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Lesson 1.1 Exercises, pages 8–12

A

4. Circle each sequence that could be arithmetic. Determine its

common difference, d.
a) 6, 10, 14, 18, . . . b) 9, 7, 5, 3, . . .
d is: 10 ⴚ 6 ⴝ 4 d is: 7 ⴚ 9 ⴝ ⴚ2

c) -11, -4, 3, 10, . . . d) 2, -4, 8, -16, . . .

d is: ⴚ4 ⴚ (ⴚ11) ⴝ 7 Not arithmetic

5. Each sequence is arithmetic. Determine each common difference, d,

then list the next 3 terms.
a) 12, 15, 18, . . .
d is: 15 ⴚ 12 ⴝ 3
The next 3 terms are:
18 ⴙ 3, 18 ⴙ 6, 18 ⴙ 9;
or 21, 24, 27
b) 25, 21, 17, . . .
d is: 21 ⴚ 25 ⴝ ⴚ4
The next 3 terms are:
17 ⴚ 4, 17 ⴚ 8, 17 ⴚ 12;
or 13, 9, 5

6. Determine the indicated term of each arithmetic sequence.

1
a) 6, 11, 16, . . . ; t7 b) 2, 12 , 1, . . . ; t35

Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1) Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1)

Substitute: n ⴝ 7, t1 ⴝ 6, d ⴝ 5 Substitute: n ⴝ 35, t1 ⴝ 2, d ⴝ ⴚ
1
2
t7 ⴝ 6 ⴙ 5(7 ⴚ 1) 1
t35 ⴝ 2 ⴚ (35 ⴚ 1)
t7 ⴝ 36 2
t35 ⴝ ⴚ15

7. Write the first 4 terms of each arithmetic sequence, given the first
term and the common difference.
a) t1 = -3, d = 4 b) t1 = -0.5, d = -1.5
t1 ⴝ ⴚ3 t1 ⴝ ⴚ0.5
t2 is t1 ⴙ d ⴝ ⴚ3 ⴙ 4, or 1 t2 is t1 ⴙ d ⴝ ⴚ0.5 ⴚ 1.5, or ⴚ2
t3 is t2 ⴙ d ⴝ 1 ⴙ 4, or 5 t3 is t2 + d ⴝ ⴚ2 ⴚ 1.5, or ⴚ3.5
t4 is t3 ⴙ d ⴝ 5 ⴙ 4, or 9 t4 is t3 + d ⴝ ⴚ3.5 ⴚ 1.5, or ⴚ5

8. When you know the first term and the common difference of an
arithmetic sequence, how can you tell if it is increasing or
decreasing? Use examples to explain.
An arithmetic sequence is increasing if d is positive; for example, when
t1 is ⴚ10 and d ⴝ 3: ⴚ10, ⴚ7, ⴚ4, ⴚ1, 2, . . .
An arithmetic sequence is decreasing if d is negative; for example,
when t1 is ⴚ10 and d ⴝ ⴚ3: ⴚ10, ⴚ13, ⴚ16, ⴚ19, ⴚ22, . . .

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9. a) Create your own arithmetic sequence. Write the first 7 terms.

Explain your method.
Sample response: I chose t1 ⴝ 3 and d ⴝ 5; I add 5 to 3,
then keep adding 5. The first 7 terms of the sequence are:
3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33

b) Use technology or grid paper to graph the sequence in part a. Sample response
Plot the Term value on the vertical axis and the Term number on
50
the horizontal axis. Print the graph or sketch it on this grid.
40
i) How do you know that the graph represents a linear function?

Term value
30
The points lie on a non-vertical straight line.
20

ii) What does the slope of the line through the points represent? 10

Explain why.
0 2 4 6 8 10
The slope is the common difference because it is the rise when the Term number
run is 1; that is, after the first point, each point can be plotted by
moving 5 units up and 1 unit right.

