Arithmetic Sequences Problems with Solutions

The formula for the n th term an of an arithmetic sequence with a common difference d and
a first term a1 is given by 

an = a1 + (n - 1 )d

The sum sn of the first n terms of an arithmetic sequence is defined by 

sn = a1 + a2 + a3 + ... + a n

and is a1 is given by 

sn = n (a1 + an) / 2

Problem 1: 
The first term of an arithmetic sequence is equal to 6 and the common difference is equal to
3. Find a formula for the n th term and the value of the 50 th term

Solution to Problem 1:

 Use the value of the common difference d = 3 and the first term a 1 = 6 in the formula
for the n th term given above 

an = a1 + (n - 1 )d 

= 6 + 3 (n - 1) 

= 3 n + 3 

 The 50 th term is found by setting n = 50 in the above formula. 

a50 = 3 (50) + 3 = 153

Problem 2: 
The first term of an arithmetic sequence is equal to 200 and the common difference is equal
to 
-10. Find the value of the 20 th term

Solution to Problem 2:

 Use the value of the common difference d = -10 and the first term a1 = 200 in the
formula for the n th term given above and then apply it to the 20 th term 

a20 = 200 + (-10) (20 - 1 ) = 10 

Problem 3: 
An arithmetic sequence has a common difference equal to 10 and its 6 th term is
equal to 52. Find its 15 th term

Solution to Problem 3:

 We use the n th term formula for the 6 th term, which is known, to write 

a6 = 52 = a1 + 10 (6 - 1 ) 

 The above equation allows us to calculate a1. 

a1 = 2 

 Now that we know the first term and the common difference, we use the n th term
formula to find the 15 th term as follows. 

a15 = 2 + 10 (15 - 1) = 142

Problem 4: 
An arithmetic sequence has a its 5 th term equal to 22 and its 15 th term equal to 62. Find
its 100 th term.

Solution to Problem 4:

 We use the n th term formula for the 5 th and 15 th terms to write 

a5 = a1 + (5 - 1 ) d = 22 

a15 = a1 + (15 - 1 ) d = 62 

 We obtain a system of 2 linear equations where the unknown are a1 and d. Subtract
the right and left term of the two equations to obtain 

62 - 22 = 14 d - 4 d 
  Solve for d. 

d = 4 

 Now use the value of d in one of the equations to find a1. 

a1 + (5 - 1 ) 4 = 22 

 Solve for a1 to obtain. 

a1 = 6 

 Now that we have calculated a1 and d we use them in the n th term formula to find
the 100 th formula. 

a100 = 6 + 4 (100 - 1 )= 402

Problem 5: 
Find the sum of all the integers from 1 to 1000.

Solution to Problem 5:

 The sequence of integers starting from 1 to 1000 is given by 

1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , ... , 1000 

 The above sequence has 1000 terms. The first term is 1 and the last term is 1000 and
the common difference is equal to 1. We have the formula that gives the sum of the first n
terms of an arithmetic sequence knowing the first and last term of the sequence and the
number of terms (see formula above). 

s1000 = 1000 (1 + 1000) / 2 = 500500