Arithmetic
sequence
In mathematics, an arithmetic progression (AP)
or arithmetic sequence is a sequence of numbers such
that the difference between the consecutive terms is
constant. For instance, the sequence 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, . .
. is an arithmetic progression with common difference of 2.
If the initial term of an arithmetic progression is and the
common difference of successive members is d, then
the nth term of the sequence () is given by:
,
and in general
.
A finite portion of an arithmetic progression is called
a finite arithmetic progression and sometimes just
called an arithmetic progression. The sum of a finite
arithmetic progression is called an arithmetic series.
The behavior of the arithmetic progression depends
on the common difference d. If the common
difference is:
positive, then the members (terms) will grow
towards positive infinity
negative then the members (terms) will grow
towards negative infinity.
Sum
This section is about Finite arithmetic series. For
Infinite arithmetic series, see Infinite arithmetic series.
1 1 4
2 +5 +8 ++ =
1 4 0
1 1 4
+ +8 +5 +2 =
4 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 8
+ + + + =
6 6 6 6 6 0
Computation of the sum 2 + 5 + 8 + 11 + 14. When
the sequence is reversed and added to itself term by
term, the resulting sequence has a single repeated
value in it, equal to the sum of the first and last
numbers (2 + 14 = 16). Thus 16 × 5 = 80 is twice the
sum.
The sum of the members of a finite arithmetic
progression is called an arithmetic series. For
example, consider the sum:
This sum can be found quickly by taking the
number n of terms being added (here 5), multiplying
by the sum of the first and last number in the
progression (here 2 + 14 = 16), and dividing by 2:
In the case above, this gives the equation:
This formula works for any real numbers and . For
example:
Derivation
Animated proof for the formula giving the sum of the first
integers 1+2+...+n.
To derive the above formula, begin by expressing the
arithmetic series in two different ways:
Adding both sides of the two equations, all terms
involving d cancel:
Dividing both sides by 2 produces a common form
of the equation:
An alternate form results from re-inserting the
substitution: :
Furthermore, the mean value of the series can
be calculated via: :
Product
The product of the members of a finite arithmetic
progression with an initial element a1, common
differences d, and n elements in total is determined in a
closed expression
Intersections
The intersection of any two doubly infinite arithmetic
progressions is either empty or another arithmetic
progression, which can be found using the Chinese
remainder theorem. If each pair of progressions in a family
of doubly infinite arithmetic progressions have a non-
empty intersection, then there exists a number common to
all of them; that is, infinite arithmetic progressions form
a Helly family.[1] However, the intersection of infinitely
many infinite arithmetic progressions might be a single
number rather than itself being an infinite progression.
In mathematics, an arithmetic group is a group obtained
as the integer points of an algebraic group, for example .
They arise naturally in the study of arithmetic properties
of quadratic forms and other classical topics in number
theory. They also give rise to very interesting examples
of Riemannian manifolds and hence are objects of interest
in differential geometry and topology. Finally, these two
topics join in the theory of automorphic forms which is
fundamental in modern number theory.
Contents
1History
2Definition and construction
o 2.1Arithmetic groups
o 2.2Using number fields
3Examples
4Arithmetic lattices in semisimple Lie groups
o 4.1The Borel–Harish-Chandra theorem
o 4.2Margulis arithmeticity theorem
o 4.3Arithmetic Fuchsian and Kleinian groups
o 4.4Classification
o 4.5The congruence subgroup problem
5-arithmetic groups
o 5.1Definition
o 5.2Lattices in Lie groups over local fields
6Some applications
o 6.1Explicit expander graphs
o 6.2Extremal surfaces and graphs
o 6.3Isospectral manifolds
o 6.4Fake projective planes
7References