Try this one: Find n if an 633, a1 9, and d 24
9 a1 First term
633 an nth term
n n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
24 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
633 = 9 + (n - 1)(24)
633 = 9 + 24n - 24
633 = 24n – 15
648 = 24n
n = 27
Given an arithmetic sequence with a15 38 and d 3, find a1.
a1 a1 First term
38 an nth term
15 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
-3 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
38 = a1 + (15 - 1)(-3)
38 = a1 + (14)(-3)
38 = a1 - 42
a1 = 80
Find d if a1 6 and a29 20
-6 a1 First term
20 an nth term
29 n number of terms
NA Sn sum of n terms
d d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
20 = -6 + (29 - 1)(d)
20 = -6 + (28)(d)
26 = 28d
13
d
14
Write an equation for the nth term of the arithmetic
sequence 8, 17, 26, 35, …
8 a1 First term
9 d common difference
an a1 n 1 d
an = 8 + (n - 1)(9)
an = 8 + 9n - 9
an = 9n - 1
More Practices
What term that contains 274 if the first term
is 16 and d=-3.
Seatwork # 1
