Arithmetic

Sequences
and Series
 Sequences Series

List with commas “Indicated sum”

3, 8, 13, 18 3 + 8 + 13 + 18
An Arithmetic Sequence is
defined as a sequence in
which there is a common
difference between
consecutive terms.
 Which of the following sequences are
arithmetic? Identify the common
difference.
-3, - 1, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, . . . YES d =2
15.5, 14, 12.5, 11, 9.5, 8, . . . YES d = -1.5
84, 80, 74, 66, 56, 44, . . . NO
-8, 6, - 4, 2, 0, . . . NO
-50, - 44, - 38, - 32, - 26, . . . YES d = 6
 The common
differen ce is a l w a y s
c e b e tw e e n
the differen
any term a nd t h e t e rm
that p ro ce e d s t h a t
term. Commo n
Differ
ence
= 5
-26, - 21, - 16, - 11, - 6, . . .
 The general form of an ARITHMETIC sequence.

First Term: a1
Second Term: a2 = a1 + d
Third Term: a3 = a1 + 2d
Fourth Term: a4 = a1 + 3d
Fifth Term: a5 = a1 + 4d

nth Term: an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
 Formula for the nth term of an ARITHMETIC
sequence.

an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
an = The nth term
If we
k no w
three an y
a1 = The 1st term o
ough f these
t to b we
n = The term number to fin e ab
d th e le
fourt
d = The common difference
h .
Given: 79, 75, 71, 67, 63, . . .
Find: a32
IDENTIFY SOLVE
a1 = 79 an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
d = -4 a32 = 79 + ( 32 - 1) ( -4 )
n = 32 a32 = -45
Given: 79, 75, 71, 67, 63, . . .
Find: What term number is -169?
IDENTIFY SOLVE
a1 = 79 an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
d = -4 -169 = 79 + ( n - 1) ( -4 )
an = -169 n = 63
 a10 = 3.25
Given: Find: a1
a12 = 4.25
What’s the real question? The Difference

IDENTIFY SOLVE
a1 = 3.25 an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
a3 = 4.25 4.25 = 3.25 + ( 3 - 1) d
n=3 d = 0.5
 a10 = 3.25
Given: Find: a1
a12 = 4.25

IDENTIFY SOLVE
a10 = 3.25 an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
d = 0.5 3.25 = a1 + ( 10 - 1) 0.5
n = 10 a1 = -1.25
Arithmetic
Series
 Write the
first thre
last two e terms
terms of and the
arithmet the follow
ic series ing
.
50

�( 73 - 2 p ) = 71 + 69 + 67 + . . . + ( -25) + ( -27 )
p =1

s u m o f
at i s t h e
W h
e r i e s ?
this s
71 + 69 + 67 + . . . + ( -25 ) + ( -27 )

( -27 ) + ( -25) + . . . + 67 + 69 + 71
44 + 44 + 44 + . . . + 44 + 44 + 44
50 Terms

50 ( 71 + ( -27 ) )
= 71 + (-27) Each sum
2
is the same.
= 1100
a1 + ( a1 + d ) + ( a1 + 2d ) + . . . + ( a1 + ( n - 1) d )
( a + ( n - 1) d ) + . . . + ( a
1 1 + 2d ) + ( a1 + d ) + a1

(a +�
1 1 ) +( a +�
a + ( n - 1) d �
� � 1 � 1 ) +. . .+ ( a + �
a + ( n - 1) d �
� 1 �1 )
a + ( n - 1) d �
�

s
� S = Sum
n ( a1 + an ) �
�n = Number of Terms
= �
2 � a1 = First Term
�
� an = Last Term
 Find the sum of the terms of this
arithmetic series. 35
� ( -29 + 3k )
n ( a1 + an ) k =1
S=
2

n = 35 35 ( -26 + 76 )
S=
a1 = -26 2
S = 875
a35 = 76
Find the sum of the terms of this arithmetic
series. 151 + 147 + 143 + 139 + . . . + ( -5 )
What term is -5?
n ( a1 + an ) an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
S=
2 -5 = 151 + ( n - 1) ( -4 )
n = 40
n = 40 40 ( 151 + -5 )
S=
a1 = 151 2
S = 2920
a40 = -5
 fo r m u la fo r th e su m of
Alternate
an Ar ith m e tic S e rie s .

