Arithmetic sequences

Three quick questions from earlier lessons.

A taxi charges 3 dollars, plus 2 dollars per mile. Mile by mile, the fare is $5, 7, 9, \dots$ What does the 10th mile cost in total?

An arithmetic sequence adds the same number $d$ (the common difference) each time.

a_n = a_1 + (n - 1)d

. From

a_p

to

a_q

there are

q - p

steps, so

d = \dfrac{a_q - a_p}{q - p}

.

An arithmetic sequence has $a_3 = 11$ and $a_8 = 31$ . Find $d$ and $a_{20}$ .

d = \dfrac{31 - 11}{5} = 4

5 steps from a₃ to a₈.

a_1 = 11 - 2 \cdot 4 = 3

Back 2 steps from a₃.

a_{20} = 3 + 19 \cdot 4 = 79

19 steps from a₁.

Your turn: $a_1 = 7$ , $d = 5$ . Find $a_{12}$ .

a_{12} = 7 + 11 \cdot 5

11 steps.

a_{12} = 62

7 + 55.

An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 14$ and common difference 2. Find $a_{ 43 }$ .
An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 17$ and common difference 3. Find $a_{ 24 }$ .
An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 8$ and common difference 5. Find $a_{ 26 }$ .
An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 20$ and common difference 5. Find $a_{ 28 }$ .

In an arithmetic sequence, $a_{ 4 } = 28$ and $a_{ 9 } = 68$ . Find the common difference.
In an arithmetic sequence, $a_{ 3 } = 18$ and $a_{ 7 } = 34$ . Find the common difference.
In an arithmetic sequence, $a_{ 3 } = 11$ and $a_{ 10 } = 25$ . Find the common difference.

What kind of sequence is $3, 6, 12, 24, \dots$ ?
1. Geometric, with ratio 2
2. Arithmetic
3. Neither

Three questions to check you have got it.

An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 14$ and common difference 2. Find $a_{ 43 }$ .
An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 17$ and common difference 3. Find $a_{ 24 }$ .
An arithmetic sequence has $a_1 = 8$ and common difference 5. Find $a_{ 26 }$ .

Arithmetic sequences

Watch out: $n - 1$ steps from $a_1$ to $a_n$ .

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