7th Module - NABELON

PRECALCULUS
Sequences and Series
Chapter 4 - Lesson 4.2

Arithmetic Sequences and Partial Sums
Writer: MA. LOIEL SALOME M. NABELON
By the end of this module, you should be able to:

 Write and find the nth terms of arithmetic sequences.
 Find nth partial sums of arithmetic sequences.
 Use arithmetic sequences to model and solve real-life problems.
ELICIT
Let us begin with an activity that will check your prior understanding.
Activity 1. Answer the problem.
An investor deposits $1000 in an account that earns 3% interest compounded
monthly. The balance in the account after n months is given by
0.03 n
An =1000(1+ ) , n=0 , 1 ,2 , . .. .
12
a. Write the first three terms of the sequence.
b. Find the balance in the account after four years by computing the 48th term of the
sequence.
ENGAGE
ARITHMETIC SEQUENCES
A sequence whose consecutive terms have a common difference is an arithmetic sequence.
Definition of Arithmetic Sequence

A sequence is arithmetic when the differences between consecutive terms are
the same. So, the sequence
a 1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , . .. , an , .. .
is arithmetic when there is a number d such that
a 2−a1=a3−a2=a 4−a3=. . .=d .
The number d is the common difference of the arithmetic sequence.
Example 1. Examples of Arithmetic Sequences
a. The sequence whose nth term is 4n + 3 is arithmetic. The common difference between
consecutive terms is 4.
7, 11, 15, 19, . . . , 4n + 3, . . . Begin with n = 1.
11−7=4
b. The sequence whose nth term is 7 − 5 n is arithmetic. The common difference between
consecutive terms is −5.
2, −3, −8, −13, . . . , 7 − 5 n, . . . Begin with n = 1.
−3−2=−5
1
c. The sequence whose nth term is (n+3) is arithmetic. The common difference between
4
1
consecutive terms is .
4
5 3 7 n+3
1, , , , . . . , ,... Begin with n = 1.
4 2 4 4
5 1
−1=
4 4
 Checkpoint
Write the first four terms of the arithmetic sequence whose nth term is 3 n − 1. Then
find the common difference between consecutive terms.
The sequence 1, 4, 9, 16, . . . , whose nth term is n 2, is not arithmetic. The
difference between the first two terms is
a2 − a1 = 4 − 1 = 3
but the difference between the second and third terms is
a3 − a2 = 9 − 4 = 5.
The nth term of an arithmetic sequence can be derived from the pattern below.
a1 = a1 1st term
2 1
a =a +d 2nd term
a3 = a1 + 2d 3rd term
4 1
a = a + 3d 4th term
a5 = a1 + 4d 5th term
1 less
⋮
n
a = a1 + (n − 1)d nth term
1 less
The following definition summarizes this result.
The nth Term of an Arithmetic Sequence

The nth term of an arithmetic sequence has the form
an = a1 + (n − 1)dis the common difference between consecutive terms of the
sequence and a1 is the first term.
Example 2. Finding the nth Term
Find a formula for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence whose common difference is 3 and
whose first term is 2.
Solution You know that the formula for the nth term is of the form
a n=a1 +(n−1)d. Moreover, the common difference is d = 3 and the first term is
a1 = 2, so the formula must have the form
a n=2+3(n−1). Substitute 2 for a1 and 3 for d.
So, the formula for the nth term is an = 3n − 1.
Activity 2.
Find a formula for the nth term of the arithmetic sequence whose common difference
is 5 and whose first term is −1.
The sequence in Example 2 is as follows.
2, 5, 8, 11, 14, . . . , 3n − 1, . . .
The figure below shows a graph of the first 15 terms of this
sequence. Notice that the points lie on a line. This makes sense
because an is a linear function of n. In other words, the terms
“arithmetic” and “linear” are closely connected.
EXPLORE
Now, let us deepen your understanding on arithmetic sequences and partial sums. Ready?
Example 3. Writing the Terms of an Arithmetic Sequence
The 4th term of an arithmetic sequence is 20, and the 13th term is 65.
Write the first 11 terms of this sequence.
Solution You know that a4 = 20 and a13 = 65. So, you must add the common difference d nine
times to the 4th term to obtain the 13th term. Therefore, the 4th and 13th terms of the
sequence are related by
a13 = a4 + 9d. a4 and a13 are nine terms apart.
Using a4 = 20 and a13 = 65, you have 65 = 20 + 9d. Solve for d to find that the common
difference is d = 5. Use the common difference with the known term a4 to write the other
terms of the sequence.
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 a8 a9 a 10 a 11 . . .
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 . . .
Example 4. Using a Recursion Formula
When you know the nth term of an arithmetic sequence and you know the common difference
of the sequence, you can find the (n + 1)th term by using the recursion formula
an+1 = an + d. Recursion formula
With this formula, you can find any term of an arithmetic sequence, provided that you know
the preceding term. For example, when you know the first term, you can find the second term.
Then, knowing the second term, you can find the third term, and so on.
Find the ninth term of the arithmetic sequence whose first two terms are 2 and 9.
Solution The common difference between consecutive terms of this sequence is
d = 9 − 2 = 7.
There are two ways to find the ninth term. One way is to write the first nine terms (by
repeatedly adding 7).
2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 51, 58
Another way to find the ninth term is to first find a formula for the nth term. The common
difference is d = 7 and the first term is a1 = 2, so the formula must have the form
an = 2 + 7(n − 1). Substitute 2 for a1 and 7 for d.
Therefore, a formula for the nth term is
an = 7 n − 5
which implies that the ninth term is
a9 = 7(9) − 5
= 58.
Activity 3.
Find the 10th term of the arithmetic sequence that begins with 7 and 15.
EXPLAIN
Example 5. Sum of a Finite Arithmetic Sequence

