ARITHMETIC

SEQUENCE
Module 2
Finding the common difference(d)
FIND A PATTERN

1.3, 6, 9, 12, …
+3 +3 +3
2.-2, -4, -6, -8, …
-2 -2 -2
ARITHMETIC
ARITHMETICSEQUENCE
SEQUENCE

A sequence where every term after the first term is

obtained by adding a constant called the common
difference (d).

A sequence where the difference between any two

consecutive terms is a constant.
HOW TO FIND THE COMMON
DIFFERENCE
 

-To find the common difference (d), you simply

subtract the term () by its preceding term ()

 
d= () - ()
where n is the term of the sequence
HOW TO FIND THE COMMON
DIFFERENCE
3, 6, 9, 12
1st term 2nd term 3rd term 4th term

d = 2nd term – 1st term

d=6–3
d=3
Therefore, the common difference of the sequence is 3.
HOW TO FIND THE COMMON
DIFFERENCE
-2, -6, -10, -14
 
𝑎1  
𝑎2  
𝑎3  
𝑎4
 
d=– d = -6 + (+2)
d = -6 – (-2) d = -4

Therefore, the common difference of the sequence is -4.

FINDING THE NEXT TERM GIVEN
THE COMMON DIFFERENCE
-2, -6, -10, -14, …
d=-4
Solve for the 5th term Solve for the 6th term
 
𝑎5 =𝑎 4 +𝑑  
𝑎6 =𝑎 5+ 𝑑
 
𝑎5 =−14 +(− 4)  
𝑎6 =−18+(− 4)
 
𝒂𝟓 =−𝟏𝟖  
𝒂𝟔 =−𝟐𝟐
WRITE THE FIRST 4 TERMS OF THE
ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE WITH -1 AS THE FIRST
TERM AND WITH COMMON DIFFERENCE OF ½.
   
Given:
; d=1/2 -1, , 0,
 
Solve for Solve for
   
Solve for
 FIND THE COMMON DIFFERENCE OF
 AN ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE WHOSE ,
 
Given: ,
 
Solution:
Let us add d two times to to get .
   
=+2d  
=+2d-11 =
 
=+2d  
=2d  
=d
 FIND THE COMMON DIFFERENCE
OF THE ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE
2a – 1, 2a, 2a + 1, …
 
Given: =2a+1, =2a

Solve for d
   
d= d=
 
d=  
d=
 Find the value of a to make 3a + 1, 4a, 6a + 1, …
an arithmetic sequence?
 
Given: ; a=?

Solve for a  
𝑑 1= 𝑑 2
 
𝑑 1= 𝑎2 − 𝑎1 𝑑 2 = 𝑎3 − 𝑎 2
   
𝑎 −1=2 𝑎+1
   
𝑑 1=4 𝑎 −(3 𝑎+1) 2𝑑 = ( 6 𝑎+1 ) − 4
 
𝑎
 
−1 −1=2 𝑎 −𝑎
−2 =𝑎
 
𝑑 1= 𝑎 − 1  
𝑑 2= 2𝑎 +1  
a