Nth term of

an
Arithmetic
sequence
−𝟐𝟏,−𝟏𝟕,− 𝟏𝟑,− 𝟗,…
Arithmetic sequence,
 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝟏, , , ,…
𝟐 𝟒 𝟖
not
𝟏𝟖, 𝟏𝟐, 𝟔 ,𝟎 , −𝟔, …
Arithmetic sequence,
𝟏.𝟏,𝟏.𝟏𝟏,𝟏.𝟏𝟏𝟏,𝟏.𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏,…
not
𝟏,𝟏 .𝟓,𝟐,𝟐 .𝟓,…
Arithmetic sequence,
objectives
1. determine the nth term of an arithmetic sequence; and
2. solve problems involving sequences.
What’s the rule?
State the next two terms and the rule.

𝟐,𝟒,𝟔 ,𝟖,…
𝟐,𝟒,𝟔 ,𝟖,𝟏𝟎,𝟏𝟐

Start with 2 and add 2 to the preceding term to get the next
term.
What’s the rule?
State the next two terms and the rule.

𝟓,𝟏𝟎 ,𝟏𝟓 ,𝟐𝟎 ,…

𝟓,𝟏𝟎 ,𝟏𝟓 ,𝟐𝟎 ,𝟐𝟓 ,𝟑𝟎

Start with 5 and add 5 to the preceding term to get the next
term.
What’s the rule?
State the next two terms and the rule.

𝟑,𝟕 ,𝟏𝟏,𝟏𝟓,….
𝟑,𝟕 ,𝟏𝟏,𝟏𝟓,𝟏𝟗,𝟐𝟑

Start with 3 and add 4 to the preceding term to get the next
term.
What’s the rule?
State the next two terms and the rule.

𝟏𝟎𝟎,𝟗𝟎,𝟖𝟎,𝟕𝟎,…
𝟏𝟎𝟎,𝟗𝟎,𝟖𝟎,𝟕𝟎,𝟔𝟎,𝟓𝟎

Start with 100 and add -10 to the preceding term to get the
next term.
There are 20 seats in the front row of a theater. Each successive row contains
two more seats than the previous row. If there are 15 rows, how many seats are
there in the last row of the theater?
What pattern do the seats of the theater make?
How can you find the number of seats in the succeeding rows?
How many seats are there in the last row of the theater?
 GENERAL TERM of AN
ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE

where
nth term
1st term
common difference
number of terms
Example 2
Determine the general formula for
the nth term of each arithmetic
sequence.
Example 2
7 , 15 , 23 , 31 , …
SOLUTION
𝑛=7 + ( 𝑛 − 1 ) ( 8 )
𝑎 𝑛= 𝑎1 + ( 𝑛 − 1 )𝑎𝑑
𝑎 1=7 𝑎 𝑛=7 +8 𝑛 − 8
𝑑=𝑎 2 − 𝑎1=15 −7=8 𝑎 𝑛= 8 𝑛 − 1
Example 2
2.

SOLUTION
𝑎 𝑛= 𝑎1 + ( 𝑛 − 1 ) 𝑑
𝑎 1=1 ( )
𝑎 𝑛=1+ ( 𝑛 − 1 )
3
2
𝑑 = 𝑎 2 − 𝑎1 3 3
𝑎 𝑛=1 + 𝑛−
5 5 1 5−2 3 2 2
𝑑= −1= − = =
2 2 1 2 2 𝑎 𝑛= 3 𝑛 − 1
2 2
Exercise 2
Determine the general formula for
the nth term of each arithmetic
sequence.
Example 3
1. If the 1st term of an arithmetic
sequence is -5 and the 2nd term is 3,
what is the 8th term?
2. Suppose an arithmetic sequence
has a common difference of -6, and a
6th term of 18, what is its 1st term?
EXAMPLE 3
1. If the 1st term of an arithmetic sequence is -5 and the 2nd
term is 3, what is the 8th term?
SOLUTION
𝑎 𝑛= 𝑎1 + ( 𝑛 − 1 𝑎)8𝑑
=− 5+ ( 8 − 1 ) ( 8 )
𝑎1=−5 , 𝑎2 =3 , 𝑎 8=? 𝑎 8=− 5 + ( 7 ) ( 8 )
𝑑= 3 − ( − 5 )= 8 𝑎 8 =− 5 +56
𝑛= 8 51
EXAMPLE 3
2. Suppose an arithmetic sequence has a common difference
of -6, and a 6th term of 18, what is its 1st term?
SOLUTION
𝑎 𝑛= 𝑎1 + ( 𝑛 − 1 𝑎)6𝑑
= 𝑎1 + ( 6 − 1 ) ( − 6 )
𝑑=−6 , 𝑎6 =18 , 𝑎 1=? 18 =𝑎 1+ ( 5 ) ( − 6 )
𝑛= 6 18 =𝑎 1 − 𝑎 130 = 48
−𝑎1=− 30 −18
− 𝑎 1=− 48
Exercise 3
1. If the 1st term of an arithmetic
sequence is 17 and the 2nd term is 9,
what is the 11th term?
2. Suppose an arithmetic sequence
has a common difference of 9 and 8th
term of 129, what is its 1st term?
Drill
determine the general term, and
indicated term of each arithmetic
sequence
Example 4
Consider the given table showing the
sum of the measures of interior
angles of a regular polygon. Find
the sum of the measures of interior
angles of an octagon.
Polygon Triangle Quadrilateral Pentagon

Sum 180 360 540

Exercise 4
What is the sum of the measures of
the interior angles of a 13-sided
polygon?
answer
Math
Empowerm
ent – B and
E (1, 2 and
3) on pp.