Arithmetic

Progressions

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What is Sequence?
'A specific pattern of numbers or a definite order of numbers is called a sequence'.
Example: (i) 1, 2, 3, 4,. . .
(ii) 4, 8, 12, 16, 20,. . .
(iii) 10, 20, 30, 40,. . .
(iv) -2, -4, -6, -8,. . .
Each of the numbers in the list is called a term.

Arithmetic Progression
"An arithmetic progression is a list of numbers in which each term is obtained by

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adding a fixed number to the preceding term except the first term".
For e.g. the list of numbers 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24,...... is an A.P because each term
is obtained by adding a fixed number 4 to the preceding term.

#ALWAYS REMEMBER
• The fixed number between two consecutive terms of an A.P is called common
difference denoted by d. This d can be positive, negative or zero.
Example: Positive d = 3, 6, 9, 12, 15,.... here d = 6 - 3 = 3
Negative d = 12, 10, 8, 6, 4,..... here d = 10 - 12 = -2
Zero d = 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4,..... here d = 4 - 4 = 0.
• Each of the numbers in an A.P is called a term.
• We denote the first term of an A.P by a1 , second term by a2, . . ., nth term by an .
Then the A.P becomes a 1 , a2 , a3 , . . ., an .
 General form of an A.P
An arithmetic progression where a is the first term and d is the common difference
can be represented as a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d, . . . . This is called the general form of
an AP.
For e.g. Consider 2, 4, 6, 8, . . . here d = 2
observe a=2, 2+2=4, 2+2(2)=6, 2+3(2)=8

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Therefore it implies that a1 = a ; a2= a + d ; a3= a + 2d ; a4= a + 3d ; a5= a + 4d

Types of APs
(i) Finite A.P : Any arithmetic progression having a finite number of terms or countable
no of terms is called a Finite AP. Such APs always has a last term.
For e.g. 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22 is a finite AP having last term 22.
(ii) Infinite A.P : Arithmetic progressions with infinite number of terms are known as
Infinite APs. Such APs do not have a last term.
For e.g. 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, . . . is an infinite AP having no last term.

*suno agar hame koi bhi A.P form karni hai toh uske liye we need to know just two
things - first term (a) & common difference (d) and we can easily form the A.P.

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*aise hi agar hame koi bhi list of numbers diye ho and hame batana ho ki is it an
A.P or not toh we need to find common difference(d) and see ki saari d ki values
same aa rahi hai ki nhi....Ok!
Example: Write first four terms of an A.P when a = 10 and d = 10.
ANSWER: a 1= a = 10 ; a2= a1 + d = 10 + 10 = 20 ; a3= a2+ d = 20 + 10 = 30 ;
a4= a3+ d = 30 + 10
So, the required A.P is 10, 20, 30, 40, . . .
Example: Is the following list of numbers form an AP?
(i) 2, 4, 8, 16, . . . (ii) a, 2a, 3a, 4a, . . .
ANSWER: We need to find the Common difference (d)
d = a2- a1 = 4 - 2 = 2 d = a2 - a1 = 2a - a = a
a3- a2 = 8 - 4 = 4 a3- a2= 3a - 2a = a
a4- a3= 16 - 8 = 8 a4- a3= 4a - 3a = a
clearly value of d is not same clearly value of d is same
everytime, so it is not an AP. everytime, so it is an AP.
 nth Term of an AP
Let a1 , a2, a3, . . . be an AP whose first term a1 is a and the common difference is d
Then, the Second term a2 = a + d = a + (2 - 1) d
the third term a3 = a2+ d = a + 2d = a + (32 - 1) d
the fourth term a4 = a3+ d = a + 3d = a + (4 - 1) d
.........
.........

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The nth term an of an AP with first term a and common difference d is given by
an = a + (n - 1) d
an is also called the general term of the AP. If there are m terms in the AP, then
a m represents the last term which is sometimes also denoted by l.

Example: Find the 10th

• • term of the AP : 2, 7, 12, . . .

SOLUTION: Here first term a = 2, common difference d = 7 - 2 = 5 and n = 10

We know that an= a + (n - 1) d
• • a10 = 2 + (10 - 1) × 5 = 2 + 9(5) = 2 + 45 = 47
•

Therefore, the 10th term of the given AP is 47.

