Progressions

The Concept of Arithmetic Progression

An arithmetic progression is a list of numbers in which the difference
between any two consecutive terms is equal.
In an AP, each term, except the first term, is obtained by adding a fixed
number called common difference to the preceding term.
The common difference of an AP can be positive, negative or zero.

Example 1:

1. is an AP whose first term and common

difference are 3 and 3 respectively.

2. is an AP whose first term and common

difference are 7 and –2 respectively.

3. is an AP whose first term and common difference

are –7 and 0 respectively.

The general form of an AP can be written as a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d …,

where a is the first term and d is the common difference.
A given list of numbers i.e., a1, a2, a3 … forms an AP if ak+1 – ak is the
same for all values of k.

Example 2:
Which of the following lists of numbers forms an AP? If it forms an AP,
then write its next three terms.

(a) –4, 0, 4, 8, …

(b) 2, 4, 8, 16, …
 Solution:

(a) –4, 0, 4, 8, …

a2 – a1 = 0 – (–4) = 4
a3 – a2 = 4 – 0 = 4
a4 – a3 = 8 – 4 = 4
an+1 – an = 4; for all values of n
Therefore, the given list of numbers forms an AP with 4 being its common
difference.
The next three terms of the AP are 8 + 4 = 12, 12 + 4 = 16, 16 + 4 = 20
Hence, AP: –4, 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 …

(b) 2, 4, 8, 16, …

a2 – a1 = 4 – 2 = 2
a3 – a2 = 8 – 4 = 4
a3 – a2 ≠ a2 – a1
Therefore, the given list of numbers does not form an AP.

The terminology related to arithmetic progression

An arithmetic progression is a list of numbers in which each term is obtained
by adding a fixed number to the preceding term except the first term.
The fixed number is called the common difference (d) of the A.P. The
common difference can be either positive or negative or zero.
The general form of an A.P.
a, (a + d), (a + 2d), (a + 3d), ... , [a + (n – 1)d], ... where a is the first term
and d is common difference
Type of AP
Finite AP: The APs have finite number of terms.
Infinite AP: The APs have not finite number of terms.

nth term of an AP

The nth term (an) of an AP with first term a and common difference d is given
by an = a + (n – 1) d.
Here, an is called the general term of the AP.

nth term from the end of an AP

 The nth term from the end of an AP with last term l and common difference d is
given by l – (n – 1) d.

Example:
Find the 12th term of the AP 5, 9, 13 …
Solution:
Here, a = 5, d = 9 – 5 = 4, n = 12
a12 = a + (n – 1) d
= 5 + (12 – 1) 4
= 5 + 11 × 4
= 5 + 44
= 49

Sum of n terms of an AP
The sum of the first n terms of an AP is given by
S n = n2 [2a + (n − 1)d] Sn=n22a+n-1d , where a is the first term and d
is the common difference.

n
If there are only n terms in an AP, then S n = 2
[a + l] Sn=n2a+l, where l
= an is the last term.

Example :

Find the value of 2 + 10 + 18 + …. + 802.

Solution:

2, 10, 18… 802 is an AP where a = 2, d = 8, and l = 802.

Let there be n terms in the series. Then,

an = 802

⇒ a + (n – 1) d = 802

⇒ 2 + (n – 1) 8= 802

⇒ 8(n – 1) = 800
⇒ n – 1= 100

⇒ n = 101

Thus, required sum =

n 101
2
(a + l) = 2
(2 + 802) = 40602 n2a+l = 10122+802 = 40602

Properties of an Arithmetic progression

If a constant is added or subtracted or multiplied to each term of an A.P. then
the resulting sequence is also an A.P.
If each term of an A.P. is divided by a non-zero constant then the resulting
sequence is also an A.P.

Arithmetic mean
For any two numbers a and b, we can insert a number A between them such
that a, A, b is an A.P. Such a number i.e., A is called the arithmetic mean
(A.M) of numbers a and b and it is given by .
For any two given numbers a and b, we can insert as many numbers between
them as we want such that the resulting sequence becomes an A.P.

Let A1, A2… An be n numbers between a and b such that a, A1, A2… An, b is an
A.P.

Here, common difference (d) is given by .

Example:
Insert three numbers between –2 and 18 such that the resulting sequence is an A.P.
Solution:
Let A1, A2, and A3 be three numbers between – 2 and 18 such that – 2, A1, A2,
A3, 18 are in an A.P.
Here, a = –2, b = 18, n = 5
∴18 = –2 + (5 – 1) d
⇒ 20 = 4 d
⇒d=5
Thus, A1 = a + d = –2 + 5 = 3
A2 = a + 2d = –2 + 10 = 8
A3 = a + 3d = –2 + 15 = 13
Hence, the required three numbers between –2 and 18 are 3, 8, and 13.
 Geometric Progression: A sequence is said to be a geometric progression (G.P.) if
the ratio of any term to its preceding term is the same throughout. This constant
factor is called the common ratio and it is denoted by r.

In standard form, the G.P. is written as a, ar, ar2 ... where, a is the first term and r
is the common ratio.

General Term of a G.P.: The nth term (or general term) of a G.P. is given by an =
ar n – 1

Example: Find the number of terms in G.P. 5, 20, 80 ... 5120.

Solution: Let the number of terms be n.

Here a = 5, r = 4 and tn = 5120

nth term of G.P. = arn–1

Sum of n Term of a G.P.: The sum of n terms (Sn) of a G.P. is given by

Example: Find the sum of the series 1 + 3 + 9 + 27 + ... to 10 terms.

Solution: The sequence 1, 3, 9, 27, ... is a G.P.

Here, a = 1, r = 3.

Sum of n terms of G.P. =

S10 = 1 + 3 + 9 + 27 + ... to 10 terms

a
Three consecutive terms can be taken as r , a, ar ar, a, ar. Here, common ratio is
r.
a a
Four consecutive terms can be taken as 3 , r ,
r
ar, ar 3 ar3, ar, ar, ar3. Here,
common ratio is r 2 r2.

Geometric Mean: For any two positive numbers a and b, we can insert a number
G between them such that a, G, b is a G.P. Such a number i.e., G is called a
geometric mean (G.M.) and is given by G =

In general, if G1, G2, …,Gn be n numbers between positive numbers a and b such
that a, G1, G2, …, Gn, b is a G.P., then G1, G2, …, Gn are given by
G1= ar, G2 = ar2,…, Gn = arn

Where, r is calculated from the relation b = arn+1 , that is .

Example: Insert three geometric means between 2 and 162.

Solution:
Let G1, G2, G3 be 3 G.M.’s between 2 and 162.
Therefor 2, G1, G2, G3, 162 are in G.P.
Let r be the common ratio of G.P.
 Here, a = 2, b = 162 and n = 3

G1 = ar = 2 × 3 = 6
G2 = ar2 = 2 × (3)2 = 2 × 9 = 18
G3 = ar3 = 2 × (3)3 = 2 × 27 = 54

Thus, the required three geometric means between 2 and 162 are 6, 18, and 54.

Relation between A.M. and G.M.: Let A and G be the respective A.M. and G.M.
of two given positive real numbers a and b. Accordingly,
.

Then, we will always have the following relationship between the A.M. and G.M.: A ≥
G