ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I
PRODUCTION OPTION
INSTRUCTOR: R. K. OTIENO
LESSON 9: SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS INVOLVING AP AND GP
Arithmetic Progression
An arithmetic progression, or AP, is a sequence where each new term after the first is
obtained by adding a constant d, called the common difference, to the preceding term.
If the first term of the sequence is a then the arithmetic progression is
𝑎, 𝑎 + 𝑑, 𝑎 + 2𝑑, 𝑎 + 3𝑑, ⋯ , 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
The first term is a
The last term, or the nth term is 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
Any term of geometric series can be found by the formula:
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
Where,
𝑎= First term;
𝑑 = Common difference;
𝑛= Number of terms
Class example:
An arithmetic series has 5 as first term and common difference is 2. Find the 10 th and 20th terms.
Solution
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
The tenth term is given by
𝑇10 = 5 + (10 − 1) ∗ 2
𝑇10 = 5 + 9 ∗ 2
= 23
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The twentieth term is given by
𝑇20 = 5 + (20 − 1) ∗ 2
= 5 + 19 ∗ 2
= 5 + 38
= 43
Class example:
An arithmetic series has the 6th and 10th term given as 75 and 55, respectively. Determine the first
term and the common difference.
Solution
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
The 6th term is given by
𝑇6 = 𝑎 + (6 − 1)𝑑
𝑇6 = 𝑎 + 5𝑑 = 75 (1)
The 10th term is given by
𝑇10 = 𝑎 + 9𝑑 = 55 (2)
We then solve the two Equations 1 and 2
By elimination we have
𝑎 + 5𝑑 = 75
𝑎 + 9𝑑 = 55
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
−4𝑑 = 20
We then obtain common difference as follows
20
𝑑= = −5
−4
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We then substitute for d in one of the equations to get a
𝑎 + 5 ∗ −5 = 75
𝑎 − 25 = 75
𝑎 = 75 + 25
𝑎 = 100
Class Exercises
1. An arithmetic series has 100 as first term and common difference is -10. Find the 10th and
20th terms.
2. An arithmetic series has the 5th and 8th term given as 22 and 46, respectively. Determine
the 2nd and 12th term.
3. In an arithmetic series the ratio of the sixth and eleventh term is 5:2. The ratio of the first
term and the sixth term is 8:5. Find the first term and the common difference.
The Sum of an Arithmetic Series
Given arithmetic series
𝑎, 𝑎 + 𝑑, 𝑎 + 2𝑑, 𝑎 + 3𝑑, ⋯ , 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
We can get the sum of the series upto nth term as follows
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + ⋯ (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 )
+ (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
For two such series we have sum of each given as
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + ⋯ (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + ⋯ (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
We can arrange the second sum from last term to first term as shown below
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + ⋯ + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
𝑆𝑛 = (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + ⋯ (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + 𝑎
We then have
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𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + ⋯ + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
𝑆𝑛 = (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 2)𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + (𝑛 − 3)𝑑 ) + ⋯ (𝑎 + 3𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 2𝑑 ) + (𝑎 + 𝑑 ) + 𝑎
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
2𝑆𝑛 = (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ) + (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ) + (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ) + (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ) + ⋯ + (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
We realize that 2𝑆𝑛 is equal to adding (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 ), n times
2𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛(2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
Then the sum of arithmetic series becomes
𝒏
𝑺𝒏 = (𝟐𝒂 + (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝒅)
𝟐
Class Example
An arithmetic series has 10 as first term and common difference is 3. Find the 4th term and the
sum of the first 10 terms.
Solution
The nth term is given by
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑
The 4th term is given by
𝑇4 = 10 + (4 − 1)3
𝑇4 = 10 + 3 ∗ 3
= 19
The sum upto nth term is given by
𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
2
Sum upto 10th term is given by
10
𝑆10 = (2 ∗ 10 + (10 − 1)3)
2
= 5(20 + 9 ∗ 3)
= 5(20 + 27)
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= 5 ∗ 47
= 235
Class Example
An arithmetic series has 2 as first term and common difference is -5. Find the sum of the terms
that are between the 6th term and the 24th term including the 6th and the 24th term.
