Types of Progressions
There are mainly 3 types of progressions in math. They are:
• Arithmetic Progression (AP)
• Geometric Progression (GP)
• Harmonic Progression (HP)
Each type of progression along with a simple definition and example is
tabulated below.
Progression Definition Example
The differences between any
Arithmetic 1, 4, 7, 10,
two consecutive numbers are
Progression (AP) ...
all same.
The ratios of any two
Geometric 4, 16, 64,
consecutive numbers are all
Progression (GP) 256, ...
same.
Harmonic The reciprocals of terms form 1/2, 1/4,
Progression (HP) an AP. 1/6, ...
Arithmetic Progression
An arithmetic progression (AP) is a sequence of numbers in which each
successive term is the sum of its preceding term and a fixed number. This
fixed number is called the common difference. For example, 1, 4, 7, 10, ...
is an AP as every number is obtained by adding a fixed number 3 to its
previous term.
• 2nd term = 4 = 1 + 3 = 1st term + 3
• 3rd term = 7 = 4 + 3 = 2nd term + 3
• 4th term = 10 = 7 + 3 = 3rd term + 3
and so on.
In general, an arithmetic progression looks like this:
Here,
• 'a' is the >irst term and
• 'd' is the common difference (>ixed number)
Arithmetic Progression Example
For example, Minnie put $30 in her piggy bank when she was 7 years old.
She increased the amount she put in her piggy bank on each successive
birthday by $3. So, the amount in her piggy bank follows the pattern of $30,
$33, $36, and so on. The succeeding terms are obtained by adding a fixed
number, that is, $3. This fixed number is called the common difference (It
can be positive, negative, or zero). Hence the progression 30, 33, 36, ... is
an AP.
Arithmetic Progression Formulas
Let the first term of the progression be a, the common difference be d, and
the nth term be an. Then, the arithmetic progression formulas are given by:
• an = a + (n - 1) d
• d = an - an-1
• Sum of the >irst n terms, Sn = n/2(2a+(n-1)d) (or) Sn = (n/2)*(a + l), where l =
the last term = Tn.
Geometric Progression
A geometric progression (GP) is a sequence of numbers in which each
successive term is the product of its preceding term and a fixed number.
This fixed number is called the common ratio. For example, 4, 16, 64, 256,
... is a GP as every number is obtained by multiplying a fixed number 4 to
its previous term.
• 2nd term = 16 = 4(4) = 4(1st term)
• 3rd term = 64 = 4(16) = 4(2nd term)
• 4th term = 256 = 4(64) = 4(3rd term)
and so on.
In general, a geometric progression looks like this:
Here,
• 'a' is the >irst term and
• 'r' is the common ratio (>ixed number)
Geometric Progression Example
Consider an example of a geometric progression: 1, 4, 16, 64, ... Observe
that 4/1 = 16/4 = 64/16 = ... = 4. All the ratios are same. Hence it is a GP.
Geometric Progression Formulas
Let the first term of the progression be a, the common ratio be r, and the
nth term be an. Then, the geometric progression formulas are given by:
• aₙ = arn - 1
• Sum of the >irst 'n' terms, Sₙ = a(rn - 1) / (r - 1) when r ≠ 1 and Sₙ = na when r
= 1.
• Sum of infinite geometric series, S∞ = a / (1 - r) when |r| < 1 and S∞ diverges
when |r| ≥ 1.
It should be noted that a special sequence or progression is obtained by certain manipulation
that is not uniform. Successive terms are obtained by reasoning and following the trend or
pattern of the sequence. Such sequences are not generated by a specific formula. Example
includes:
1, 4, 9, 16, 25….........
1121, 2100, 381, 464, 549 ……..
8, 9, 1, 14, 18, 23 …
SUMMARY
AP FORMUAE YOU NEED TO KNOW ARE:
• an = a + (n - 1) d
• d = an - an-1
• Sum of the first n terms, Sn = (n/2)*(a + l), where l = the last term = Tn.
Where a is the first term of the progression be, d is the common difference and the nth term be
an.
GP FORMUAE YOU NEED TO KNOW ARE:
• aₙ = arn - 1
• Sum of the first 'n' terms, Sₙ = a(rn - 1) / (r - 1) when r ≠ 1 and Sₙ = na when r = 1.
• Sum of infinite geometric series, S∞ = a / (1 - r) when |r| < 1 and S∞ diverges when
|r| ≥ 1.
Where the first term of the progression be a, the common ratio be r, and the nth term be an.
