Name: ​__________________________________ Date: ​____________
Murphy ENL Algebra 

 
Arithmetic Sequences 
 

An ​arithmetic sequence ​is a list of ​__________________​. The 

difference ​between the numbers is all the ​__________________​. 
 

Difference ​means ​_____________________​. 

 

Terms ​are the ​_________________​ in the​ arithmetic sequence​. 

 

1) The ​numbers ​in an ​arithmetic sequence​ are called ​terms​. ​Terms 

have ​positions​. 
5, 10, 15, 20, 25… 
The terms are: ​______________________ 
 

2) ​Positions ​have ​numbers​. 

5, 10, 15, 20, 25… 
 

1st position  2nd position  3rd position  4​th​ position  5​th​ position 
         
 
3) ​th ​means ​______________________________________________​. 
 

4) Identify the positions of the following terms. 

 

a) 5, 10, 15, 20, 25… b) -7, -14, -21, -28, -35... 

5:​___________________ 5:​___________________ 
15:​___________________ 15:​___________________ 
20:​___________________ 15:​___________________ 
 
c) 4, 8, 12, 16, 20… d) -12, 0, 12, 24, 36... 
5:​___________________ 5:​___________________ 
15:​___________________ 15:​___________________ 
20:​___________________ 15:​___________________ 
 

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Name: ​__________________________________ Date: ​____________
Murphy ENL Algebra 

Arithmetic Sequences 
 

Common difference ​means the difference between the numbers is all 

the ​__________________​. 
 
1) To find the ​common difference​, ​subtract ​a term from the term on its 
left.
5, 10, 15, 20, 25... 
Step 1​: Select the ​second term ​in the list. 
5, ​10​, 15, 20, 25... 
Step 2​: ​Subtract ​the ​first term ​in the list ​from ​the ​second term​. 
10 - 5 = ​__________________ 
Step 3​: ​Repeat ​step 1 and step 2 for the next terms. 
5, 10, ​15​, 20, 25… 
15 - 10 = ​__________________ 
 
Step 4​: ​______________________​ is the common difference. 
 
2) Calculate the ​common difference​ of the arithmetic sequences. 
 
a) 5, 10, 15, 20, 25… b) -7, -14, -21, -28, -35... 
 
common difference = ​_________ common difference = ​_________
 
c) 4, 8, 12, 16, 20… d) -12, 0, 12, 24, 36... 
 
common difference = ​_________ common difference = ​_________
 
e) 0.2, 0.6, 1, 1.4, 1.8… f) 4, 3.75, 3.5, 3.25, 3... 
 
common difference = ​_________ common difference = ​_________
 

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Name: ​__________________________________ Date: ​____________
Murphy ENL Algebra 

Arithmetic Sequences
The​ nth ​term is the ​term ​that comes in an ​_____________​ ​position​. 

1) We can predict what terms in different positions are.

Step 1​: Find the common difference. 

5, 10, 15, 20, 25… 

common difference = ​_________
Step 2​: Add the ​common difference​ to the last ​term​. 
25 + ​_________​ = ​____________

Step 3​: Add the ​common difference​ to the new last ​term​. 
_________​ + ​_________​ = ​____________
Step 4​: Complete the table with the new terms. 

1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th 

position  position  position  position  position  position  position 

5  10  15  20  25 

2) Find the next three terms in the following sequences.

a)  5  10  15  20  25  b)  -7 -14 -21 -28 -35

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________ 

c)  4  8  12  16  20  d)  -12 0  12  24  36 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________ 

e)  0.2  0.6  1. 0 1.4  1.8  f)  4  3.7 5  3.5  3.25  3 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________

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Name: ​__________________________________ Date: ​____________
Murphy ENL Algebra 

Homework: Arithmetic Sequences 

Directions​: Find the next three terms. 

a)  15  12  9  6  3  b)  3  6  9  12  15 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________ 

c)  4  2  0  -2 -4 d)  1  0.8  0.6  0.4  0.2 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________ 

e)  $7  $9  $11  $13  f)  4  5  6  7 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________

g)  8  16  24  32  h)  1  0  -1 -2

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________ 

i)  -5 -4 -3 -2 j)  100  110  120  130 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________

1
k)  2 1  1 21 2  l)  3
7
4
7
5
7
6
7

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________ 

m)  6  5.25  4.5  3.75  n)  19  22  25  28 

common difference = ​___________ ​common difference = ​________

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