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Example: Which term of the AP : 3, 8, 13, 18, . . . , is 78?
SOLUTION: Given here a = 3 , d = 8 - 3 = 5 and an = 78 and to find n = ?
We know that an= a + (n - 1) d
=> 78 = 3 + (n - 1) 5
=> 78 - 3 = 5n - 5 = 75 + 5 = 5n
=> 80 = 5n = n = 80/5
=> n = 16
Hence, 16th term of this AP is 78.
Example: Check whether -150 is a term of the AP : 11, 8, 5, 2 . . .
SOLUTION: For this AP a = 11, d = 8 - 11 = -3 & a n = -150
By using a n = a + (n - 1) d
=> -150 = 11 + (n - 1)(-3)
=> -150 = 11 - 3n + 3 = -150 = 14 - 3n
=> -150 - 14 = -3n = -164 = -3n
=> n = 164/3 (not possible)
Since no of terms can't be a decimal number.
Therefore, -150 is not a term of the given AP.
Example: Find the 31st term of an AP whose 11th term is 38 and the 16th term is 73.
SOLUTION: Given that a 11 = 38 => a + (11 - 1)d = 38 => a + 10d = 38 ..........(1)
a16= 73 => a + (16 - 1)d = 73 => a + 15d = 73 ..........(2)
Subtracting eq(1) from eq(2) using elimination method
/a + 15d = 73 putting d = 7 in eq(1), we get

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_/a +_ 10d =_38 a + 10(7) = 38
a + 70 = 38
5d = 35
a = 38 - 70
d = 35/5
a = -32
d=7
31st term = a31 = a +(31 - 1)d
= -32 + 30(7)
= -32 + 210
= 178

Example: An AP consists of 50 terms of which 3rd term is 12 and the last term is 106.
Find the 29th term.
SOLUTION: It is given that total no of terms in AP is 50 i.e. n = 50.
Also, 3rd term = 12 i.e a3= 12 => a + 2d = 12 ...........(1)

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last term = 106 i.e an= 106 => a50= 106 = a + 49d = 106 ..........(2)
Subtracting eq(1) from eq(2), using elimination method, we get
/a + 49d = 106 putting d = 2 in eq(1), we get
_/a +_ 2d = _12 a + 2(2) = 12
a + 4 = 12
47d = 94
a = 12 - 4
d = 94/47
a=8
d=2
Now, 29th term = a29 = a + (29 - 1)d
= 8 + 28 × 2
= 8 + 56
= 64
Therefore, 29th term of the given AP is 64.
Example: How many three-digit numbers are divisible by 7?
SOLUTION: The list of all three digit numbers that are divisible by 7 is :
105, 112, 119, . . . , 994
Clearly the above sequence is an AP, with first term a = 105, and common
difference, d = 112-105 = 7 and an = 994.
We know that an = a + (n - 1)d
994 = 105 + (n - 1)(7)
=> 994 - 105 = (n - 1)(7)

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=> 889/7 = n - 1
=> 127 + 1 = n
=> n = 128
Therefore, 128 three-digit numbers are divisible by 7.

Example: Subha Rao started work in 1995 at an annual salary of 5000 and
received an increment of 200 each year. In which year did his income
reach 7000?
SOLUTION: We can observe that the incomes obtained by Subha Rao in various years
are in AP as every year, his salary is increased by 200.
Therefore, AP is : 5000, 5200, 5400, . . .
here a = 5000, d = 5200-5000 = 200 and an = 7000.

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We know that a n = a + (n - 1)d
=> 7000 = 5000 + (n - 1)(200)
=> 2000 = 200n - 200 = 2000 + 200 = 200n
=> 2200 = 200n
=> n = 11
Therefore, in 11th year, his salary will be 7000.
Example: Ramkali Saved 5 in the first week of a year and then increased her
savings by 1.75. If in the nth week, her savings become 20.75, find n.
SOLUTION: Here a = 5, d = 1.75 and a = 20.75 ; n = ?
=> 20.75 = 5 + (n - 1)(1.75)
=> 20.75 - 5 = (n - 1)(1.75)
=> 15.75 = n - 1 = 1575 = n - 1 = 9 = n - 1
1.75 175
=> n=9+1
=> n = 10
 Sum of First n Terms of an AP
• The Sum of the first n termsnof an AP is given by
Sn = [2a + (n - 1)d]

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2
where, n = number of terms

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a = first term
d = common difference

• If we are given the last term(l) of the AP, then

S = n (a + l)
n
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*the above formula is to be used when the first and last terms of an AP are given
but the common difference is not given.

