Download Arithmetic Sequences A sequence is a list of numbers that often

4.6
Arithmetic Sequences
A sequence is a list of numbers that
often forms a pattern.
Each number in the sequence is a term.
An Arithmetic Sequence is a sequence in which each of the
terms differs by the same nonzero number
Examples of Arithmetic Sequences:
A.
9, 13, 17, 21, . . .
The common difference is
B.
12, 7, 2, -3, -8, . . .
The common difference is
C.
3, 3.4, 3.8, 4.2, 4.6, . . .
The common difference is
Examples of Sequences that are not Arithmetic:
2, 4, 8, 16, 32, . . .
25, 27, 20, 22, 15, 17, . . .
How do you find the nth term of an Arithmetic Sequence?
a n = a 1 + (n - 1)d
the common
difference
represents the
nth term
the first term
of the sequence
the number of
the term you want
Example: Find the 20th term of this arithmetic sequence:
9, 13, 17, 21, . . .
n =
a1 =
d =
Example: Find the 54th term of this arithmetic sequence:
n =
12, 7, 2, -3, -8, . . .
a1 =
d =
Each time a truck stops, it drops off 250 pounds
of cargo.
It started with a load of 2000 pounds.
How much does the load weigh after the fifth
stop?