Arithmetic sequence is a sequence in which the difference between any two consecutive terms

is the same. This constant difference is called common difference.

An arithmetic sequence is a sequence of the form

𝑎1 , 𝑎1 + 𝑑, 𝑎1 + 2𝑑, 𝑎1 + 3𝑑, 𝑎1 + 4𝑑, …

where 𝑎1 is the first term, and 𝑑 is the common difference of the sequence.

The nth term of an arithmetic sequence is given by

𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂𝟏 + (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝒅

Find the common difference of the following sequence.

1. 21, 31, 41, 51, …

First, calculate the difference between each pair of adjacent terms.

31 − 21 = 10

41 − 31 = 10

51 − 41 = 10

Since each pair of consecutive terms has the same difference 10, the sequence is
arithmetic and the common difference of the arithmetic sequence is d = 10

2. 28, 24, 20, 16, …

First, calculate the difference between each pair of adjacent terms.

24 − 28 = −4

20 − 24 = −4

16 − 20 = −4

Since each pair of consecutive terms has the same difference -4, the sequence is
arithmetic and the common difference of the arithmetic sequence is d = -4.

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña

First, calculate the difference between each pair of consecutive terms.

1 1
−0=
3 3

2 1 1
− =
3 3 3

2 1
1− =
3 3

4 1
−1=
3 3
1
Since each pair of consecutive terms has the same difference , , the sequence is
3
1
arithmetic and the common difference of the arithmetic sequence is d = 3

4. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, …

First, calculate the difference between each pair of consecutive terms.

2−1=1

3−2=1

5−3=2

8−5=2

Since the differences between each pair of adjacent terms are not all the same, the sequence
is not arithmetic.

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña

𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂𝟏 + (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝒅

1. 21, 38, 55, 72,98, …

The first term of the sequence is 𝑎1 = 21 and common difference of this arithmetic sequence
is 𝑑 = 17.

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

𝑎2 = 21 + (2 − 1)17 = 38

𝑎3 = 21 + (3 − 1)17 = 55

𝑎4 = 21 + (4 − 1)17 = 72

𝑎5 = 21 + (5 − 1)17 = 98

2. Find the nth term, the fifth term, and the 100th term, of the arithmetic sequence
determined by 𝑎1 = 3 and 𝑑 = 2.

To find a specific term of an arithmetic sequence, we use the formula for finding the nth
term. So, to find the nth term, substitute the given values 𝑎1 = 3 and 𝑑 = 2 into the
formula.

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

𝑎𝑛 = 3 + (𝑛 − 1)2

Now, to find the fifth term, substitute n = 5 into the equation for the nth term.

𝑎𝑛 = 3 + (𝑛 − 1)2

𝑎5 = 3 + (5 − 1)2

𝑎5 = 3 + (4)2

𝑎5 = 3 + 8

𝑎5 = 11

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña

𝑎𝑛 = 3 + (𝑛 − 1)2

𝑎100 = 3 + (100 − 1)2

𝑎100 = 3 + (99)2

𝑎100 = 3 + 198

𝑎5 = 201

3. Find the 7th term of the arithmetic sequence if the third term is 5 and the 5 th term is 11.

The third term is 5.

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

5 = 𝑎1 + (3 − 1)𝑑

5 = 𝑎1 + 2𝑑

The fifth term is 11.

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

11 = 𝑎1 + (5 − 1)𝑑

11 = 𝑎1 + 4𝑑

Form a system of equations using Equation 1 and Equation 2 and solve for 𝑑.

Eliminate the variable 𝑎1 by subtraction.

Equation 1: 5 = 𝑎1 + 2𝑑 5 = 𝑎1 + 2𝑑

Equation 2: 11 = 𝑎1 + 4𝑑 −(11 = 𝑎1 + 4𝑑)

−6 = −2𝑑

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña 𝑑=3

5 = 𝑎1 + 2𝑑

5 = 𝑎1 + 2(3)

5 = 𝑎1 + 6

5 − 6 = 𝑎1

−1 = 𝑎1

Finally, solve for the 7th term,

𝑎7 = 𝑎1 + (7 − 1)𝑑

𝑎7 = −1 + 6(3)

𝑎7 = −1 + 18

𝑎7 = 17

4. If 3𝑥 − 4, 2𝑥 + 7, 6𝑥 − 12, … form an arithmetic sequence, find the x and the 16th term
of the sequence.

Given: 𝑎1 = 3𝑥 − 4; 𝑎2 = 2𝑥 + 7; 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎3 = 6𝑥 − 12.

Since the difference of successive terms are common and equal,

𝑎2 − 𝑎1 = 𝑎3 − 𝑎2

That is,

2𝑥 + 7 − (3𝑥 − 4) = 6𝑥 − 12 −(2𝑥 + 7)

2𝑥 + 7 − 3𝑥 + 4 = 6𝑥 − 12 − 2𝑥 − 7

−𝑥 + 11 = 4𝑥 − 19

−𝑥 − 4𝑥 = −19 − 11

−5𝑥 = −30

𝑥=6

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña

𝑎1 = 3𝑥 − 4 = 3(6) − 4 = 14

𝑎2 = 2𝑥 + 7 = 2(6) + 7 = 19

𝑑 = 𝑎2 − 𝑎1 = 19 − 14 = 5

Solving for the 16th term 𝑎16 , we have:

𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑

𝑎16 = 𝑎1 + (16 − 1)𝑑

𝑎16 = 14 + (16 − 1)5

𝑎16 = 14 + (15)5

𝑎16 = 89

Arithmetic Means

The terms of an arithmetic sequence that are between two given terms are called
arithmetic means.

1. Insert three arithmetic mans between 17 and 1.

The arithmetic sequence is of the form

17, 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 , 𝑎4 , 1,

This indicates that 𝑎1 = 17, 𝑎5 = 1, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 = 5. To find the common difference d,

𝑎5 = 𝑎1 + (5 − 1)𝑑

1 = 17 + (5 − 1)𝑑

1 = 17 + (4)𝑑

1 − 17 = 4𝑑

−16 = 4𝑑

−4 = 𝑑

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𝑎2 = 17 + (−4) = 13

𝑎3 = 13 + (−4) = 9

𝑎4 = 9 + (−4) = 5

Partial Sums of an Arithmetic Sequence

For the arithmetic sequence 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 the nth partial sum is given by either of
the following formulas.

𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = [2𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ]
2
𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛 ( )
2

1. Find 𝑆10 if 𝑎1 = 5 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎10 = 68

𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛 ( )
2
𝑎1 + 𝑎10
𝑆10 = 10 ( )
2
5 + 68
𝑆10 = 10 ( )
2
𝑆10 = 365
2. Find 𝑆10 if 𝑎1 = 5 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑 = −7

𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = [2𝑎1 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ]
2

10
𝑆10 = [2(5) + (10 − 1)(−7)]
2

𝑆10 = 5[10 + (9)(−7)]

𝑆10 = 5[10 − 63]

𝑆10 = 5[−53]

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña

Prepared by T. Hannah Ruth Cataluña