ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION :

It is a sequence whose terms increase or decrease by a fixed number. Fixed number is

called the common difference ‘d’. If 'a' is the first term and 'd' is the common
difference, then the standard appearance of an A.P. is
a + (a+d) + (a+2d) + ......... + (a+(n-1)d) and nth or last term is given by
Tn = a + (n – 1)d
Note : If d > 0  increasing A.P. , If d < 0  decreasing A.P., If d = 0  all
the terms remain same
Sum of n terms of an A.P.
𝑛 𝑛
Sn = [2a + (n-1)d] or (a + l) where l = a + (n-1)d
2 2
Remember that (i) sum of first n natural number is n(n + 1)/2
(ii) sum of first n odd natural number is n2
(iii) sum of first n even natural number is n(n + 1)
(iv) If each term of an A.P. is increased, decreased, multiplied or divided by the same non-
zero number, then the resulting sequence is also an AP.
(v) Three numbers in AP can be taken as a – d , a , a + d (with common difference d); four
numbers in AP can be taken as a – 3d, a – d, a + d, a + 3d (with common diff 2d); five
numbers in AP are a – 2d, a – d , a, a + d, a + 2d (with common diff d) & six terms in
AP are a – 5d, a – 3d, a – d, a + d, a + 3d, a + 5d (with common diff 2d) etc.
(vi) The sum of the two terms of an AP equidistant from the beginning & end is constant
and equal to the sum of first & last terms.
(vii) If the number of terms in an A.P. is even then take it as 2n and if odd then take it as
(2n+1)
(viii) For any series, Tn = Sn – Sn – 1. In a series if Sn is a quadratic function of n or Tn is a
linear function of n, then the series is an A.P.
(ix) If a, b, c are in A.P.  2b = a + c.

(x) If a, b, c are in A.P. then (a) b + c ; c + a ; a + b are also in A.P.

(b) (b + c)2 – a2 ; (c + a)2 – b2 ; (a + b)2 – c2 are also in A.P.
If a2, b2, c2 are in A.P. then
1 1 1 𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
(a) , , are in A.P. (b) , , are in A.P.
𝑏+𝑐 𝑐+𝑎 𝑎+𝑏 𝑏+𝑐 𝑎+𝑐 𝑎+𝑏

ARITHMETIC MEAN:
Definition: Between two given quantities it is always possible to insert any number of
terms such that the whole series thus formed shall be in A.P. and the terms thus
inserted are called the arithmetic means.
To insert 'n' AM's between a and b.
Let A1, A2, A3 ........ An are the n means between a and b.
Hence a, A1A2, ........ Anb is an A.P. and b is the (n + 2)th terms.
 𝑏−𝑎
Hence b = a + (n + 1)d  d=
𝑛 +1
𝑛 𝑛 𝑎 +𝑏
𝑖=1 Ai
= na + (1 + 2 + 3 + .... + n)d =
2
Hence the sum of n AM's inserted between a and b is equal to n times a single AM between
them.

GEOMETRICAL PROGRESSION :
Definition : In a sequence if each term (except the first non zero term) bears the same
constant ratio with its immediately preceding term the series is called a G.P. and the
constant ratio is called the common ratio ‘r’.
Standard G.P. is a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + ..........+ arn – 1 , where nth term is Tn = arn – 1
Sum of n terms of a G.P.
S = a + ar + ar2 + .......... + arn – 1
Sr= 0 + ar + ar2 + ......... +arn – 1 + arn
Subtract S(1 – r) = a – arn = a (1 – rn)
S = a (1 – rn) / (1-r) , where r  1, if r = 1 then S = na
If | r | < 1 and n   then rn  0 and in this case geometric series will be summable
𝑎
upto infinity and its sum is given by S =
1−𝑟

IMPORTANT POINTS
(i) If each term of a GP be multiplied or divided by the same non-zero quantity, the
resulting sequence is also a GP.
(ii) Any 3 consecutive terms of a GP can be taken as a/r, a, ar (with common ratio r); any
4 consecutive terms of a GP can be taken as a/r3, a/r, ar, ar3 (with common ratio 𝑟 2 ) &
so on.
(iii) If a, b, c are in GP  b2 = ac.
GEOMETRICAL MEAN
Definition : If a, b, c are three positive number in G.P. then b is called the geometrical
mean between a and c and b2 = ac. If a and b are two + ve real and G is the G.M.
between them, then G2 = ab
To insert 'n' GM's between a and b
Let a and b are two positive numbers are G1, G2, .........Gn are 'n' GM's then
a G1 G2 ...........Gn b is a G.P. with 'b' as its (n+2)th term.
Hence b = arn + 1
1
𝑏 𝑛 +1
 r=
𝑎
Now G1 = ar, G2 = ar2, ..........Gn = arn
𝑛 𝑛 +1
𝑛
hence 𝑖=1 𝐺𝑖 = an r1 + 2 + .... + n = an ·𝑟 2 = Gn where G is the angle GM between a
and b.
 Hence product of n GM's inserted between of a and b is equal to the n th power of a
single GM between them. It may be noted that between two positive numbers AM 
GM