n
The sum of a finite arithmetic sequence with n terms is given by Sn= ( a1 +a n ) .
2
Find the sum: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + 17 + 19.
Solution. To begin, notice that the sequence is arithmetic (with a common difference of 2).
Moreover, the sequence has 10 terms. So, the sum of the sequence is
n
Sn= ( a1 +a n ) Sum of a finite arithmetic sequence
2
10
¿ ( 1+19 ) Substitute 10 for n, 1 for a1, and 19 for an.
2
¿ 5 ( 20 )=100. Simplify.
Find the sum of the integers (a) from 1 to 100 and (b) from 1 to N.
Solution
a. The integers from 1 to 100 form an arithmetic sequence that has 100 terms. So, use the
formula for the sum of a finite arithmetic sequence.
Sn = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + . . . + 99 + 100
n
2
100
¿ ( 1+100 ) Substitute 100 for n, 1 for a1, and 100 for an.
2
¿ 50 ( 101 )=5050. Simplify.
b. Sn = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + . . . +N
n
2
N
¿ ( 1+ N ) Substitute N for n, 1 for a1, and N for an.
2
A teacher of Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855) asked him

to add all the integers from 1 to 100. When Gauss returned
with the correct answer after only a few moments, the
teacher could only look at him in astounded silence.
This is what Gauss did:
Sn = 1 + 2 + 3 + . . . +100
Sn = 100 + 99 + 98 + . . . + 1
Sn = 101 + 101 + 101 + . . . +101
101 x 101
Sn = =5050
2
Activity 4.
Find the sum of the integers (a) from 1 to 35 and (b) from 1 to 2N.
ELABORATE
Example 6. Partial Sum of an Arithmetic Sequence
Recall that the sum of the first n terms of an infinite sequence is the nth partial sum.
The nth partial sum of an arithmetic sequence can be found by using the formula for the sum
of a finite arithmetic sequence.
Find the 150th partial sum of the arithmetic sequence
5, 16, 27, 38, 49, . . . .
Solution. For this arithmetic sequence, a1 = 5 and d = 16 − 5 = 11. So,
an = 5 + 11(n − 1)
and the nth term is
an = 11n − 6.
Therefore, a150 = 11(150) − 6 = 1644, and the sum of the first 150 terms is
n
S150 = ( a1+ a150 ) nth partial sum formula
2
150
¿ ( 5+1644 ) Substitute 150 for n, 1 for a1, and 1644 for a150.
2
¿ 75(1649) Simplify.
¿ 123,675 nth partial sum
Activity 5.
Find the 16th partial sum of the arithmetic sequence
100, 95, 90, 85, 80, . . . .
Example 7. Total Sales

A small business sells 10,000php worth of skin care products during its first year. The owner
of the business has set a goal of increasing annual sales by 7500php each year for 9 years.
Assuming that this goal is met, find the total sales during the first 10 years this business is in
operation.
Solution. When the goal is met the annual sales form an arithmetic sequence with
a1 = 10,000 and d = 7500.
So, (in pesos)
an = 10,000 + 7500(n − 1)
and the nth term of the sequence is
an = 7500n + 2500.
Therefore, the 10th term of the sequence is
a 10=7500(10)+ 2500
¿ 77,500
The sum of the first 10 terms of the sequence is
n
S10= ( a1 +a10 ) nth partial sum formula
2
10
¿ ( 10,000+77,5004 ) Substitute 10 for n, 10,000 for a1, and 77,500 for a10.
2
¿ 5(87,500) Simplify.
¿ 437,500 Multiply .
So, the total sales for the first 10 years will be 437,500php.
EXTEND
Activity 6. Solve accurately.

Sam’s company sells 160,000php worth of printing paper during its first year. The sales
manager has set a goal of increasing annual sales of printing paper by 20,000php each year
for 9 years. Assuming that this goal is met, find the total sales of printing paper during the
first 10 years this company is in operation.
EVALUATE
1. Write the first five terms of the arithmetic sequence defined recursively.
a 1=15 , an +1=a n+ 4
2. The find the nth partial sum of the arithmetic sequence for the given value of n
0, −9, −18, −27, . . . , n = 40
3. An object with negligible air resistance is dropped from the top of the Grand Hyatt
Manila in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) at a height of 1451 feet. During the first
second of fall, the object falls 16 feet; during the second, it falls 48 feet; during the
third second, it falls 80 feet; during the fourth second, it falls 112 feet. Assuming
this pattern continues, how many feet does the object fall in the first 7 seconds
after it is dropped?
ANSWERS KEY
Elicit Engage Explore

Activity 1. Activity 2. Activity 3.
a. $1000, $1002.50, a n=5 n−6 79
$1005.01
b. $1127.33
Explain Elaborate Extend

Activity 4. Activity 5. Activity 6.
a. 630 1,000 2,500,000 php
b. N (1+2N)
Evaluate
1. 15, 19, 23, 27, 31
2. −7020
3. 784 feet
REFERENCES
Larson, Ron - Precalculus with Limits (2017, Cengage Learning) - libgen.li

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PRECALCULUS

Sequences and Series

Chapter 4 - Lesson 4.2

Writer: MA. LOIEL SALOME M. NABELON

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

Definition of Arithmetic Sequence

The following definition summarizes this result.

The nth Term of an Arithmetic Sequence

Example 5. Sum of a Finite Arithmetic Sequence

A teacher of Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855) asked him

Example 6. Partial Sum of an Arithmetic Sequence

Example 7. Total Sales

Activity 6. Solve accurately.

Elicit Engage Explore

Explain Elaborate Extend

Larson, Ron - Precalculus with Limits (2017, Cengage Learning) - libgen.li

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