CBSE CLASS 10 · NCERT ALIGNED

Arithmetic Progressions
Complete Beginner → Advanced Master Course

Sequences & Patterns · nth Term · Sum of n Terms · Derivations & Proofs
Real-Life Applications · HOTS · Case Studies · Worksheets · Answer Keys
 Module 1 — Foundations: Sequences & Patterns

1.1 What is a Sequence?

A sequence is an ordered list of numbers following a definite rule.

Example: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, … (each term = previous + 2)

Each number in a sequence is called a term, denoted a₁, a₂, a₃, …, aₙ.

1.2 What is an Arithmetic Progression (AP)?

Definition: A sequence in which the difference between any two consecutive terms is constant is called an Arithmetic Progression. This
constant is called the Common Difference (d).

General form: a, a+d, a+2d, a+3d, …

d = a₂ − a₁ = a₃ − a₂ = … = aₙ − aₙ₋₁

1.3 Identifying an AP — Quick Test

Sequence Differences Is it AP?

2, 5, 8, 11 3, 3, 3 ✅ Yes (d = 3)

10, 6, 2, −2 −4, −4, −4 ✅ Yes (d = −4)

1, 4, 9, 16 3, 5, 7 ❌ No

3, 3, 3, 3 0, 0, 0 ✅ Yes (d = 0)

Memory Trick: If subtracting neighbours always gives the SAME number → it's an AP.

1.4 Real-Life Applications

Salary increasing by a fixed increment every year

Number of seats in rows of a stadium (increasing by a fixed number)
Simple interest earned each year
Depreciation in straight-line method
Stacking of logs/bricks in decreasing rows
Distance covered by a free-falling object in successive seconds (physics)
 Module 2 — The nth Term of an AP

2.1 Derivation (Proof)

Let first term = a, common difference = d.

a1 = a
a2 = a + d
a3 = a + 2d
a4 = a + 3d
⋮
an = a + (n−1)d

aₙ = a + (n − 1)d — General Term / nth Term

2.2 Solved Example (Multiple Methods)

Q. Find the 15th term of AP: 3, 7, 11, 15, …

Method 1 – Direct Formula: a=3, d=4, n=15 → aₙ = 3+(14)(4) = 3+56 = 59

Method 2 – Building Up: After 14 steps of +4 from a₁=3 → 3+14×4 = 59 ✅

2.3 Finding "Which Term" (Reverse Problems)

Q. Which term of AP 21, 18, 15, … is −81?

a=21, d=−3 → −81 = 21+(n−1)(−3) → −102 = −3(n−1) → n−1=34 → n = 35th term

2.4 nth Term from the End

nth term from the end = l − (n − 1)d (l = last term)

Module 3 — Sum of First n Terms (Sₙ)

3.1 Derivation — Gauss's Method (Famous Proof)

S = a + (a+d) + (a+2d) + … + [a+(n−1)d] ...(i)

S = [a+(n−1)d] + [a+(n−2)d] + … + a ...(ii)

Adding (i) and (ii): each pair = 2a+(n−1)d, n such pairs

2S = n[2a + (n−1)d]

Sₙ = n/2 [2a + (n−1)d]

3.2 Alternate Formula (using last term l)

Sₙ = n/2 (a + l)

Memory Trick: Sum = (number of terms) × (average of first and last term)

3.3 Solved Example

Q. Find sum of first 20 terms of AP: 2, 7, 12, 17, …

a=2, d=5, n=20 → Sₙ = 10[4+95] = 10×99 = 990

3.4 Finding n Terms Given Sₙ

Q. How many terms of AP 9, 17, 25, … give a sum of 636?

636 = n/2[18+(n−1)8] → 4n²+5n−636=0 → n = 12

3.5 Relation between aₙ and Sₙ (Important!)

aₙ = Sₙ − Sₙ₋₁

Q. If Sₙ = 3n²+5n, find a₂₅.

S₂₅=2000, S₂₄=1848 → a₂₅ = 2000−1848 = 152
Module 4 — Visual & Graphical Interpretation

4.1 Mind Map

ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION
|
---------------------------------------------
| | |
Identification nth Term Sum of n terms
(constant d) an = a+(n-1)d Sn = n/2[2a+(n-1)d]
| | |
Real-life uses Reverse problems an = Sn - Sn-1
(patterns) (find n, find d) (relation)

4.2 Graphical Interpretation

Plotting n vs aₙ for an AP always gives points on a straight line; slope = common difference d.
This links AP directly to linear equations (y = dx + c) — a key HOTS connection.
Sₙ plotted against n gives a parabola since Sₙ is quadratic in n — useful for competency questions.

