1 st QUARTER
LESSON 2
At the end of the lesson,
the learners will be able to:
1. find the nth term of
arithmetic sequence.
2. determine if the sequence is
arithmetic or not.
3. find the arithmetic means of
arithmetic sequence.
4. find the sum of arithmetic
sequence
ARITHMETIC
SEQUENCE
Scenario
Joebert and his classmates, Grade 10 students at Imus
National High School, planted seedlings of pechay or known
as snow cabbage. On the first day they planted 12 seedlings,
15 seedlings on the second day, 18 seedlings on the third day
and 21 seedlings on the fourth day in their math garden.
List down the number of pechay seedlings planted from the first
day to fourth day.
Does the given problem form a sequence? What is it?
Illustrative Example 1:
Using the generated sequence from the previous scenario:
Subtracting two consecutive terms ( a2 – a1)
a1 a2 a3 a4
Common difference (d)
12, 15, 18, 21
d=a2 – a1 or
15 – 12 18 – 15 21 – 18 d=a3 – a2 or
=3 =3 =3
d=a4 – a3
Common Difference (d) = 3
a1 a2 a3 a4
12, 15, 18, 21
Does the given problem
form a sequence?
15 – 12 18 – 15 21 – 18 What is it?
=3 =3 =3
a5 = a4 + d a6 = a5 + d
So, if we want to get
a5 = 21 + 3 a6 = 24 + 3
a5 and a6
a5 = 24 a6 = 27
Based on the scenario
1. What is an arithmetic sequence?
2. How can the common difference in an arithmetic sequence be
obtained?
Arithmetic Sequence
Arithmetic Sequence – a sequence whose consecutive terms
have a common difference.
So, the sequence a1 , a2 , a3 , …, n is an arithmetic sequence if
there is a number d such that
a2 – a1 = a3 – a2 = d
The value of d is the common difference.
Identify if the given is arithmetic sequence or not.
If it is arithmetic, give the common difference.
a. 7, 11, 15, 19, …, ? a. Arithmetic, d = 4
b. 2, -3, -5, -9, …? b. Not
c. 1, 5/4, 3/2, 7/4, …? c. Arithmetic, d = 1/4
d. 1 , 4, 9, 16, … ? d. Not
e. -4, -7, -10, -13… ? e. Arithmetic, d = ̶ 3
Finding the
nth term of an
Arithmetic
Sequence
The General term of an Arithmetic
Sequence
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
Where:
an = is the nth term
a1 = is the first term
n = is the position of term
d = is the common difference
Finding the nth term of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 1.
What is the 7th term of the sequence whose first term is
85 and common difference is -9?
Solution:
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
a7 = 85 + (7 – 1) (-9)
a7 = 85 + (6) (-9)
a7 = 85 + (-54)
a7 = 31
Finding the nth term of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 2.
Find the 30th term of the arithmetic sequence
18, 22, 26, 30,…
Solution:
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
a30 = 18 + (30 – 1) (4)
a30 = 18 + (29) (4)
a30 = 18 + 116
a30 = 134
Finding the nth term of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 3.
Given the sequence ¼, ½, ¾,… find the
23rd term.
Solution:
𝟏 22
an = a1 + (n – 1)d a23 = +( )
𝟏 𝟏 𝟒 4
a23 = + (23 – 1) ( )
𝟒 𝟒 𝟐𝟑
𝟏 𝟏 a23 =
a23 = + (22) ( ) 𝟒
𝟒 𝟒
Practice and Application
1. Find the 27th term of the sequence
17, 22, 27, 32, …
Answer: a27 = 147
2. Find the 16th term of the sequence
1, 5, 9, 13, …
Answer: a16 = 61
Finding the nth term of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 4.
In the arithmetic sequence 8, 14, 20, 26, …
which term is 122?
Solution: 114 𝑛−1 (6)
=
an = a1 + (n – 1)d 6 6
122 = 8 + (n – 1) (6) 19 = (n - 1)
122 – 8 = (n – 1) (6) 19 + 1 = n
114 = (n – 1) (6)
n = 20
Therefore: 122 is 20th term of the sequence
Finding the nth term of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 4.
In the arithmetic sequence 23, 29, 35, 41, …
which term is 143?
Solution: 120 (𝑛 −1)(6)
=
an = a1 + (n – 1)d 6 6
143 = 23 + (n – 1) (6) 20 = n – 1
143 – 23 = (n – 1) (6) 20 + 1 = n
120= (n – 1) (6) 21 = n
Therefore: 143 is 21st term of the sequence
Practice and Application
3. In the arithmetic sequence
50, 45, 40, 35, … which term is 5?
Answer: 10th term
4. In the arithmetic sequence
7, 10, 13, 16, … which term is 43?
Answer: 13th term
Shortcut in Finding a1 in Example 5.
Find 18th term of the arithmetic sequence whose
second term is 9 and whose seventh term is 39.
Solution: Use the shortcut
a7 = 39 an = a1 + (n – 1)d
̶ a = 9 a18 = 3 + (18 – 1) (6)
___________
2
5d = 30 a18 = 3 + (17) (6)
d=6 a18 = 3 + 102
a1 = 9 – 6
a1 = 3 a18 = 105
Shortcut in Finding a1 in Example 5.
Find 21st term of the arithmetic sequence whose third
term is 11 and whose eleventh term is 43.
Solution: Use the shortcut
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
a11 = 43
̶ a = 11 a21 = 3 + (21 – 1) (4)
___________
3
a21 = 3 + (20) (4)
8d = 32
d=4 a21 = 3 + 80
a2 = 11 – 4 a21 = 83
a1 = 3
a1 = 7 – 4
Finding the general rule of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 6.
What is the rule form of the arithmetic
sequence 3, 10, 17, 24, …?
Solution:
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
an = 3 + (n – 1)(7)
an = 3 + 7n – 7
an = 7n – 4
Finding the general rule of an Arithmetic Sequence
Example 7.
What is the rule form of the arithmetic
sequence 8, 14, 20, 26, …?
Solution:
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
an = 8 + (n – 1)(6)
an = 8 + 6n – 6
an = 6n + 2
