An ordered list of numbers is called sequences. Each number is the sequence is called a term.
The sequence usually has patterns that allow us to predict what the next term of the sequence
will be. An arithmetic series is the sum of sequence in which each term is computed from the
previous one by adding and subtracting a constant. Or we can say that an arithmetic progression
can be defined as a sequence of numbers in which for every pair of consecutive terms, the second
number is found by adding a constant number to the previous one.
In Arithmetic Series/Progression we come across three terms which are:
Common difference(d)
nth term(an)
Sum of the first n terms(Sn)
Here, all the above three terms represent the property of the arithmetic progression.
For finding the common difference of the arithmetic progression following procedure is
followed:
d = a2 – a1 = a3 – a2 = a4 – a3….. = an-an-1
Where, a1, a2, a3….an are the terms of the series and “d” is the common difference which can be
positive, negative or zero.
Also, an arithmetic progression can also be written in the form of common difference as shown
below:
a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d, a + 4d, ………. , a + (n – 1)d
Where, “a” is the first term of series.
There are two major formulas while reading arithmetic progression:
1) The nth term of arithmetic series
2) Sum of first n terms
The nth term of Arithmetic Series
The formula for nth term is as:
an = a + (n−1)d
where, a=first term
d = common difference
n = number of terms
an = nth term
Sum of first n terms
The sum of first “n” terms of the series can be easily found is we know the first term of the series
and total terms. The formula for finding the sum of first “n” terms is:
Sn = n/2 [2a + (n−1)d]
Where a = first term
d = common difference
n = number of terms.
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A geometric series is a series with a constant ratio between successive terms. For example,
Since this ratio is common to all consecutive pairs of terms, it is called the common ratio denoted
by r. Given by formula:
r = an+1/an
The general term of a geometric series is given as:
an = arn – 1
Sum of geometric series a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + ar4 + ar5 + …..+arn-1 is given as:
1. Look at this series: 2, 1, (1/2), (1/4), ... What number should come next?
A.(1/3)
B.(1/8)
C.(2/8)
D.(1/16)
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
This is a simple division series; each number is one-half of the previous number.
In other terms to say, the number is divided by 2 successively to get the next result.
4/2 = 2
2/2 = 1
1/2 = 1/2
(1/2)/2 = 1/4
(1/4)/2 = 1/8 and so on.
Look at this series: 7, 10, 8, 11, 9, 12, ... What number should come next?
A.7
B.10
C.12
D.13
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
This is a simple alternating addition and subtraction series. In the first pattern, 3 is added; in
the second, 2 is subtracted.
Look at this series: 36, 34, 30, 28, 24, ... What number should come next?
A.20
B.22
C.23
D.26
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
This is an alternating number subtraction series. First, 2 is subtracted, then 4, then 2, and so
on.
Look at this series: 22, 21, 23, 22, 24, 23, ... What number should come next?
A.22
B.24
C.25
D.26
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
In this simple alternating subtraction and addition series; 1 is subtracted, then 2 is added, and
so on.
Look at this series: 53, 53, 40, 40, 27, 27, ... What number should come next?
A.12
B.14
C.27
D.53
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
In this series, each number is repeated, then 13 is subtracted to arrive at the next number.
Look at this series: 8, 6, 9, 23, 87 , ... What number should come next?
A
128
.
B.226
C.324
D
429
.
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
8x1-2=6
6x2-3=9
9 x 3 - 4 = 23
23 x 4 - 5 = 87
87 x 5 - 6 = 429 ...
1. 42 40 38 35 33 31 28
A.25 22
B.26 23
C.26 24
D.25 23
E. 26 22
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
This is an alternating subtraction series in which 2 is subtracted twice, then 3 is subtracted
once, then 2 is subtracted twice, and so on.
6 10 14 18 22 26 30
A.36 40
B.33 37
C.38 42
D.34 36
E. 34 38
Answer: Option E
Explanation:
This simple addition series adds 4 to each number to arrive at the next.
8 12 9 13 10 14 11
A.14 11
B.15 12
C.8 15
D.15 19
E. 8 5
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
This is an alternating addition and subtraction series, in which the addition of 4 is alternated
with the subtraction of 3.
3 5 35 10 12 35 17
A.22 35
B.35 19
C.19 35
D.19 24
E. 22 24
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
This is an alternating addition series, with a random number, 35, interpolated as every third
number. The pattern of addition is to add 2, add 5, add 2, and so on. The number 35 comes
after each "add 2" step/