What Is This Module About?

Have you encountered numbers in sequence? Were you not puzzled as to how these
numbers are arranged?
Some numbers are arranged following special patterns. Some of the special patterns
can be determined using your knowledge of sequences. In this module, you will learn
about arithmetic sequences and series.
The following lessons in the module will help you understand better the concepts of
arithmetic sequences and series:
Lesson 1 – Patterns, Patterns in a Set
Lesson 2 – The nth Term in an Arithmetic Sequence
Lesson 3 – The Sum of the First n Terms

Wait!
Before studying this module, please be sure that you have completed the module on
Positive and Negative Integers.

What Will You Learn From This Module?

After studying this module, you will be able to:
♦ state whether the given sequence is an arithmetic sequence or not;
♦ use the formula for finding the nth term of an arithmetic sequence;
♦ compute the sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic sequence; and

♦ solve problems which involve arithmetic sequences.

Let’s See What You Already Know

Try to answer the following exercises.

A. Determine if the given sequence is an arithmetic sequence. Write Yes if it is an
arithmetic sequence and No if it is not.
1. 2, 6, 10, 14, . . .

2. –4, 8, –16, 32, –64, . . .

3. 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, . . .

1
 4. 20, 13, 6, –1, –8, . . .

5. 2, 2 1/2 , 3, 3 1/2, . . .

B. Find the nth term in the following arithmetic sequences.

1. 5th term in the arithmetic sequence if the first term is 5 and the common
difference is 4.

2. 20th term in the sequence 2, 7, 12, 17, . . .

3. 4th term when the 1st term is 5 and the common difference
is 4.

4. 7th term in the sequence 3, 15, 27, . . .

C. Find the sum of the 1st n terms in the following arithmetic sequences.
1. sum of the first 32 terms in the arithmetic sequence if the common
difference is –3 and the 1st term is 7.

2. sum of the first 6 terms of an arithmetic sequence if the 1st term is 4 and the
common difference is –3.

D. Solve the following problems.

1. Mark takes a job with a starting salary of P50.00 per hour. He was promised
an increase of P5.00 per hour every three months for 5 years. What will be
his wage per hour at the end of 5 years?

2. Sally had P3.00 on August 1 and was determined to add to this every day.
She had P3.25 on August 2; P3.50 on August 3; and P3.75 on August 4 and
so on until August 31. How much would she have at the end of August?

Well, how was it? Do you think you fared well? Compare your answers with those in
the Answer Key on page 37 to find out.
If all your answers are correct, very good! This shows that you already know much
about the topic in this module. You may still study the module to review what you already
know. Who knows, you might learn a few more new things as well.
If you got a low score, don’t feel bad. This means that this module is for you. It will
help you understand some important concepts that you can apply in your daily life. If you
study this module carefully, you would learn the answers to all the items in the test and a
lot more! Are you ready?
You may go now to the next page to begin Lesson 1.

2
 LESSON 1

Arithmetic Sequence

This lesson will introduce you to sets of numbers following certain patterns called
arithmetic sequences. After this lesson, you should be able to tell whether a certain set of
numbers is an arithmetic sequence or not.

Suppose you jog every day to maintain good health. On the 1st day of the week you
ran 150 meters; on the 2nd day, 155 meters; on the 3rd day, 160 meters; and on the 4th day,
165 meters. Now, pause for a while and look at the number of meters you covered each
day. Do you see a pattern?
Let us present the values as in the table below.

D ay 1 2 3 4

Meters covered 150 155 160 165

What did you observe with the given numbers? What is the difference between the
number of meters covered on the second day and the number of meters covered on the first
day? What about the number of meters covered on the fourth day compared to that on the
third day?

3
 Note that the number of meters covered each day increases by 5 meters. Notice that on
Day 1, you covered 150 meters. On Day 2, you covered 155 meters. This is 5 meters more
than 150, the number of meters you covered on the first day. On Day 3, you covered 160
meters which is 5 meters more than 155. On Day 4, you covered 165 meters which is also
5 meters more than 160.
Suppose you continue jogging for two more days, each time increasing the distance
you will cover by 5 meters.
Can you determine the distance or the number of meters you will cover on the fifth
day and on the sixth day? Write your answers in the spaces provided in the chart below.