4.3 Flowchart — How to Solve Any AP Problem

START
|
Identify: a (first term), d (common difference)
|
What is asked?
|-- A specific term? -> use an = a+(n-1)d
|-- Sum of terms? -> use Sn = n/2[2a+(n-1)d]
|-- Number of terms (n)? -> form equation, solve (quadratic if needed)
|-- Relation between terms? -> use an - an-1 = d
|
Verify by substituting back
|
END
 Module 5 — Special Techniques & HOTS

5.1 Three Numbers in AP (Assumption Trick)

When 3 numbers are in AP, assume them as (a−d), a, (a+d) — their sum is always 3a.

Q. Sum of three numbers in AP is 24, product is 440. Find them.

3a=24 → a=8; 8(64−d²)=440 → d²=9 → d=±3 → 5, 8, 11

5.2 Four Numbers in AP

Assume as a−3d, a−d, a+d, a+3d (common difference between consecutive terms = 2d)

5.3 Sum of Multiples in a Range (HOTS)

Q. Sum of all multiples of 7 between 100 and 300.

First=105, last=294, d=7, n=28 → S = 14×399 = 5586

5.4 Proof-Type Condition Problem

Q. If 7 × a₇ = 11 × a₁₁, show a₁₈ = 0.

7(a+6d)=11(a+10d) → 4a+68d=0 → a=−17d → a₁₈=a+17d= 0 ✅

5.5 Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Confusing n (number of terms) with aₙ (value of term)

❌ Writing nd instead of (n−1)d
❌ Sign errors when d is negative
❌ Using Sₙ formula when only a single term is asked
❌ Not rejecting negative/non-integer n from quadratics
❌ Forgetting aₙ=Sₙ−Sₙ₋₁ needs n≥2 (for n=1, a₁=S₁)
Module 6 — NCERT Exercise-Style Solved Set

Q1. Is 1, −1, −3, −5, … an AP? Find next 2 terms.

d=−2 (constant) → Yes. Next: −7, −9

Q2. Find 10th term of AP: 5, 1, −3, −7, …

a=5, d=−4 → a₁₀=5+9(−4)=−31

Q3. Find sum: 34+32+30+…+10

a=34,d=−2,l=10,n=13 → S=13×22=286

Q4. Sₙ=5n−n². Find the AP.

a₁=4, a₂=2 → d=−2 → AP: 4, 2, 0, −2, …

Q5. How many two-digit numbers are divisible by 3?

12,15,…,99 → n=30
 Module 7 — Previous Year CBSE Questions

1. (2020) Sum of first n terms = n²+2n. Find AP and 10th term. [AP: 3,5,7,…; a₁₀=21]
2. (2019) Which term of 3,15,27,39,… is 120 more than the 21st term? [31st term]
3. (2023) Angles of a triangle in AP, greatest is twice the smallest. Find all angles. [45°, 60°, 75°]
4. (2022) ₹700 given as 7 prizes, each ₹20 less than the previous. Find each prize. [₹160,140,120,100,80,60,40]
5. (2018) Find the middle term of AP: 1, 8, 15, …, 505. [253, the 37th term]
 Module 8 — Competency-Based / Case Study Questions

Case Study 1: Auditorium Seating

First row has 20 seats; each next row has 4 more seats; 25 rows total.

a. AP representing seats per row → 20, 24, 28, …

b. Seats in the 15th row → a₁₅=20+14(4)=76
c. Total seating capacity → S₂₅=25/2(136)=1700
d. Rows needed for ≥2000 seats → solve Sₙ≥2000 → ≈27 rows

Case Study 2: Loan Repayment

Loan of ₹3250; first instalment ₹20, increasing by ₹15 each month.

a. Instalment in the 30th month → a₃₀=20+29(15)=₹455

b. Sum check for 34 instalments → S₃₄=₹3455 (classic NCERT variant — last instalment is adjusted to match exact loan balance)
 Module 9 — Olympiad-Level Practice (Advanced)

1. If a, b, c are in AP, prove a²(b+c), b²(c+a), c²(a+b) are also in AP.

2. Find the sum of all three-digit numbers leaving remainder 3 when divided by 5.
3. Ratio of sums of first m and n terms of an AP is m²:n². Prove ratio of mth and nth terms is (2m−1):(2n−1).
4. If pth term of an AP is 1/q and qth term is 1/p, prove sum of first pq terms is ½(pq+1).
5. Prove: sum of first n odd natural numbers = n².

