Arithmetic Sequence

What is a sequence
• What is a sequence? It is a set of numbers
which are written in some particular order. For
example, take the numbers
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, . . . .
 Arithmetic Sequence/Progression

An arithmetic progression, or AP, is a sequence

where each new term after the first is obtained
by adding a constant “d”, called the common
difference, to the preceding term.
 Knowing the Common Difference
• In the sequence 1, 3, 5, 7, 9….. the common
difference is 2, so d=2
• 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
Subtract 9 and 7
9-7=2 or subtract
2 2 2 2 any two consecutive
numbers from right
to left (e.g. 7 and 5
or 5 and 3)
• What would be the common difference of the
following sequence
1. 9, 12, 15…..
2. 4, 2, 0…..
3. 1, -4, -9 …….
• 4, 2, 0….. So lets subtract the
two consecutive
d=2 numbers coming
from left to right
which is either 0 and
2 or 2 and 4
0-2= Change the
0+(-2)=-2 operation to
addition and
change the
sign of the
Subtrahend
• Now what if you are ask to find the nth term
of a sequence
• 9, 12, 15…. (12th term)
• a1=10 d= 7 n= 10
 Arithmetic sequence formula
The formula is written as an = a1 + (n − 1)d.

an = the number in the “nth” term

a1 = the first term
n = nth term
d = common difference
• 9, 12, 15…. (12th term)
• n =?
• a1 = ?
• d=?
n = 12
a1 = 9
d= 3
 a1=9 d= 3 n= 12

• an = a1 + (n − 1)d
Replace all of the “n”
• a12 = a1 + (12 − 1)d with the given which is
12

• a12 = 9 + (12 − 1)3 Replace the “d”and

“a1 “ with the given
which is 3 and 9
respectively
 a1=9 d= 3 n= 12

• a12 = 9 + (12 − 1)3 Apply “PEMDAS”

Solve first the equation

• a12 = 9 + (11)3 “12-1” which results to 11
then multiply 11 by 3

• a12 = 9 + 33 Finally add 33 and 9

Final answer is 42
• a12 = 42
 a1=10 d= 7 n= 10

• an = a1 + (n − 1)d
• a10 = a1 + (10 − 1)d

• a10 = 10 + (10 − 1)7

• a10 = 10 + (10 − 1)7

• a10 = 10 + (9)7

• a10 = 10 + 63

• a10= 73
• 1, -4, -9 …….(15th term)
• n =?
• a1 = ?
• d=?
• n =15
• a1 = 1
• d = -5
 a1=1 d= -5 n= 15

• an = a1 + (n − 1)d
• a15 = a1 + (15 − 1)d

• a15 = 1+ (15 − 1)-5

 a1=1 d= -5 n= 15
• a15= 1+ (15 − 1)-5

• a15= 1 + (14)-5

• a15 = 1 + (-70)

• a15= -69
THANK YOU!!!!!!