NOTE: An Arithmetic Sequence x1, x2, x3, …, also called a Linear Sequence or an

Arithmetic Progression (AP) is commonly written simply as {xn}

Example of an AP is
1, 5, 9, 13… This is because 5 – 1 = 9 – 5 =13 - 9 = 4. That is, the common difference d =
4.
The general form of an Arithmetic Progression (AP) with common difference d and first
term a is
a , a+ d , a+2 d , a+ 3 d , … , a+ ( n−1 ) d …
Generally, the nth term of an A.P. is given by nth term = Un = a + (n -1)d

Where a = 1st term, n = number of terms, d = common difference

Examples

1. Find the 10th term of the AP 2, 5, 8, …

Solution

Un = a + (n -1)d

Here a = 2, d = 5 - 2 = 3, n = 10

∴ 10th term = U10 = 2 + (10 – 1)3

= 2 + 9(3)

= 2 + 27

= 29

2. Find x, given that x+1, 2x, 2x + 3 are consecutive terms of a linear sequence and then
write out the sequence.

Solution

Here d = 2x – (x + 1) = (2x + 3) - 2x

∴ 2x – (x + 1) = (2x + 3) - 2x ⟹ 2x – x - 1) = 2x + 3 – 2

∴ 2x – x - 1) = 2x + 3 – 2 ∴ x−1=3 ∴ x = 3 + 1 ∴ x= 4
 ∴the resulting sequence is x+1, 2x, 2x + 3 = 4 + 1, 2(4), 2(4) + 3

i.e. 5, 8, 11,….

3. If the 5th term of an arithmetic sequence is 35 and the 9th term of the sequence is -25.
Find the common difference and the 15th term of the A.P.

Solution

5th term = U5 = 35, 9th term = U9 = -25

Using nth term, Un = a + (n -1)d, we have

a + 4d = 35 …………………….. (i)

a + 8d = -25 …………………….. (ii)

Solving simultaneously, we have (i) – (ii) ⟹

(a + 4d) – (a + 8d) = 35 – (-25) so that

a + 4d – a - 8d = 35 + 25 ∴ -4d = 35 + 25

∴-4d = 60 ⟹ d = -15

a + 4d = 35, equation (i), ∴ a + 4(-15) = 35

∴ a - 60 = 35 ∴ a = 35 + 60 ⟹ a = 95

The 15th term is given by a + 14d = 95 + 14(-15)

= 95 - 210

= -115.

Sum of first n terms of an A.P.

If a, d and l are the first term, common difference and nth term (the last term under
consideration) of an A.P. respectively, then the sum of the terms can be written as

Sn=a+ ( a+ d ) + ( a+2 d ) +…+ ( l−2 d )+ ( l−d ) +l …………… (i)

Or Sn=l+ (l−d ) + ( l−2 d ) +…+ ( a+2 d ) + ( a+2 d ) +a …………… (ii)

 (i) + (ii) ⟹

2 S n=( a+l )+ ( a+l ) + ( a+ l )+ …+ ( a+l ), n times.

∴ 2 S n=n (a+l)

n
Sn= ( a+l) …………………………………. (*)
2

Since l=a+ ( n−1 ) d

n
Sn= ( a+ a+ ( n−1 ) d )
2

n
∴ Sn= ( 2 a+ ( n−1 ) d ) ……………………………. (**)
2

Equations (*) and (**) are both formulae for the sum of n terms of an AP

Examples

1. The sum of the first 3 terms of an AP is 3 and the sum of the first five terms is 20. Write
out the first five terms of the progression.

Solution

Let a and d be the first term and common difference respectively, then

3
S3= ( 2 a+(3−1)d ) =3.
2

3
That is, ( 2 a+2 d )=3
2

3 2 2
( 2 a+2 d ) × =3 ×
2 3 3

∴ 2 a+2 d=2

⟹ a+ d=1 ……………………………………. (i)

5 5
S5= ¿. That is, ( 2 a+ 4 d )=20 .
2 2
 5 2 2
( 2 a+ 4 d ) × =20 ×
2 5 5

⟹ 2 a+4 d=8

⟹ a+2 d=4 ………………………………......... (ii)

(ii) - (i) ⟹ (a + 2d) – ( a + d) = 4 – 1 ⟹ a + 2d - a – d = 3

∴d=3

From (i), a + d = 1 ⟹ a+3=1

∴a=-2

The first 5 terms of the A.P. are -2, – 2 + 3 = 1, 1+ 3 = 4, 4 + 3 = 7, 7 + 3 = 10. That is,

-2, 1, 4, 7, 10

2. The first term of an AP is 3 and the 5th term is 9. Find the number of terms in the progression
if the sum of the terms is 81

Solution

Suppose there are n terms in the AP

a = 3, 5th term = a + 4d = 9

⟹ 3+4 d=9

∴ 4 d=6

3
d=
2

Sn=81

n
⟹ ( 2 a+ ( n−1 ) d )=81
2

∴
n
2 ( 3
)
6 + ( n−1 ) =81
2
 (
∴ n 6+ ( n−1 )
3
2)=162

(
∴ n 6+ ( n−1 )
3
2 )
×2=162 × 2

∴ n ( 12+3 ( n−1 ) )=324

∴ 12n + 3n (n – 1) = 324

12 n+3 n −3 n=324 ∴ 3n2 + 9n = 324

2

∴ n2 +3 n=108 ∴ n2 +3 n−108=0

∴ ( n−9 ) ( n+12 )=0 ∴ n – 9 = 0 or n + 12 = 0

∴ n=9∨n=−12

The number of terms is 9 since the number of terms cannot be negative.

