AddMathsForm5Chapter1 YUKIMISTUITION

Arithmetic Progression Guides & Notes

1. The concept of common difference in an AP.

NOTE! Arithmetic progression is a sequence of numbers that has a common
difference between two consecutive numbers (or terms).
EXAMPLE
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2

2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , ...
The differences between two consecutive terms are
4 – 2 = 2 , 6 – 4 = 2 , 8 – 6 = 2 , 10 – 8 = 2 , 12 – 10 = 2

The progression above has a common difference of 2. Hence, it is an AP.

2. Finding the value of an unknown.

EXAMPLE
(a) Given 4, p, and -6 are the first three terms in an AP.
SOLUTION
Since it is an AP, it must have a common difference.
𝑝 − 4 = −6 − 𝑝
𝑝 + 𝑝 = −6 + 4
2𝑝 = −2
𝑝 = −1
(b) Given an AP (3 – q) , (q – 4) , (2q – 9) , ... Find the value of q.
SOLUTION
Since it is an AP, it must have a common difference.
𝑞 − 4 − 3 − 𝑞 = 2𝑞 − 9 − 𝑞 − 4
𝑞 − 4 − 3 + 𝑞 = 2𝑞 − 9 − 𝑞 + 4
2𝑞 − 7 = 𝑞 − 5
𝑞=2
TRY Q.1 & 2
3. Finding the terms in an AP that sum up to a given value.
EXAMPLE
Find three consecutive terms that sum up to 333 in the AP 6, 13, 20, ...
SOLUTION
STEP ONE : find the common difference of the AP.
13 – 6 = 7
STEP TWO : assume the first term among the three terms as 𝑥.
Hence, the three terms are 𝑥 , 𝑥 + 7 , and (𝑥 + 14).
𝑥 + 𝑥 + 7 + 𝑥 + 14 = 333
3𝑥 + 21 = 333
3𝑥 = 312
𝑥 = 104
STEP THREE : list the terms.
104 , 111 , 118 TRY Q.3 & 4

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AddMathsForm5Chapter1 YUKIMISTUITION

Arithmetic Progression Guides & Notes

𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑

𝑎 = first term, 𝑑 = common difference, 𝑇𝑛 = the 𝑛th term

Below are the types of questions that can be solved by the formula given above.

1. Finding a specific term in an AP.

EXAMPLE
Find the 14th term of the AP 5, 9, 13, ... *( Find T14 )
SOLUTION

STEP ONE : list the known numbers.

𝑎 = 5 , 𝑑 = 9 − 5 = 4 , 𝑛 = 14
STEP TWO : substitute into the formula.
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
𝑇14 = 5 + 14 − 1 4
= 5 + (13) 4
= 57
TRY Q.5 & 6
2. Finding the number of terms in an AP. *(the last term is given)
EXAMPLE
Find the number of terms in the AP 56, 53, 50, ... -10.
SOLUTION

STEP ONE : list the known numbers.

𝑎 = 56 , 𝑑 = 53 − 56 = −3 , 𝑻𝒏 = −𝟏𝟎 *(IMPORTANT)
STEP TWO : substitute into the formula.
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
−10 = 56 + 𝑛 − 1 −3
−56 − 10 = −3𝑛 + 3
−66 − 3 = −3𝑛
−69 = −3𝑛
𝑛 = 23

Since the last term is the 23rd term, the number of terms in the AP is 23.
TRY Q.7 & 8

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AddMathsForm5Chapter1 YUKIMISTUITION

Arithmetic Progression Guides & Notes

3. Finding the term that begins to have more or less than a value given.
EXAMPLE
(a) Find the first term that exceeds 100 in the AP 4, 12, 20, ...
SOLUTION

STEP ONE : list the known numbers.

𝑎 = 4 , 𝑑 = 12 − 4 = 8 , 𝑻𝒏 > 100 *(IMPORTANT)

STEP TWO : substitute into the formula.

𝑻𝒏 > 100
4 + 𝑛 − 1 8 > 100
8𝑛 − 8 > 100 − 4
8𝑛 > 96 + 8
104
𝑛>
8
𝑛 > 13
𝑛 = 14

Hence the first term that exceeds 100 is the 14th term.

(b) Find the first term that has a value of less than -50 in the AP 19, 12, 5, ...
SOLUTION

STEP ONE : list the known numbers.

𝑎 = 19 , 𝑑 = 12 − 19 = −7 , 𝑻𝒏 < −5𝟎 *(IMPORTANT)

STEP TWO : substitute into the formula,

𝑻𝒏 < −5𝟎
19 + 𝑛 − 1 −7 < −50
−7𝑛 + 7 < −50 − 19
−7𝑛 < −69 − 7
76
−𝑛 < −
7
𝒏 > 10.86 *(Beware of the sign)
𝑛 = 11

*( 𝑛 represents the number of terms. So it must be a positive integer )

Hence, the first term to have a value of less than -50 is the 11th term.
TRY Q.9 & 10

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Arithmetic Progression Guides & Notes

𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 2𝑎 + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
2
𝑎 = first term, 𝑑 = common difference, 𝑆𝑛 = the sum of the first n terms

Below are the types of questions that can be solved by the formula given above.

1. Finding the sum of the first n terms.

EXAMPLE
Find the sum of the first 20 terms in the AP 5, 7, 9, ...
SOLUTION

STEP ONE : list the known numbers.

𝑎 = 5 , 𝑑 = 7 − 5 = 2 , 𝑛 = 20

STEP TWO : substitute into the formula.

𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 2𝑎 + 𝑛 − 1 𝑑
2
20
𝑆20 = 2 5 + 20 − 1 2
2
= 10[10 + 38]
= 480

Hence, the sum of the first 20 terms is 480.

TRY Q.11

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AddMathsForm5Chapter1 YUKIMISTUITION

Arithmetic Progression Guides & Notes

2. Find the sum of a given range of terms.

EXAMPLE
Q. Given a AP -11, -7, -3, 1, ...

(a) Find the sum of the terms from the 6th to 10th term of the AP.
(b) Find the sum of the first 5 terms after the 5th term of the AP.
SOLUTION [*same solution for both (a) & (b) above]

STEP ONE : determine the range of terms. (assume as 𝒙)

𝑆10

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, .....

𝑆5 𝒙

Hence , 𝑥 = 𝑆10 − 𝑆5

STEP TWO : list the known numbers.

𝑎 = −11 , 𝑑 = −7 − (−11) = 4

STEP THREE : substitute the numbers to the equation 𝑥 = 𝑆10 − 𝑆5 .

𝑥 = 𝑆10 − 𝑆5
10 5
𝑥= 2 −11 + 10 − 1 4 − 2 −11 + 5 − 1 4
2 2
5
𝑥 = 5 −22 + 36 − −22 + 16
2
𝑥 = 70 − (−15)
𝑥 = 85

Hence, the sum of terms from the 6th term to the 10th term is 55.
TRY Q.12 & 13

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