Solution
We will solve by finding the sum upto the 24th ter then we subtract sum upto the 5th term.
The sum upto nth term is given by
𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = (2𝑎 + (𝑛 − 1)𝑑 )
2
The sum upto 24th term is given by
24
𝑆24 = (2 ∗ 2 + (24 − 1) ∗ (−5))
2
24
= (4 + 23 ∗ (−5))
2
= 12 (4 − 115)
= 12 ∗ (−111)
= 12 ∗ (−111)
= −1332
The sum upto 5th term is given by
5
𝑆5 = (2 ∗ 2 + (5 − 1) ∗ (−5))
2
5
= (4 + 4 ∗ (−5))
2
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5
= (4 − 20)
2
5
= ∗ (−16)
2
= 5 ∗ (−8)
= −40
Therefore sum of terms starting from 6th term to 24th term is
𝑆24 − 𝑆5 = −1332 − (−40)
= −1292
Sum between terms is given by
𝑛2 𝑛
𝑆𝑛12 = (2𝑎 + (𝑛2 − 1)𝑑 ) − 1 (2𝑎 + (𝑛1 − 1)𝑑 )
2 2
𝑑
= (𝑛2 − 𝑛1 )𝑎 + (𝑛2 (𝑛2 − 1) − 𝑛1 (𝑛1 − 1))
2
For the above problem we have
−5
𝑆𝑛12 = (24 − 5) ∗ 2 + (24(24 − 1) − 5(5 − 1)) ( )
2
= 19 ∗ 2 + ((24 ∗ 23 − 5 ∗ 4) ∗ (−2.5))
= 38 + ((24 ∗ 23 − 20)(−2.5))
= −1292
Exercises
1. Given that 2𝑥 + 1, 4𝑥 and 5𝑥 + 1 are the first three terms of an arithmetic progression,
find
a. The value of x
b. The fifth term
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c. The sum of the first eight terms.
2. The first term of an arithmetic sequence is — 7 and the common difference is 3.
(a) List the first six terms of the sequence;
(b) Determine the sum of the first 50 terms of the sequence.
3. An arithmetic progression has 3 as its first term. Also, the sum of the first 8 terms is twice
the sum of the first 5 terms. Find the common difference.
Geometric Progressions
A geometric progression, or GP, is a sequence where each new term after the first is obtained by
multiplying the preceding term by a constant r, called the common ratio. If the first term of the
sequence is a then the geometric progression is:
𝑎, 𝑎𝑟, 𝑎𝑟 2 , 𝑎𝑟 3 , ⋯ , 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
Where,
n= Number of terms
r= common ratio
Any term, 𝑇𝑛 , of GP is given by
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
Class Examples
Write down the first five terms of the geometric progression which has first term 1 and common
1
ratio 2.
Solution
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
First term
𝑇1 = 𝑎𝑟1−1
= 𝑎𝑟 0
=𝑎=1
Page 7
Second term
𝑇2 = 𝑎𝑟 2−1
= 𝑎𝑟
1 1
=1∗ =
2 2
Third term
𝑇3 = 𝑎𝑟 3−1
= 𝑎𝑟 2
1 2 1
=1∗( ) =
2 4
Fourth term
𝑇4 = 𝑎𝑟 4−1
= 𝑎𝑟 3
1 3 1
=1∗( ) =
2 8
Fifth term
𝑇5 = 𝑎𝑟 5−1
= 𝑎𝑟 4
1 4 1
= 1∗( ) =
2 16
First five terms are given by:
1 1 1 1
1, , , ,
2 4 8 16
Example
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Find the 10th and 20th terms of the GP with first term 3 and common ratio 2.