Attempt each fully using nth term + sum formulas before checking any solution key.
 Module 10 — Formula Sheet (One-Page Revision)

Concept Formula

General AP a, a+d, a+2d, …

Common difference d = aₙ − aₙ₋₁

nth term aₙ = a + (n−1)d

nth term from end l − (n−1)d

Sum of n terms Sₙ = n/2 [2a + (n−1)d]

Sum (using last term) Sₙ = n/2 (a + l)

Relation aₙ = Sₙ − Sₙ₋₁

3 numbers in AP a−d, a, a+d

4 numbers in AP a−3d, a−d, a+d, a+3d

Sum of first n natural numbers n(n+1)/2

Sum of first n odd numbers n²

 Module 11 — Worksheet / Chapter Test

Section A (1 mark each)

1. Find d if AP is: 100, 93, 86, …

2. Write the 1st term and common difference of AP: −5, −1, 3, 7…
3. Is 301 a term of AP 5, 11, 17, 23,…?

Section B (2 marks each)

4. Find the 25th term of AP: 6, 10, 14, …

5. Find sum of first 15 multiples of 8.

Section C (3 marks each)

6. Which term of AP 3, 8, 13,… is 78?

7. Find the sum: −5+(−8)+(−11)+…+(−230)
8. If Sₙ = 3n² − n, find the AP and 5th term.

Section D (5 marks each)

9. Sum of 4th and 8th terms of an AP is 24; sum of 6th and 10th terms is 44. Find the AP.
10. A contractor employs 150 workers on day 1, and 4 fewer each subsequent day. Project completes in 10 days. Find total workers employed and
workers on the last day.

Answer Key

1. d = −7
2. a=−5, d=4
3. No (301=5+6(n−1) → n not an integer)
4. a₂₅ = 6+24(4) = 102
5. AP: 8,16,24…; S₁₅ = 15/2(8+120) = 960
6. n=16 → 16th term
7. a=−5,d=−3,l=−230,n=76 → S = −8930
8. a₁=2, d=6 → AP: 2,8,14,…; a₅=26
9. Solve simultaneous equations → AP: 0, 3, 6, 9, …
10. a=150,d=−4,n=10 → S₁₀=1320 total; a₁₀=114 on last day
 Module 12 — Quick Quiz (MCQ Rapid Fire)

1. The common difference of AP 2, 2, 2, 2… is: (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) undefined

2. 10th term of AP 2,7,12… is: (a) 47 (b) 42 (c) 52 (d) 45
3. Sum of first 10 natural numbers is: (a) 45 (b) 50 (c) 55 (d) 60
4. If a=5,d=0,n=100, then Sₙ = ? (a) 0 (b) 5 (c) 500 (d) 100
5. nth term from end formula uses: (a) a (b) l (c) Sₙ (d) none

Answers

1-(a) 2-(a) 3-(c) 4-(c) 5-(b)

Module 13 — Exam Strategy & Memory Tricks

Time allocation: 1-mark AP questions ≤1 min; 3–5 mark ≤5–7 min.

Trick: "Always Add (n−1) differences" → aₙ = a+(n−1)d
Trick: "Sum = Number × Average" → Sₙ = n/2(a+l)
Whenever Sₙ is given as an expression in n, immediately use aₙ = Sₙ − Sₙ₋₁ — a guaranteed 3–5 mark CBSE pattern every year.
When 3 numbers are in AP with a given sum/product → always use a−d, a, a+d.
Double-check n is a positive integer — reject decimal/negative roots from quadratics.
Draw a number line or (n, aₙ) table for word problems to avoid sign errors.
 Module 14 — Self-Assessment Checklist

☐ I can identify an AP and find its common difference instantly.

☐ I can derive aₙ = a+(n−1)d from scratch without looking.
☐ I can derive Sₙ = n/2[2a+(n−1)d] using Gauss's pairing method.
☐ I can solve "which term" and "how many terms" problems.
☐ I can use aₙ = Sₙ − Sₙ₋₁ confidently.
☐ I can solve 3-number and 4-number AP assumption problems.
☐ I can solve at least 3 case-study/competency questions without help.
☐ I can complete the Chapter Test in under 40 minutes with 90%+ accuracy.

A Self-Study Guide for Weak & Advanced Students

— End of Master Course —
Recommended: attempt Module 11 under strict 40-minute timing, then revise with Module 10's Formula Sheet.