Finding Arithmetic Means

Finding Arithmetic Means

- If a , C1 , C2 , … , Ck , b is an arithmetic sequence, then the numbers C1 , C2 , … , Ck are the arithmetic means
between a and b

Examples:
1) Given 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60,… the arithmetic means of 10 and 60 are 20, 30, 40, 50.
2) In 23, 28, 33, the arithmetic mean is 28.
3) In -1, -2, -3, -4, -5, the arithmetic means of -1 and -5 are -2, -3, -4.
Solve
1) Insert two arithmetic means between 11 and 20.
11, __, __, 20
A1 A2 A3 A4
20 - 11 = 3d *A2 = 11 + 3 = 14
d=? 9 = 3d *A3 = 14 + 3 = 17
An = A1 + (n - 1) d 9 3𝑑 11, 14, 17, 20
=
20 = 11 + (4 - 1) d 3 3

20 = 11 + (3) d 3=d ∴ The arithmetic means between

20 = 11 + 3d d=3 11 and 20 are 14 and 17

2) Insert 4 arithmetic means between 98 and 68

98, __, __, __, __, 68
A1 A6
*A2 = 98 - 6 = 92
An = A1 + (n - 1) d 68 - 98 = 5d *A3 = 92 - 6 = 86 ∴ The arithmetic means between 98
68 = 98 + (6 - 1) d -30 = 5d *A4 = 86 - 6 = 80 and 68 are 92, 86, 80, 74
68 = 98 + (5) d *A5 = 80 - 6 = 74
−30 5𝑑
68 = 98 + 5d =
5 5 98, 92, 86, 80, 74, 68
-6 = d
d = -6
Try!: 4) Insert one arithmetic mean between x and y
An = A1 + (n - 1) d y - x = 2d An = A1 + (n - 1) d ∴ The arithmetic mean between x and
𝒙 𝒚
y = x + (3 - 1) d 𝑦 − 𝑥 2𝑑 𝒚 𝒙 y is 𝟐
= d= A2 = + ( )
y = x + (2) d 2 2 𝟐

𝑦−𝑥 =
y = x + 2d =𝑑 +
2
=
𝒙 𝒚
A2 = 𝟐