10. Two terms of an arithmetic sequence are given. Determine the

indicated terms.
a) t4 = 24, t10 = 66; b) t3 = 81, t12 = 27;
determine t1 determine t23
t10 ⴝ t4 ⴙ 6d t12 ⴝ t3 ⴙ 9d
Substitute for t10 and t4, then Substitute for t12 and t3.
solve for d. 27 ⴝ 81 ⴙ 9d
66 ⴝ 24 ⴙ 6d 9d ⴝ ⴚ54
6d ⴝ 42 d ⴝ ⴚ6
dⴝ7 t23 ⴝ t12 ⴙ 11d
t1 ⴝ t4 ⴚ 3d Substitute for t12 and d.
Substitute for t4 and d. t23 ⴝ 27 ⴙ 11(ⴚ6)
t1 ⴝ 24 ⴚ 3(7) t23 ⴝ ⴚ39
t1 ⴝ 3

11. Create an arithmetic sequence for each description below. For each
sequence, write the first 6 terms and a rule for tn.
a) an increasing sequence b) a decreasing sequence
Sample response:
Choose a positive Choose a negative
common difference. common difference.
Use: t1 ⴝ 4 and d ⴝ 3 Use: t1 ⴝ 4 and d ⴝ ⴚ3
The sequence is: The sequence is:
4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, . . . 4, 1, ⴚ2, ⴚ5, ⴚ8, ⴚ11, . . .
Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1) Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1)
Substitute: t1 ⴝ 4, d ⴝ 3 Substitute: t1 ⴝ 4, d ⴝ ⴚ3
tn ⴝ 4 ⴙ 3(n ⴚ 1) tn ⴝ 4 ⴚ 3(n ⴚ 1)
tn ⴝ 1 ⴙ 3n tn ⴝ 7 ⴚ 3n

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c) every term is negative d) every term is an even number

Sample response:
Choose a negative Choose an even first
first term, and a negative term and an even
common difference. common difference.
Use: t1 ⴝ ⴚ2 and d ⴝ ⴚ3 Use: t1 ⴝ ⴚ2 and d ⴝ ⴚ4
The sequence is: The sequence is:
ⴚ2, ⴚ5, ⴚ8, ⴚ11, ⴚ14, ⴚ17, . . . ⴚ2, ⴚ6, ⴚ10, ⴚ14, ⴚ18, ⴚ22, . . .
Use: tn ⴝ t1 + d(n ⴚ 1) Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1)
Substitute: t1 ⴝ ⴚ2, d ⴝ ⴚ3 Substitute: t1 ⴝ ⴚ2, d ⴝ ⴚ4
tn ⴝ ⴚ2 ⴚ 3(n ⴚ 1) tn ⴝ ⴚ2 ⴚ 4(n ⴚ 1)
tn ⴝ 1 ⴚ 3n tn ⴝ 2 ⴚ 4n

12. Claire wrote the first 3 terms of an arithmetic sequence: 3, 6, 9, . . .

When she asked Alex to extend the sequence to the first 10 terms, he
wrote:
3, 6, 9, 3, 6, 9, 3, 6, 9, 3, . . .
a) Is Alex correct? Explain.
No, Alex’s sequence is not arithmetic because the terms do not increase
or decrease by the same number.

b) What fact did Alex ignore when he extended the sequence?

Alex did not use the common difference of 3 to calculate each term.

c) What is the correct sequence?

Add 3 to get each next term: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, . . .

13. Determine whether 100 is a term of an arithmetic sequence with

t3 = 250 and t6 = 245.5.
Let the common difference be d.
Use: t6 ⴝ t3 ⴙ 3d Substitute: t6 ⴝ 245.5, t3 ⴝ 250
245.5 ⴝ 250 ⴙ 3d
3d ⴝ ⴚ4.5
d ⴝ ⴚ1.5
Use: t1 ⴝ t3 ⴚ 2d Substitute: t3 ⴝ 250, d ⴝ ⴚ1.5
t1 ⴝ 250 ⴚ 2(ⴚ1.5)
t1 ⴝ 253
Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1) Substitute: tn ⴝ 100, d ⴝ ⴚ1.5, t1 ⴝ 253
100 ⴝ 253 ⴚ 1.5(n ⴚ 1)
1.5n ⴝ 154.5
n ⴝ 103
Since t103 ⴝ 100, then 100 is a term of the sequence.

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14. The Chinese zodiac associates years with animals. Ling was born in
1994, the Year of the Dog.
a) The Year of the Dog repeats every 12 years. List the first three
years that Ling will celebrate her birthday in the Year of the Dog.
Add 12 to 1994 three times: 2006, 2018, 2030

b) Why do the years in part a form an arithmetic sequence?