Substitute an = a1 + ( n - 1) d

n ( a1 + an )
S=
2
n ( a1 + a1 + ( n - 1) d ) �n = # of Terms
S=
2 �
�a1 = 1st Term
n ( 2a1 + ( n - 1) d ) �d = Difference
S= �
2
 36
Find the sum of this series �( 2.25 + 0.75 j )
j =0

= 2.25 + 3 + 3.73 + 4.5 + . . .

n ( 2a1 + ( n - 1) d ) It is not con
venient to fi
nd
S= the last term
.
2

n = 37 37 ( 2 ( 2.25) + ( 37 - 1) ( 0.75 ) )
S=
a1 = 2.25 2
d = 0.75 S = 582.75
 35

�( -45 + 5i )
i =1
n ( a1 + an ) n ( 2a1 + ( n - 1) d )
S= S=
2 2
n = 35 a1 = -40 an = 130 n = 35 a1 = -40 d = 5

35 ( -40 + 130 ) 35 ( 2 ( -40 ) + ( 35 - 1) 3)

S= S=
2 2
S = 1575 S = 1575
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
Find the next four terms of –9, -2, 5, …
Arithmetic Sequence
-2 - -9 = 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 x, 2x, 3x, …

Arithmetic Sequence, d = x
4x, 5x, 6x, 7x

Find the next four terms of 5k, -k, -7k, …

Arithmetic Sequence, d = -6k

-13k, -19k, -25k, -32k
 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
Given an arithmetic sequence with a15 = 38 and d = -3, find a1.
x 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 = x + ( 15 - 1) ( -3 )

X = 80
Find S63 of - 19, - 13, -7,...

-19 a1  First term

353 ?? an  nth term
63 n  number of terms
x Sn  sum of n terms
6 d  common difference

n
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d Sn = ( a1 + an )
2
?? = -19 + ( 63 - 1) ( 6 ) 63
S63 = ( -19 + 353 )
?? = 353 2
S63 = 10521
Try this one: Find a16 if a1 = 1.5 and d = 0.5
1.5 a1  First term
x 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 = 9
Find n if an = 633, a1 = 9, and d = 24

9 a1  First term
633 an  nth term
x n  number of terms
NA Sn  sum of n terms
24 d  common difference
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d

633 = 9 + ( x - 1) 24

633 = 9 + 24x - 24
X = 27
Find d if a1 = -6 and a 29 = 20

-6 a1  First term
20 an  nth term
29 n  number of terms
NA Sn  sum of n terms
x d  common difference
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d

20 = -6 + ( 29 - 1) x

26 = 28x
13
x=
14
Find two arithmetic means between –4 and 5

-4, ____, ____, 5

-4 a1  First term
5 an  nth term
4 n  number of terms
NA Sn  sum of n terms
x d  common difference
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
5 = -4 + ( 4 - 1) ( x )
x=3
The two arithmetic means are –1 and 2, since –4, -1, 2, 5
forms an arithmetic sequence
Find three arithmetic means between 1 and 4

1, ____, ____, ____, 4

1 a1  First term
4 an  nth term
5 n  number of terms
NA Sn  sum of n terms
x d  common difference
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
4 = 1 + ( 5 - 1) ( x )
3
x=
4
The three arithmetic means are 7/4, 10/4, and 13/4
since 1, 7/4, 10/4, 13/4, 4 forms an arithmetic sequence
Find n for the series in which a1 = 5, d = 3, Sn = 440
5 a1  First term
x
an  nth term 440 = ( 5 + 5 + ( x - 1) 3 )
y 2
x n  number of terms x ( 7 + 3x )
440 =
440 Sn  sum of n terms 2
d  common difference 880 = x ( 7 + 3x )
3
0 = 3x 2 + 7x - 880
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d
Graph on positive window
y = 5 + ( x - 1) 3
X = 16
n
Sn = ( a1 + an )
2
x
440 = ( 5 + y )
2
The sum of the first n terms of an infinite sequence
is called the nth partial sum.
S n = n (a1 + an)
2
Example 6. Find the 150th partial sum of the arithmetic sequence, 5,
16, 27, 38, 49, …

a1 = 5 d = 11 � c = 5 - 11 = -6

an = 11n - 6 � a150 = 11( 150 ) - 6 = 1644

150
S150 = ( 5 + 1644 ) = 75 ( 1649 ) = 123,675
2
Example 7. An auditorium has 20 rows of seats. There are 20 seats in
the first row, 21 seats in the second row, 22 seats in the third row, and
so on. How many seats are there in all 20 rows?
d =1 c = 20 - 1 = 19
an = a1 + ( n - 1) d � a20 = 20 + 19 ( 1) = 39

20
S20 = ( 20 + 39 ) = 10 ( 59 ) = 590
2
Example 8. A small business sells $10,000 worth of sports memorabilia
during its first year. The owner of the business has set a goal of
increasing annual sales by $7500 each year for 19 years. Assuming that
the goal is met, find the total sales during the first 20 years this business
is in operation.

a1 = 10,000 d = 7500 c = 10,000 - 7500 = 2500

an = a1 + ( n - 1) d � a20 = 10,000 + 19 ( 7500 ) = 152,500

20
S20 = ( 10,000 + 152,500 ) = 10 ( 162,500 ) = 1,625,000
2
So the total sales for the first 2o years is $1,625,000