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Progression
1.2 Arithmetic progression
(A) Characteristics of Arithmetic Progression
An arithmetic progression is a progression in which the difference between any
term and the immediate term before is a constant. The constant is called the
common difference, d.
d = Tn Tn-1 or d = Tn+1
Tn
Example 1:
Determine whether the following number sequences is an arithmetic progression (AP)
or not.
(a) 5, 3, 1, 1,
(b) 10, 7, 4, 1, -2,
(c) 2, 8, 15, 23,
(d) 3, 6, 12, 24,
Smart TIPS: For an arithmetic progression, you always plus or minus a fixed
number
Solution:
Solution:
(a)
T20 = 14
a + 19d = 14 ----- (1) (Tn = a + (n 1) d
T40 = 6
a + 39d = 6 ----- (2)
(2) (1),
20d = 20
d=1
Substitute d = 1 into (1),
a + 19 ( 1) = 14
a = 33
(b)
T10 = a + 9d
T10 = 33 + 9 ( 1)
T10 = 24
Example 2:
The 3rd term and the 7th term of an arithmetic progression are 20 and 12 respectively.
(a) Calculate the 20th term.
(b) Find the term whose value is 34.
Solution:
(a)
T3 = 20
Example 3:
The volume of water in a tank is 75 litres on the first day. Subsequently, 15 litres of water is added
to the tank everyday.
Calculate the volume, in litres, of water in the tank at the end of the 12th day.
Solution:
Volume of water on the first day = 75l
Volume of water on the second day = 75 + 15 = 90l
Volume of water on the third day = 90 + 15 = 105l
Example 4:
The first three terms of an arithmetic progression are 72, 65 and 58.
The nth term of this progression is negative.
Find the least value of n.
Solution:
72, 65, 58
AP, a = 72, d = 65 72 = 7
Sn=n2[2a+(n1)d] Sn=n2(a+l)
Sn=n2[2a+(n1)d]
Sn=n2(a+l)
a = first term
d = common difference
n = the number of term
Sn = the sum of first n terms
Example:
Calculate the sum of each of the following arithmetic progressions.
(a) -11, -8, -5, ... up to the first 15 terms.
(b) 8,10,13,...
(c) 5, 7, 9,....., 75 [Smart TIPS: The last term is given, you can find the
number of term, n]
Solution:
(a)
11,8,5,.....Find S15a=11,d=8
(11)=3S15=152[2a+14d]S15=152[2(11)+14(3)]=15011,8,5,.....Find S15a=
11,d=8(11)=3S15=152[2a+14d]S15=152[2(11)+14(3)]=150
(b)
8,1012,13,.....Find S13a=8d=10128=52S13=132[2a+12d]S13=132[2(8)+12(52)]=2
998,1012,13,.....Find S13a=8d=10128=52S13=132[2a+12d]S13=132[2(8)+12(52)]
=299
(c)
=ar
n1
Tn=arn1
a = first term
r = common ratio
n = the number of term
Tn = the nth term
Example 1:
Find the given term for each of the following geometric progressions.
(a) 8 ,4 ,2 ,...... T8
(b) 1627 , 89 , 43
,.....
Solution:
(a)
=ar
=8(12 )
=116
8, 4, 2, .....a=8, r
=48=12T8=ar7T8=8(12)7=116
(b)
1627
89
43
, .....a=1627 r=T
=1627
89
=23 T
=ar
=1627 (23 )
5126561
Solution:
(a)
(b)
(c)
gf=fe
gf=fe
Example 3:
If p + 20,p 4, p 20 are three consecutive terms of a geometric progression, find the value
of p.
Solution:
p20p4=p4p+20(p+20)(p20)=(p4)(p4)p2400=p28p+168p=416p=52
Example 1:
The sixth term of a geometric progression is 32 and the third term is 4. Find the first term and the
common ratio.
Smart TIPS: Solving the simultaneous equation of a and r. Using the formula T n = a r n1
Solution:
T2 + T3 = 12
ar + ar2 = 12
ar (1 + r) = 12 ----- (1) (Factorisation)
T3 + T4 = 4
ar2 + ar3 = 4
ar2 (1 + r) = 4 ----- (2)
(2)(1)=ar2(1+r)ar(1+r)=412r=13Substitute
Example 3
Find which term in the progression 3, 12, 48, , ... is the first to exceed 1 000 000.
[Smart TIPS: Using Tn formula for solving n]
Solution:
gf=fegf=fe
Example
If
the value of p.
Solution
p20p4=p4p+20p20p4=p4p+20
(P+20)(p20)=(p4)(p4)(P+20)(p20)=(p4)(p4)
p2400=p28p+16p2400=p28p+16
8p=4168p=416
p=52
S=a1r, 1<r<1
S=a1r, 1<r<1
a = first term
r = common ratio
S = sum to infinity
Example:
Find the sum to infinity of each of the following geometric progressions.
(a) 8, 4, 2, ...
(b) 23, 29, 227,
(c) 3, 1,
, .
Solution:
(a)
8, 4, 2, .
a = 2, r = 4/8 =
S = 8 + 4 + 2 + 0.5 + 0.25 + 0.125 + 0.0625 + 0.03125 + ..
S=a1r=2112=4S=a1r=2112=4
(b)
23, 29, 227,
(c)
2222222222.....833=0.242424242424.....41333=0.123123123123.....
Recurring decimal can be changed to fraction using the sum to infinity formula:
S=a1r
S=a1r
0.17171717 ..
= 0.17 + 0.0017 + 0.000017 + 0.00000017 + ..
0.513513513..
= 0.513 + 0.000513 + 0.000000513 + ..