Solution
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
𝑇10 = 3(2)10−1
= 3(2)9
= 1536
Example
Find the 7th term of the GP below
2, −6, 18, . . .,
Solution
We know first term a as 2
We now find common ratio
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
For second term we have
𝑇2 = −6 = 2 ∗ 𝑟 2−1
−6 = 2 ∗ 𝑟
𝑟 = −3
Seventh term is given by
𝑇7 = 2 ∗ (−3)7−1
= 2 ∗ (−3)6
= 1458
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The Sum of a Geometric Series
Given geometric series
𝑎, 𝑎𝑟, 𝑎𝑟 2 , 𝑎𝑟 3 , ⋯ , 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−2 , 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
The sum of the series can be found by adding the terms as follows
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 2 + 𝑎𝑟 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−2 + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
To be able to find the sum we multiply 𝑆𝑛 by r
𝑟𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 2 + 𝑎𝑟 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛
We can subtract 𝑆𝑛 from 𝑟𝑆𝑛
𝑟𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 2 + 𝑎𝑟 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 + 𝑎𝑟 2 + 𝑎𝑟 3 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑟𝑆𝑛 − 𝑆𝑛 = −𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛
We therefore have
𝑟𝑆𝑛 − 𝑆𝑛 = −𝑎 + 𝑎𝑟 𝑛
(𝑟 − 1)𝑆𝑛 = 𝑎 (𝑟 𝑛 − 1)
𝑎 (𝑟 𝑛 − 1)
𝑆𝑛 =
𝑟−1
Class Examples
Find the sum of the first five terms of the geometric progression which has first term 7 and
1
common ratio 2.
Solution
𝑎 (𝑟 𝑛 − 1)
𝑆𝑛 =
𝑟−1
Sum of first 5 terms is given by:
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1 5
7 ((2) − 1)
𝑆5 =
1
( 2) − 1
1
7 (32 − 1)
=
1
(− 2)
−31
7 ( 32 )
=
1
(− 2)
−31
= 7( ) ∗ (−2)
32
31
= 7( )
16
217
=
16
9
= 13
16
Exercises
1. Find the sum of the geometric series
8−4+2−1+...
where there are 5 terms in the series.
2. How many terms are there in the geometric progression below?
2, 4, 8, . . ., 128
3. How many terms in the geometric progression below will be needed so that the sum of
the first n terms is greater than 20
1, 1.1, 1.21, 1.331, . . .
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Convergence of Geometric Series
Converging geometric series refers to geometric series whose sum of terms to infinity seem to be
a certain value.
Given sum of GP as
𝑎 (𝑟 𝑛 − 1)
𝑆𝑛 =
𝑟−1
For such geometric series, |𝑟|<1
We therefore have
lim 𝑟 𝑛 = 𝑟 ∞
𝑛→∞
Since |𝑟|<1, then
=0
Substituting for 𝑟 𝑛 in the equation
𝑎 (0 − 1)
𝑆∞ =
𝑟−1
−𝑎
=
𝑟−1
𝑎
𝑆∞ =
1−𝑟
𝑎
The value to which the sum converges is given by 𝑆∞ = 1−𝑟.
Class Example
Find the sum to infinity of the geometric progression below:
1 1 1 1
1, , , , , . . ..
2 4 8 16
Page 12
Solution
First term a is 1
Common ratio us given by
𝑇𝑛 = 𝑎𝑟 𝑛−1
𝑇𝑛
𝑟 𝑛−1 =
𝑎
1
𝑇𝑛 𝑛−1
𝑟=( )
𝑎
For second term, we have
1
1 2−1
( 2)
𝑟=( )
1
1 1
=( )
2
1
=
2
Convergence occurs at
𝑎
𝑆∞ =
1−𝑟
1
=
1
1−2
1
=
1
( )
2
=2
Page 13
Exercise
1. Find the sum to infinity of the geometric progression
1 1 1 1
1, , , , , . . ..
3 9 27 81
1
2. Find the sum to infinity of the GP with first term 3 and common ratio 2
3. The sum to infinity of a GP is four times the first term. Find the common ratio.
4. The sum to infinity of a GP is twice the sum of the first two terms. Find possible values
of the common ratio.
Next is Unit 4: Trigonometry
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ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS I
PRODUCTION OPTION
INSTRUCTOR: R. K. OTIENO
UNIT 4: TRIGONOMETRY
LESSON 10: HALF ANGLE FORMULA AND FACTOR FORMULA
Page 1
