What do we have in common?

1. Below are squares formed by matchsticks.

2. Count the number of matchsticks in each figure and record the

results in a table.
Number of
squares 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Number of
matchsticks 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31
1. Is there a pattern in the number of matchsticks? If there is,
describe it.
2. How is each term (number of matchsticks) found?
3. What is the difference between any two consecutive terms?
A sequence in which a constant (d)
can be added to each term to get
the next term is called an
Arithmetic Sequence.
The constant (d) is called the
Common Difference.
To find the common difference (d),
subtract any term from one that
follows it.
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5

2 5 8 11 14
ꟷ
3 3 3 3
 Which of the following sequences are
arithmetic? Identify the common difference.

−3, − 1, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, . . . YES d =2
15.5, 14, 12.5, 11, 9.5, 8, . . . YES d = −1.5
84, 80, 74, 66, 56, 44, . . . NO
−8, 6, − 4, 2, 0, . . . NO
−50, − 44, − 38, − 32, − 26, . . . YES d = 6
 Find the first term and the
common difference of each
arithmetic sequence.

1.) 4,9,14,19,24
First term (𝑎1 ): 4
Common difference (d): a2 − a1 = 9 – 4 = 5

2.) 34,27,20,13,6, −1, −8,....

First term (𝑎1 ): 34
Common difference (d): -7

BE CAREFUL: ALWAYS CHECK TO MAKE

SURE THE DIFFERENCE IS THE SAME
BETWEEN EACH TERM !
Now you try!
Find the first term and the common difference of each of
these arithmetic sequences.

a) 1, -4, -9, -14, ….

𝒂𝟏 = 1 and
d = a2 - a1 = - 4 - 1 = - 5
b) 11, 23, 35, 47, ….
𝒂𝟏 = 11 and
d = a2 - a1 = 23 - 11 = 12
−26, − 21, − 16, − 11, − 6, . . .
The first term of an arithmetic sequence
is (a1) . We add (d) to get the next term.
There is a pattern, therefore there is a
formula we can use to give use any term
that we need without listing the whole
sequence ☺.

3, 7, 11, 15, …. We know 𝑎1 = 3 and d = 4

a1= a1 = 3
a2= a1 +d = 3+4 = 7
a3= a1 +d+d = a+2d = 3+2(4) = 11
a4 = a1 +d+d+d = a+3d = 3+3(4) = 15
 The general form of an ARITHMETIC sequence.

First Term: a1
Second Term: a2 = a1 + d
Third Term: a3 = a1 + 2d
Fourth Term: a4 = a1 + 3d
Fifth Term: a5 = a1 + 4d

nth Term: an = a1 + ( n − 1) d
 Formula for the nth term of an ARITHMETIC
sequence.

an = a1 + ( n − 1) d
an = The nth term

a1 = The 1st term

n = The term number

d = The common difference

 Find the 14th term of the
arithmetic sequence
4, 7, 10, 13,……

an = 𝑎1 + (n – 1) d
a14 = 4 +(14 − 1) 3 You are
= 4 + (13)3 looking for
the term!
= 4 + 39
a14 = 43 The 14th term in this sequence
is the number 43.
 Given: 79, 75, 71, 67, 63, . . .
Find: a32
IDENTIFY SOLVE
a1 = 79 an = a1 + ( n − 1) d
d = −4 a32 = 79 + ( 32 − 1)( −4 )
n = 32 a32 = −45
The 32nd term in this
sequence is the number -45.
 Find the 14th term of the arithmetic
sequence with first term of 5 and
the common difference is –6.
𝑎1 = 5 and d = -6
You are looking for the
an = a + (n – 1) d term! List which variables
from the general term are

a14 = 5 +(14 − 1) -6
provided!

= 5 + (13) * -6
= 5 + -78
a14 = -73
The 14th term in this sequence
is the number -73!
Now you try!
Find the 10th and 25th term given the following information. Make sure to derive
the general formula first and then list ehat you have been provided.

a) 1, 7, 13, 19 …. 𝑎10 = 55
𝑎25 = 145
b) The first term is 3 and the common difference is -21
𝑎10 = −186 𝑎25 = −501
c) The second term is 8 and the common difference is 3

𝑎10 = 32 𝑎25 = 77
 In the arithmetic sequence
4,7,10,13,…, which term has a
value of 301?

an = a + (n – 1) d
301 = 4 + (n − 1)3 You are
301 = 4 + 3n − 3 looking
301 = 1 + 3n for n!
300 = 3n
100 = n The 100th term in this
sequence is 301!
 Given: 79, 75, 71, 67, 63, . . .
Find: What term number is -169?
IDENTIFY SOLVE

a1 = 79 an = a1 + ( n − 1) d
d = −4 −169 = 79 + ( n − 1)( −4 )
an = −169 n = 63
 a10 = 3.25
Given: Find: a1
a12 = 4.25
What’s the real question? The Difference

IDENTIFY SOLVE
 a10 = 3.25
Given: Find: a1
a12 = 4.25

IDENTIFY SOLVE
a10 = 3.25 an = a1 + ( n − 1) d
d = 0.5 3.25 = a1 + (10 − 1) 0.5
n = 10 a1 = −1.25
 In an arithmetic sequence, term 10 is 33 and
term 22 is –3. What are the first four terms of
the sequence?
a10=33 Use what you know!
a22= -3 Solve for d

a22 = a10 + (22 - 10) d -36 = 12d

-3 = 33 + (12) d -3 = d

Then SOLVE for the first term: 33 = 𝑎1 + 9d

33 = 𝑎1 +9(-3)
33 = 𝑎1 –27
60 = 𝑎1
Lastly using the first term and the common difference find the first 4 terms.
The sequence is 60, 57, 54, 51, …….