• The nth term of an AP is athe= difference

S -S
of the sum to first n terms and the sum
to first (n - 1) terms, i.e., n n n-1

Example: Find the sum of the first 22 terms of the AP : 8, 3, -2, . . .

SOLUTION: Here, a = 8, d = 3 - 8 = -5, n = 22.

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We know that Sn = n [2a + (n - 1)d]
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2
S22 = 22 [2×8 + (22 - 1)(-5)
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2
= 11[16 + 21(-5)]
= 11(16 - 105)
= 11 × (-89) = -979
So, the sum of the first 22 terms of the AP is -979.

Example: Find the sum of the first n positive integers.

SOLUTION: Let Sn = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + . . . + n
Here a = 1 and the last term l is n.
Sn n(1 + n) n(n + 1)
= =
2 2
So, the sum of first n positive integers is given by

Sn = n(n + 1)
2
Example: The first term of an AP is 5, the last term is 45 and the sum is 400. Find
the number of terms and the common difference. =>
SOLUTION: Given that a = 5, l = 45 and Sn = 400
n=?&d=?
Now, using Sn = n (a + l) Also, l = a + (n - 1)d

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2
=> 400 = n (5 + 45) => 45 = 5 + (16 - 1)d

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2
=> 45 - 5 = 15d

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=> 400 × 2 = 50n
=> 800 = 50n => 40 = 15d
=> n = 800 => d = 40/15
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50
=> d = 8/3
=> n = 16

Example: The first and the last term of an AP are 17 and 350 respectively. If the
common difference is 9, how many terms are there and what is their sum?
SOLUTION: Given that a = 17, l = 350 and d = 9
Let there be n terms in the AP.
l = a + (n - 1)d Now, Sn = n (a + l)

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2
=> 350 = 17 + (n - 1)(9)
= 38 (17 + 350)

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=> 350 - 17 = (n - 1)(9) 2
=> 333 = (n - 1)(9) = 19 × 367
=> 333/9 = n - 1 Sn = 6973
=> 37 + 1 = n
=> n = 38
Thus, there are 38 terms in this A.P and their Sum is 6973.
Example: If the sum of the first 14 terms of an AP is 1050 and its first term is 10,
find the 20th term.
SOLUTION: Given that S14= 1050, n = 14, a = 10
S14 = 14 [2a + (n - 1)d] So, 20th term is given by,
||

2
=> 1050 7[2×10 + (14 - 1)d]
= a20 = a + (20 - 1)d
=> 1050 = 20 + 13d = 10 + 19 × 10
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7
=> 150 = 20 + 13d = 10 + 190
=> 13d = 130
a20 = 200
=> d = 10
 Example: Find the sum of first 40 positive integers divisible by 6.
SOLUTION: The positive integers that are divisible by 6 are:
6, 12, 18, 24, . . .
Clearly, the above numbers are in AP with first term(a) = 6 and common
difference(d) = 12 - 6 = 6. We need to find S40 .
S40 = 40 [2(6) + (40-1)6]

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2
= 20[12 + 39 × 6]

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= 20(12 + 234)
= 20 × 246
= 4920

Example: A contract on construct. job specifies a penalty for delay of completion

beyond a certain date as follows:Rs200 for the first day,Rs250 for the
second day,Rs300 for the third day, etc.The penalty for each succeeding
day being Rs50 more than the preceding day. How much money the
contractor has to pay penalty, if he has delayed the work by 30 days?
SOLUTION: Clearly these penalties are in AP with a = 200 and d = 50.
We need to find penalty for 30 days i.e S30
= 30 [2(200) + (30-1)50]
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2
= 15[400 + 29 × 50]
= 15[400 + 1450]
= 15 × 1850
= 27750

Therefore, the contractor has to pay Rs 27750 as penalty.

*After studying from

these notes
*Note: Worksheet (important questions of all typology with answers) is
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