D ay 1 2 3 4 5 6

Number of meters
150 155 160 165
covered

I’m sure your answers are correct. But let’s do it together. Once the numbers are
arranged in a series, we follow these steps:
STEP 1 Determine the common difference.

To do this, we find the difference between any two consecutive numbers in

the sequence.

150 155 160 165

155 – 150 = 5 160 – 155 = 5 165 – 160 = 5

5 is the common difference.

STEP 2 To get the next number in the series, add the common difference to the last
number in the series.

In our problem, the common difference is 5. Following Step 2, we will add

5 to the last number in the series, which is 165. We will then get 170, which
should be the number of meters you will cover on the 6th day. To get the
number of meters you should cover on the 7th day, simply add the common
difference (5) again to the last number. Hence, 170 + 5 = 175. This is the
next number in the series.

It’s very easy, isn’t it?

To repeat, the difference, which is 5 meters is called the common difference and is
usually denoted by d. This is constant throughout the series. This means that it will always
be 5 for this particular series of numbers.

4
 Let’s Remember

To find the common difference, simply get the difference between any two
consecutive terms in the sequence.

For example, in the given problem, two consecutive terms may be 150 and 155. The
difference is 5. To check, we take other consecutive terms—160 and 165. Note that the
difference is also 5. We can therefore safely conclude that the common difference is 5.
Now, let us try another example.

Suppose you want to save a certain amount of money for the coming Christmas
season because you want to buy a special gift for your mother. Initially, you had P10.00.
On the next day, from your pocket money, you decided to set aside P5.00, and add this to
your P10.00. Then, to increase your savings, you promised yourself that every day you will
add P5.00 to your savings. How much money do you think you will have after 10 days?
To determine the amount of money you will have saved after ten days, let us first
analyze the problem.

5
 First, state the given facts.

P10.00 — initial amount set aside as savings

P5.00 — amount you add every day to your savings

10 — number of days you will save

Second, find out what is being asked for in the problem. In this case: How much
money will you save after 10 days?
Third, solve the problem.
To solve the problem, present the information in tabular form as in:

D ay Amount Saved

1 P10.00 initial amount

2 15.00 10.00 + 5.00 P

(50.0 si hte amount of money
you decdied ot add ot your
3 20.00 15.00 + 5.00 savnigs every day. Thsi si hte
common edfrnice bw
eten hte
4 25.00 20.00 + 5.00 amount saved on hte second day
5 30.00 25.00 + 5.00
and htat on hte rfsit day).

6 35.00 30. 00 + 5.00

7 40.00 35.00 + 5.00

8 45.00 40.00 + 5.00

9 50.00 45.00 + 5.00

10 55.00 50.00 + 5.00

From the table, you can see that after 10 days you will have saved P55.00.
Note, too, that you added P5.00 to your total savings every day.
Now, can you try working on the next problem by yourself?

6
 Let’s Try This

Mario is a jeepney driver plying the route from Fairview to Quiapo. Every day he
passes by the gasoline station to buy diesel gas for his jeepney. With the increasing prices
of gasoline and diesel, he wants to monitor the number of liters of diesel he uses every day.
So, every day, he takes note of the number of liters of diesel his jeep uses up. On
Monday, his jeep used up 7 liters of diesel gas. On Tuesday, it used up 7.5 liters of diesel
gas. On Wednesday, he bought 8 liters of diesel gas. On Thursday, it used up 8.5 liters.
How many liters of diesel gas do you think will he buy on Friday? What about on
Saturday?
It will be helpful to you if you will first determine the following information:
a. initial liters of diesel used = __________

b. number of liters being added every day or the common difference = __________
Having determined the common difference, fill in the blanks in the table below:

Number of Liters of
D ays
Diesel Gas Used

Monday 7

Tuesday 7.5

Wednesday 8

Thursday 8.5

Friday

Saturday

7
 Is your answer for Friday 9 liters and 9.5 liters for Saturday? If you did, you’re doing
well!

Let’s Learn

The three examples you worked on earlier are examples of an arithmetic sequence or
arithmetic progression.
An arithmetic sequence or arithmetic progression is a set or series of numbers
following a certain pattern depending on the common difference. The common difference
is constant or a fixed number.
Any series of numbers that do not have a common difference is not an arithmetic
sequence or progression.
Here are some more examples of arithmetic sequences.
a. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35
b. 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280
c. 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, 115
d. 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700

