REAL LIFE EXAMPLE OF

ARITHMETIC
POGRESSION
 Arithmetic Progression is useful in predicting
an event if the pattern of the event is known.
 For Example,
If an asset costs $v when new, and is
depreciated by $d per year, its value each year
can be represented by an arithmetic
progression
v, v-d, v-2d, ....
OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER
 Old Faithful is a popular attraction at Yellowstone
National Park, because the geyser produces long
eruptions that are fairly predictable.
 When tourists visit Old Faithful, they will see a
sign that indicates an estimated time that the
geyser will next erupt.
 No one controls the geyser like an amusement
park ride.
 Its patterns over time have caused park rangers
to develop predictable eruption times using an
arithmetic sequence.
 The time between eruptions is based on the
length of the previous eruption
 If an eruption lasts one minute, then the next
eruptionwill occur in approximately forty-six
minutes (plus or minus ten minutes).
 If an eruption lasts two minutes, then the next
eruption will occur in approximately fifty-
eight minutes.
 This pattern continues based on a constant
difference of twelve minutes, forming an
arithmetic sequence of 46, 58, 70, 82, 94, . .
 An eruption of n minutes will indicate that the next
eruption, an, will occur in

an = a1 + (n − 1)d minutes,

where a1 is the length after a one-minute eruption, and

d is the constant difference of waiting time among
eruptions that are a one- minute difference in time.

 In this particular situation, the next eruption will occur

in an = 46+(n − 1)12 minutes, if the previous eruption
was n minutes long.