The difference between consecutive dates is constant.

c) In 2099, Nunavut will celebrate its 100th birthday.

Will that year also be the Year of the Dog? Explain.
All terms in the sequence are even numbers;
2099 is an odd number so 2099 cannot be the Year of the Dog.

15. In this arithmetic sequence: 3, 8, 13, 18, . . . ; which term has the
value 123?
d is: 8 ⴚ 3 ⴝ 5
Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1) Substitute: tn ⴝ 123, t1 ⴝ 3, d ⴝ 5
123 ⴝ 3 ⴙ 5(n ⴚ 1)
123 ⴝ 3 ⴙ 5n ⴚ 5
5n ⴝ 125
n ⴝ 25
123 is the 25th term.

16. For two different arithmetic sequences, t5 = -1. What are two
possible sequences? Explain your reasoning.
Sample response: For one sequence, choose a number for the common
difference, d, such as 5. Keep subtracting 5 to get the preceding terms.
t5 ⴝ ⴚ1 t4 ⴝ ⴚ1 ⴚ 5 t3 ⴝ ⴚ6 ⴚ 5 t2 ⴝ ⴚ11 ⴚ 5 t1 ⴝ ⴚ16 ⴚ 5
ⴝ ⴚ6 ⴝ ⴚ11 ⴝ ⴚ16 ⴝ ⴚ21
One arithmetic sequence is: ⴚ21, ⴚ16, ⴚ11, ⴚ6, ⴚ1, . . .
For the other sequence, choose a different number for d, such as ⴚ8. Keep
subtracting ⴚ8.
t5 ⴝ ⴚ1 t4 ⴝ ⴚ1 ⴙ 8 t3 ⴝ 7 ⴙ 8 t2 ⴝ 15 ⴙ 8 t1 ⴝ 23 ⴙ 8
ⴝ7 ⴝ 15 ⴝ 23 ⴝ 31
Another arithmetic sequence is: 31, 23, 15, 7, ⴚ1, . . .

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17. A sequence is created by adding each term of an arithmetic

sequence to the preceding term.
a) Show that the new sequence is arithmetic.

Use the general sequence: t1, t1 ⴙ d, t1 ⴙ 2d, t1 ⴙ 3d, t1 ⴙ 4d, . . .

The new sequence is: t1 ⴙ t1 ⴙ d, t1 ⴙ d ⴙ t1 ⴙ 2d, t1 ⴙ 2d ⴙ t1 ⴙ 3d,
t1 ⴙ 3d ⴙ t1 ⴙ 4d, . . .
This simplifies to: 2t1 ⴙ d, 2t1 ⴙ 3d, 2t1 ⴙ 5d, 2t1 ⴙ 7d, . . .
This sequence has first term 2t1 ⴙ d and common difference 2d,
so the sequence is arithmetic.

b) How are the common differences of the two sequences related?

The common difference of the new sequence is double the common
difference of the original sequence.

18. In this arithmetic sequence, k is a natural number: k, 2k , k , 0, . . .

3 3
a) Determine t6.
2k k
The common difference, d, is: ⴚkⴝⴚ
3 3
t5 ⴝ 0 ⴙ aⴚ b
k k k
t4 ⴝ 0 t6 ⴝ ⴚ ⴚ
3 3 3
k 2k
ⴝⴚ ⴝⴚ
3 3
2k
t6 is ⴚ .
3

b) Write an expression for tn.

k
Use: tn ⴝ t1 ⴙ d(n ⴚ 1) Substitute: t1 ⴝ k, d ⴝ ⴚ
3
tn ⴝ k ⴙ aⴚ b (n ⴚ 1)
k
3
kn k
tn ⴝ k ⴚ ⴙ
3 3
4k kn
tn ⴝ ⴚ
3 3

c) Suppose t20 = -16; determine the value of k.

4k kn
Use: tn ⴝ ⴚ Substitute: tn ⴝ ⴚ16, n ⴝ 20
3 3
4k 20k
ⴚ16 ⴝ ⴚ
3 3
16k
ⴚ16 ⴝ ⴚ
3
kⴝ3

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