Arithmetic and Geometric Progressions

Arithmetic Progressions

An arithmetic progression is a sequence of numbers such that the difference between any
two successive terms is a constant. For instance, the sequence

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, ...

is an arithmetic progression with a common difference of 2. The difference is calculated as

any term minus the previous term.

If the first term of an arithmetic progression is a, and the common difference of successive
members is d, then the sequence can be expressed

a, a+d, a+2d, a+3d, …

So the n-th term of the sequence is given by

a + (n-1)d where n= 1, 2, 3, ...

The sum of the terms in an arithmetic progression is called an arithmetic series. The sum of
the first n terms of a arithmetic progression is

n
Sn = (a1 + a n )
2

where a1 is the first term and an is the last. Alternatively, this could be written

n
Sn = [2a + (n − 1)d ]
2

For example, we can find the sum of the first n positive whole numbers

n(n + 1)
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ... + n =
2

Geometric Progressions

A geometric progression is a sequence of numbers such that the quotient of any two
successive terms (that is, any term divided by the previous term) is a constant. For instance,
the sequence
2, 4, 8, 16, 32, …

is a geometric progression with a common quotient of 2.

If the first term of a geometric progression is a, and the common quotient is r, then the
sequence can be expressed
a, ar, ar2, ar3, …

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Arithmetic and Geometric Progressions

So the n-th term of the sequence is given by

ar n −1 where n= 1, 2, 3, ...

The sum of the terms in a geometric progression is called a geometric series. The sum of the
first n terms of a geometric progression is
a(1 − r n )
Sn =
1− r

An infinite geometric series is a geometric series with no last term.

If –1 < r < 1, then the sum of an infinite geometric series converges to a particular value,
given by
a
S= if r < 1
1− r

If r ≥ 1 then the series will diverge.

Exercises

1) Identify the first term, a, and the common difference, d, in the following arithmetic
progressions. Find the value of the tenth term and use this to calculate the sum of the first
10 terms.
a) 5, 7, 9, 11,…
b) 3, 7, 11, 15, ...
c) -6, -3, 0, 3, 6, …

2) Identify the first term, a, and the common quotient, r, in the following geometric
progressions. Calculate the sum of the first 4 terms.
a) 1, 5, 25, 125, …
b) 7, 14, 28, …
c) 3, -6, 12, -24, ...

3) Find the sum of the following infinite geometric series.

a) 1 + ½ + ¼ + 1/8 + 1/16 + 1/32 + ...
b) 9 + 3 + 1 + 1/3 + 1/9 + 1/27 + ...

4) Identify whether the following are arithmetic or geometric progressions.

a) 2, 4, 6, 8, …
b) 2, 4, 8, 16, …
c) 243, 81, 27, …
d) 19, 21, 24, …
e) 8, -4, 2, -1, ½, …

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Answers
1)
a) 5, 7, 9, 11,…
The first term
a=5
The common difference is any term minus the previous term, so
d = 7-5 = 9-7 = 11-9 = 2
th
The n term is given by a+(n-1)d, so
10th term = 5 + (10-1)×2 = 23
n
The sum of the first n terms is S n = (a1 + a n ) where a1 is the 1st term and an is the
2
last, so the sum of the first 10 terms is
10
S10 = (5+23) = 140
2

b) 3, 7, 11, 15, ...

a=3
d = 7-3 = 11-7 = 15-11 = 4
10th term = 3 + (10-1)×4 = 39
10
S10 = (3+39) = 210
2

c) -6, -3, 0, 3, 6, …
a = -6
d = -3 - (-6) = 0 – (-3) = 3 – 0 = 6 - 3 = 3
10th term = -6 + (10-1)×3 = 21
10
S10 = (-6 + 21) = 75
2

2)
a) 1, 5, 25, 125, …
The first term
a=1
The common quotient is any term divided by the previous term, so
r = 5 / 1 = 25 / 5 = 125 / 25 = 5
a(1 − r n )
The sum of the first n terms is S n = , and we want the sum of the first 4
1− r
terms, so
1 × (1 − 5 4 ) (1 − 625) 624
S4 = = = =156
1− 5 −4 4
We can check this answer by adding up the first 4 terms:
1+5+25+125 = 156

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b) 7, 14, 28, …
a=7
r = 14 / 7 = 28 / 14 = 2
7 × (1 − 2 4 ) 7 × (1 − 16)
S4 = = = 7 × 15 = 105
1− 2 −1
We can check this answer by adding up the first 4 terms:
7+14+28+56 = 105

c) 3, -6, 12, -24, …

a=3
r = -6 / 3 = 12 / (-6) = -24 / 12 = -2
3 × (1 − (−2) 4 ) 3 × (1 − 16)
S4 = = = −15
1 − (−2) 3
We can check this answer by adding up the first 4 terms:
3 – 6 + 12 – 24 = -15

3)
a) The series is infinite geometric series where a = 1 and r = ½
Since |r| < 1, the series will converge to the following sum.
S = a/(1-r) = 1/( ½ ) = 2

b) The series is infinite geometric series where a = 9 and r = 1/3

Since |r| < 1, the series will converge to the following sum.
S = a/(1-r) = 9/(1-(1/3)) = 13.5

4)
a) 2, 4, 6, 8, …
First check to see if this is an arithmetic progression by finding the difference between
each term and the previous one.
4-2 = 2
6-4 = 2
8-6 = 2
So the common difference is 2, and this is an arithmetic progression.

b) 2, 4, 8, 16, …
First check to see if this is an arithmetic progression by finding the difference between
each term and the previous one.
4-2 = 2
8-4 = 4
16-8 = 8
The difference between the terms isn’t constant, so this is not an arithmetic
progression. Now check to see if it is a geometric progression by dividing each term
by the previous one.
4/2=2
8/4=2
16 / 8 = 2
So the common quotient is 2, and this is a geometric progression.

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c) 243, 81, 27, …

First check to see if this is an arithmetic progression by finding the difference between
each term and the previous one.
81 - 243 = -162
27 - 81 = -54
The difference between the terms isn’t constant, so this is not an arithmetic
progression. Now check to see if it is a geometric progression by dividing each term
by the previous one.
81 / 243 = 1/3
27 / 81 = 1/3
So the common quotient is 1/3, and this is a geometric progression.

d) 19, 21, 24, …

First check to see if this is an arithmetic progression by finding the difference between
each term and the previous one.
21 - 19 = 3
24 - 21 = 3
So the common difference is 3, and this is an arithmetic progression.

e) 8, -4, 2, -1, ½, …
First check to see if this is an arithmetic progression by finding the difference between
each term and the previous one.
-4 - 8 = -12
2 – (-4) = 6
-1 – 2 = -3
The difference between the terms isn’t constant, so this is not an arithmetic
progression. Now check to see if it is a geometric progression by dividing each term
by the previous one.
-4 / 8 = - ½
2 / (-4) = - ½
So the common quotient is - ½, and this is a geometric progression.

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