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Arithmetic Sequences and Series

1) Gauss was asked to find the sum of the first 100 counting numbers and quickly realized the sum is 5050 by recognizing a pattern. 2) An arithmetic series is the sum of terms in an arithmetic sequence. The general formula for the sum of an arithmetic series is Sn = (n/2) * (a1 + an) where n is the number of terms, a1 is the first term, and an is the last term. 3) There are alternative formulas that can be used if the first term, common difference, and number of terms are known.

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46 views14 pages

Arithmetic Sequences and Series

1) Gauss was asked to find the sum of the first 100 counting numbers and quickly realized the sum is 5050 by recognizing a pattern. 2) An arithmetic series is the sum of terms in an arithmetic sequence. The general formula for the sum of an arithmetic series is Sn = (n/2) * (a1 + an) where n is the number of terms, a1 is the first term, and an is the last term. 3) There are alternative formulas that can be used if the first term, common difference, and number of terms are known.

Uploaded by

Feeyell Uy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Arithmetic

Sequences
and Series
Sequences Series

List with commas “Indicated sum”

3, 8, 13, 18 3 + 8 + 13 + 18
Arithmetic
Series
According to an old story, one day Gauss and his classmates were asked to find the
sum of the first hundred counting numbers.
1 + 2 + 3 + . . . 98 + 99 + 100.
All the other students in the class began by adding two
numbers at a time, starting from the first term. Gauss
found a quicker method.

Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss

Since there are 100 of these sums of 101, the total is 100 x 101 = 10 100.
The sum, 10 100, is twice the sum of the numbers 1 through 100, therefore
1 + 2 + 3 + . . . + 100 = 10,100/2 = 5050.
1.2.4
What is the sum of 1 to 100?
= (n+1)(n)
2
= (100+1)(100)
2
= (100+1)(100)
2
= (101)(100)
2
= 10,100
2

= 5,050
a1   a1  d    a1  2d   . . .   a1   n  1 d 
 a   n  1 d   . . .   a
1 1  2d    a1  d   a1

 a  a   n 1 d     a  a   n  1 d    . . .   a  a   n  1 d  


1 1 1 1 1 1

s
 S  Sum
n  a1  an   n  Number of Terms

 
a1  First Term
2 
 an  Last Term

The General Arithmetic Series
In general, the sum of an arithmetic series may be
written as:

n Used when you know the first

sn   t1  tn 
term, last term, and the number
of terms.
2 tn = a + (n- 1)d
n
S n   t1  t1  (n  1)d 
n - number of terms
t1 - first term
tn - last term
2
tn

n
sn  2a  n  1d 
Used when you know the first
term, the common difference, and
2 the number of terms.
1.2.6
Arithmetic Series: An indicated sum of
terms in an arithmetic sequence.

Example:

Arithmetic VS Arithmetic
Sequence Series

3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11
+ 13
Arithmetic Series
Determine the sum of the sequence 17, 12, 7, . . ., -38.

n n t1 = 17
sn   2t1   n  1 d  S n  (t1  tn ) tn = -38
2 2
d = -5
n=?
12
tn = t1 + (n - 1)d S12  (17  (38))
2
-38 = 17 + (n - 1)(-5)
-38 = 17 - 5n + 5 S12 = -126
-60 = -5n
12 = n

The sum of the sequence is -126.

1.2.7
Find the sum of the terms of this
arithmetic series. 35
n  a1  an 

k 1
 29  3k 
S
2

n  35 35  26  76 
S
a1  26 2
S  875
a35  76
Find the sum of the terms of this arithmetic
series. 151  147  143  139  . . .   5 
What term is -5?
n  a1  an  an  a1   n  1 d
S
2 5  151   n  1  4 
n  40
n  40 40  151  5 
S
a1  151 2
S  2920
a40  5
e f or m u la f o r th e su m of
Alternat
an Ar ith m e t ic Se ri e s .

Substitute an  a1   n  1 d

n  a1  an 
S
2
n  a1  a1   n  1 d  n  # of Terms
S 
2
 a1  1st Term
n  2a1   n  1 d   d  Difference
S 
2
n  a1  an  n  2a1   n  1 d 
S S
2 2
n  35 a1  40 an  130 n  35 a1  40 d  5

35  40  130  35  2  40    35  1 3


S S
2 2
S  1575 S  1575

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