Handout on

Arithmetic Sequences
and Series
Victor A. Tondo Jr.
Tuguegarao City Science High School
 Arithmetic Sequences and Series
A sequence is called Arithmetic if there is a constant increase (or decrease) for the succeeding terms.
Ex: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, …  increasing by 2
29, 26, 23, 20, 17, …  decreasing by 3 (or increasing by -3)
7, 11, 15, 19, 23, …  increasing by 4
10, 5, 0, -5, -10, -15, …  decreasing by 5 (or increasing by -5)

This constant increase is called the common difference (represented as d). Yun yung difference ng
susunod na term sa previous term.
Ex: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, …  common difference = 2 d=2
29, 26, 23, 20, 17, …  common difference = -3 d = -3
7, 11, 15, 19, 23, …  common difference = 4 d=4
10, 5, 0, -5, -10, -15, …  common difference = -5 d = -5

Let’s look at the terms of an arithmetic sequence.

5 8 11 14 17 20 23
1st term 2nd term 3rd term 4th term 5th term 6th term 7th term

The 1st term, or A1, is 5.

The 4th term, or A4, is 14.
The 7th term, or A7, is 23.
The common difference, or d, is 3.

What do you think would be the 10th term? 20th term? 30th term? nth term?

The formula for the nth term of an arithmetic sequence is given as:
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
Balikan natin yung arithmetic sequence sa taas. Given A1 = 5 and d = 3, pwede na nating kunin ang 10th
term, 20th term, 30th term, at nth term natin.

10th term = A10 = A1 + d(10 – 1)  n = 10 kasi 10th term

A10 = 5 + 3(10 – 1)  substitute A1 = 5 and d = 3
A10 = 5 + 3(9) = 5 + 27 = 32  Therefore, the 10th term is 32

20th term = A20 = A1 + d(20 – 1)  n = 20 kasi 20th term

A20 = 5 + 3(20 – 1)  substitute A1 = 5 and d = 3
A20 = 5 + 3(19) = 5 + 57 = 62  Therefore, the 20th term is 62

With a partner, try to get the 30th term and the nth term.
Let’s have another example:
48 41 34 27 20 13 6
st nd rd th th th th
1 term 2 term 3 term 4 term 5 term 6 term 7 term

The 1st term, or A1, is 48.

The 3rd term, or A3, is 34.
The 7th term, or A7, is 6.
The common difference, or d, is -7.

What do you think would be the 10th term? 15th term? 20th term? nth term?

Again, recall that the formula for the nth term of an arithmetic sequence is given as An = A1 + d(n – 1).
Given A1 = 48 and d = -7, pwede na nating kunin ang 10th term, 15th term, 20th term, at nth term natin.

10th term = A10 = A1 + d(10 – 1)  n = 10 kasi 10th term

A10 = 48 + -7(10 – 1)  substitute A1 = 48 and d = -7
A10 = 48 + -7(9) = 48 – 63 = -15  Therefore, the 10th term is -15

15th term = A15 = A1 + d(15 – 1)  n = 15 kasi 15th term

A15 = 48 + -7(15 – 1)  substitute A1 = 48 and d = -7
A15 = 48 + -7(14) = 48 – 98 = -50  Therefore, the 15th term is -50

Now try to get the 20th term and the nth term. You should be able to get A20 = -85 and An = 48 – 7n + 7,
or An = 55 – 7n.
Practice
Let’s try these word problems:

1. The first term of an arithmetic sequence is 7, and the common difference is 9. Find the 14 th term of
the sequence.

Ang given sa atin ay first term or A1, which is 7, tsaka common difference or d, which is 9.
Ang hinahanap natin ay 14th term or A14.
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
A14 = A1 + d(14 – 1)
A14 = 7 + 9(14 – 1) = 7 + 117 = 124  The 14th term is 124.

2. The first term of an arithmetic sequence is 11, and the common difference is -3. Find the 17 th term of
the sequence.

Ang given sa atin ay first term or A1, which is 11, tsaka common difference or d, which is -3.
Ang hinahanap natin ay 17th term or A17.
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
A17 = A1 + -3(17 – 1)
A17 = 11 + -3(16) = 11 – 48 = -37  The 17th term is -37.

3. The first term of an arithmetic sequence is 25, and the common difference is -4. Find the 19 th term of
the sequence.

Ang given sa atin ay first term or A1, which is 25, tsaka common difference or d, which is -4.
Ang hinahanap natin ay 19th term or A19.
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
A19 = A1 + -4(19 – 1)
A19 = 25 + -4(18) = 25 – 72 = -47  The 19th term is -47.

4. The 10th term of an arithmetic sequence is 13, and the common difference is 2. Find the first term of
the sequence.

Ang given sa atin ay 10th term or A10, which is 13, tsaka common difference or d, which is 2.
Ang hinahanap natin ay 1st term or A1.
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
A10 = A1 + 2(10 – 1)
13 = A1 + 2(9)
13 = A1 + 18
13 – 18 = A1 = -5  The 1st term is -5.
5. The 11th term of an arithmetic sequence is -15, and the common difference is -4. Find the first term
of the sequence.

Ang given sa atin ay 11th term or A11, which is -15, tsaka common difference or d, which is -4.
Ang hinahanap natin ay 1st term or A1.
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
A11 = A1 + -4(11 – 1)
-15 = A1 + -4(10)
-15 = A1 – 40
-15 + 40 = A1 = 25  The 1st term is 25.

6. The 15th term of an arithmetic sequence is 35, and the common difference is 6. Find the first term of
the sequence.

Ang given sa atin ay 15th term or A15, which is 35, tsaka common difference or d, which is 6.
Ang hinahanap natin ay 1st term or A1.
An = A1 + d(n – 1)
A15 = A1 + 6(15 – 1)
35 = A1 + 6(14)
35 = A1 + 84
35 – 84 = A1 = -49  The 1st term is -49.

7. Find the common difference of an arithmetic sequence given that the 5 th term is 37 and the 11th term
is 85.

Ang given sa atin ay 5th term or A5, which is 37, at A11 or ang 11th term, which is 85. Ang hinahanap
natin ay ang common difference, d.
A − An
Pro tip: gamitin ang shortcut na d = m
m−n
A m− A n
d=
m−n
85−37 48
d= =
11−5 6
d=8  The common difference is 8.

8. Find the common difference of an arithmetic sequence given that the 9 th term is 35 and the 13th term
is 11.

Ang given sa atin ay 9th term or A9, which is 35, at A13 or ang 13th term, which is 11. Ang hinahanap
natin ay ang common difference, d.
A − An
Pro tip: gamitin ang shortcut na d = m
m−n
A m− A n
d=
m−n
 11−35 −24
d= =
13−9 4
d = -6  The common difference is -6.