3. Find the sum of the first 20 terms of the A. P.: log a , log a 2 , log a 3 … ..

Solution

2
d=log a −loga=2 loga−loga=loga

n
Sn= ( 2 a+ ( n−1 ) d )
2

20
S20= ( 2 loga+ 19loga )
2

= 10 ( 21loga )=210loga∨log a210

Geometric Progression (G.P.)

A geometric progression (GP) otherwise known as geometric sequence or exponential sequence

is the one in which the ratio of successive terms is constant. This constant ratio is called the
2nd term 3 rd term 4 th term
common ratio, and is represented by r. That is, = = =… = r
1 st term 2nd term 3 rd term

Generally, if r is the common ratio of a G.P., the GP is

 2 n−1
a , ar , a r , … , a r

The nth term Un is Un = a r n−1

Examples

1. Find the 8th term of the GP 2, 4, 8…

Solution

4 8
a=2 , r= = =2 , n = 8
2 4

nth term is a r n−1

∴ 8 thterm=2 ( 28−1 )=2 ( 27 )=256

2 2 2
2. Obtain the 6th term of the G.P. , , …
3 9 27

Solution

2 2 2 2 3 1
a= , r= ÷ = × =
3 9 3 9 2 3

()
5
2 1 2
∴ 6 th term= = 6
3 3 3

2
=
729

3. The second term of a GP is 35 and the 4th term is 875, find

(a) The first term (b) the fifth term of the sequence

Solution

2nd term = ar =35 … … … … … … … … … … …. ( i )

4th term = a r 3 =875 … … … … … … … … … …..(ii)

3
( ii ) ÷ ( i ) gives a r = 875 ∴ r 2=25
ar 35
∴ r=5

Substitute in (i), we have

5 a=35

∴ a=7

Hence the 1st term is a = 7

(b) The fifth term is a r 4=7 ( 5 4 )=4375

4 Given that ( y +1 ) , ( y+ 3 )∧( y +7) are consecutive terms of a geometric progression, find
the value of y

Solution

For GP ( y +1 ) , ( y+ 3 ) , ( y +7 ) ,the common ratio r is

y+ 3 y+7
=
y +1 y+ 3

2
⟹ ( y +3 ) =( y +1 ) ( y +7 )

2 2
y +6 y +9= y + 8 y +7

2 y=2

y=1

The sum of the first n terms of a G.P

For a G.P. whose 1st term is “a” and common ratio is “r”, then we may find the nth partial sum
as

2 n−2 n−1
Sn=a+ar + a r +…+a r +ar −−−−−−−−−−−( i )

2 3 n−1 n
r S n=ar +a r +a r + …+a r +a r −−−−−−−−−(ii)

n
r S n−r S n=a−a r ( i )−(ii)
 ( 1−r ) S n=a(1−r n )

If r ≠ 1, then

a ( 1−r n )
Sn = −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−(iii)
1−r

For |r|<1

Suppose we subtract (i) from (ii)

n
r S n−S n=a r −a

Sn ( r−1 )=a ( r n −1 )

a ( r n−1 )
Sn = −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−( iv )
r−1

For |r|>1

Equation (iii) is used for the sum when |r|<1 and equation (iv) for when |r|>1

Examples

1 1
Find the sum of the first eight terms of the GP 1 , , , …
2 4

Solution

1 1
2 4 1
a=1 , r= = =
1 1 2
2

Here |r|<1

a ( 1−r n )
∴ S n=
1−r
 ( ( ))
8
1
1 1−
2
S8 =
1
1−
2

=
(
1 1−
1
256 )
1
2

255 2
= ×
256 1

255
∴ S 8=
128

2. How many terms of the series 1+3+9+ 27+… must be taken so that its sum can be 3280?

Solution

3 9
a=1 , r= ∨ , ∴ r=3 , n=?
1 3

a ( r n−1 )
Sn = since |r|>1
r−1

1 ( 3n−1 ) ( 3 n−1 )
∴ =3280 ∴ =3280
( 3−1 ) 2

n
⟹ 3 −1=6560

∴ 3n=6560+1

∴ 3n=6561

Taking the log of both sides gives

n log 3=log 6561

log 6561 3.81697

n= = = 8.00002
log 3 0.47712

∴n = 8
That is, the number of terms = 8

Exercise

1. The nth term of a sequence is represented by 3 ×22 n . Write down the first three terms of
the sequence.
2. A sequence is given by U n =n ( 1−2 n ) .
(a) Determine the first three terms of the sequence
(b) If U n =−120 , find the value of n
3. In an Arithmetic Progression, the first term is 2 and the sum of the first and the fifth
1
terms is 16 , what is the 4th term?
2
1 1
4. The sum of a number of consecutive terms of an AP is −19 , the first term is 16 , and
2 2
the common difference is -3. Find the number of terms in the progression
5. The 2nd, 4th and 7th terms of an AP are consecutive terms of a GP. Find the common
ratio.
6. The 4th and 6th terms of a geometric progression are 81 and 729. Find the
(a) common difference
(b) first term
(c) sum of the first seven terms
7. Find the three numbers that are in a GP whose sum is 113 and product is -64
8. The three consecutive terms of a GP are n – 2, n, n+3, find n and the immediate term after
n.