ARITHMETIC GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION (AGP) :

Standard appearance of an AGP is S = a + (a + d)r + (a + 2d)r2 + (a + 3d)r3 + ..........
Let S = a + (a + d)r + (a + 2d)r2 + (a + 3d)r3 + .......... + (a+(n-1)d)rn – 1
Sr = 0 + ar + (a + d)r2 + ...............................+(a+(n-2)d)rn – 1 +(a+(n-1)d) rn
—————————————————————————————————
Now subtract and get the expression for S and S
Miscellaneous sequences
TYPE-1: Sequence dealing with 𝑛 ; 𝑛2 ; 𝑛3
𝑛 𝑛 +1 2
(1) 𝑛 = n(n+1)/2 𝑛2 = n(n+1)(2n+1)/6 𝑛3 =
2
For proof:
* Consider the identity k3 – (k – 1)3 = 3k2 – 3k + 1 & Apply Summation
** Consider the identity k – (k – 1) = 4k – 6k + 4k – 1
4 4 3 2
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
Note: (i) 𝑟=1 𝑎𝑟 ± 𝑏𝑟 = 𝑟=1 𝑎𝑟 ± 𝑟=1 𝑏𝑟 ; (ii) 𝑟=1 𝑘𝑎𝑟 = k 𝑟=1 𝑎𝑟
𝑛 𝑛
(iii) 𝑟=1 𝑘 = k 𝑟=1 1 = k n
TYPE-2 (Using method of difference):
If T1, T2, T3, ....... are the terms of a sequence then the terms T2 – T1, T3 – T2, T4 – T3
.......... some times are in A.P. and some times are in G.P. For such series we first
compute their nth term and then compute the sum to n terms, using sigma notation.

TYPE -3 (Splitting the nth term as a difference of two terms, 𝑽𝒏 − 𝑽𝒏−𝟏 method) :
Each term is composed of the the product of r factors in A.P. in the numerator or in the
denominator, the first factor of the several terms being in the same A.P.

HARMONICAL PROGRESSION (HP):

Definition: A sequence is said to be in H.P. if the reciprocals of its terms are in A.P.
1 1 1
if a1, a2, ....... an are in H.P. then , , ..... are in A.P.
𝑎1 𝑎2 𝑎𝑛
1 1 1 1
A standard H.P. is , , ,….,
𝑎 𝑎+𝑑 𝑎+2𝑑 𝑎+(𝑛 −1)𝑑
Note: (i) If the term of an H.P. is  then the corresponding term of the A.P. is zero.
(ii) There is no general formula for finding the sum to n terms of H.P.
1 1 1 2 1 1 2𝑎𝑐
(iii) If a, b, c are in H.P.  , , are in A.P  = +  b =
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 𝑏 𝑎 𝑐 𝑎 +𝑐
1 1 1 1 𝑎−𝑏 𝑏−𝑐 𝑎 𝑎−𝑏
or – = – i.e. = i.e. =
𝑏 𝑎 𝑐 𝑏 𝑎𝑏 𝑏𝑐 𝑐 𝑏−𝑐

HARMONICAL MEAN:
 If a, b, c are in H.P. then middle term is called the harmonic mean between them.
Hence if H is the harmonic mean (H.M.) between a and b then a, H, b are in H.P.
2𝑎𝑏
and H = .
𝑎+𝑏
To insert n HM between a and b.
Let H1, H2........Hn are n HM's between a and b, hence a, H1, H2, .....Hn b are in H.P.
1 1 1 1 1
, , ...... , are in A.P.
𝑎 𝐻1 𝐻2 𝐻𝑛 𝑏
1 1 1 1 𝑎−𝑏
= + (n + 1)d ; – = (n + 1)d ; d =
𝑏 𝑎 𝑏 𝑎 𝑎𝑏 (𝑛−1)
1 1
= +d
𝐻1 𝑎
1 1
= + 2d
𝐻2 𝑎
1 1
= + 3d
𝐻3 𝑎

1 1
= + nd
𝐻𝑛 𝑎
——————
𝑛 1 𝑛 𝑑𝑛 𝑛 +1 𝑎 +𝑏 1
𝑖=1 = + = 𝑛 = 𝑛.
𝐻𝑖 𝑎 2 2𝑎𝑏 𝐻
Hence sum of the reciprocals of all the n HM's between a and b is equal to n times a
single HM between a and b.

Relation between A.M, G.M. and H.M:

If a and b are two positive numbers then A  G  H and A, G, H are in G.P. i.e. G2=AH