THEORY THAT NEEDS TO BE KNOWN – ARITHMETIC AND GEOMETRIC SERIES

FORMULAE PROOFS

ARITHMETIC SERIES

The formula for the sum to n terms: Sn  n

2  2a  ( n  1)d  or Sn  n
2 a  l 

Proof:
Sn  a  ad  a  2d  ...  a  (n  2)d  a  (n  1) d
Reversing:
Sn  a  (n  1)d  a  (n  2)d  a  (n  3)d  ...  ad  a
Adding:
2Sn  2a  (n  1)d  2a  (n  1)d  2a  ( n  1) d  ...  2a  ( n  1) d  2a  ( n  1) d
 n  2a  (n  1)d 
n n
 Sn   2a  (n  1)d    a  a  (n  1)d 
2 2
n
or Sn   a  l 
2

GEOMETRIC SERIES

a ( r n  1) a (1  r n )
Sn  Sn 
The formula for the sum to n terms: r 1 or 1 r

Proof:

Sn  a  ar  ar 2  ...  ar n 2  ar n 1
rSn  ar  ar 2  ...  ar n 2  ar n 1  ar n
Sn  rSn  a  ar n
Sn (1  r )  a 1  r n 
a 1  r n 
Sn 
(1  r )