Let’s Review

Determine if the following series of numbers are arithmetic sequences or not. If the
given is an arithmetic sequence, write S on the space provided. If not, write N.
______ 1. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14

______ 2. 5, 4, 7, 9, 11, 10, 8

______ 3. 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 43

______ 4. 14, 15, 17, 17, 19, 20, 21

______ 5. 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136

______ 6. 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70

______ 7. 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5

______ 8. P15.00, P17.00, P19.00, P21.00

8
 ______ 9. 17, 18, 35, 34, 21, 22, 16

______ 10. 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28

Compare your answers with those found in the Answer Key on page 37. If you got 6 to
10 correct answers, you’re doing great. You can proceed to the next lesson. If you got only
6 or less, read Lesson 1 again and after doing that, try to solve the exercises given above
again.

9
 LESSON 2

The nth Term

in an Arithmetic Sequence

In this lesson, you will learn how to determine the missing numbers in an arithmetic
sequence without going through the process of constructing a table as you did earlier.
Consider the following set of numbers that represent the number of meters you cover
while jogging each day: 150, 155, 160, 165, 170, 175.
This represents an arithmetic sequence. Each number in an arithmetic sequence is
called a term. The 1st number is called the 1st term, the 2nd, the 2nd term, and so on.
The 1st term in the sequence above is 150. The 2nd term is 155. The 3rd term is 160 and
so on.
If we use a letter, like the letter a to replace any term in the sequence, we need to
indicate whether it is the first, the second, or the third term in the sequence. This is done by
writing a number at the lower right of the letter. This number is called a subscript. In the
example, a1 is the first term in the sequence. We can therefore say that a1 = 150.
The symbol for the 2nd term is a2. In our example, a2 = 155.
What about the symbols for the following terms? The third and fourth terms have
been done for you.

3rd term: a3

4th term: a4

5th term: _____

6th term: _____

•
•
9th term: _____
•
•
•
nth term: _____

10
 If your answers are a5, a6 , a9 and an, then you got the answers right.
Remember our previous example on the number of meters covered when jogging? We
can now represent those numbers as terms in a series. The numbers can be represented as:

a1 = 150 (first term)

a2 = 155 (150 + 5)
a3 = 160 (155 + 5)
a4 = 165
a5 = 170

a6 = 175

Observe how a term in the sequence above is obtained.

2nd term: 155 = 150 + 5

This means that the 2nd term is obtained by adding 5 to the 1st term. Thus, we have:

a2 = 150 + 5
Recall that in Lesson 1, we determined the common difference d = 5. Then by
substituting 5 to d, we get:

a2 = 150 + d
150 is a1, the first term. Substituting 150 to a1, we get the following number sentence
for a2:

a2 = a1 + d

a2 = 150 + 5 = 155

The 3rd term, which is 160, is obtained by adding 155 + 5. But 155 = 150 + 5.
So, substituting 155 with (150 + 5), changes our number sentence to:

160 = (150 + 5) + 5

This means that the 3rd term is obtained by adding 5 two times to the 1st term.
Thus we have:

a3 = 150 + 2 (5) or a3 = a1 + 2d

The fourth term is:

4th term: 165 = 160 + 5

165 = (155 + 5) + 5

165 = (150 + 5) + 5 + 5.

11
 This means that the 4th term is obtained by adding 5 three times to the 1st term. So we
have:

a4 = 150 + 3 (5) or a4 = a1 + 3d

The fifth term is:

5th term: 170 = 165 + 5

170 = (160 + 5) + 5

170 = (155 + 5) + 5 + 5

170 = (150 + 5) + 5 + 5 + 5

This means that the 5th term is obtained by adding 5 four times to the 1st term.

a5 = 150 + 4 (5) or a5 = a1 + 4d

So, how do you think can we obtain the 6th term in the same arithmetic sequence?
a6 = 150 + ___ (5) or a6 = a1 + ___d

How many times do we add 5 to the 1st term? You’re right. We will add 5 five times
to the 1st term.
So the 6th term is: a6 = 150 + 5 (5) or a6 = a1 + 5d
And what if you are to obtain the 7th term? How many times will you add 5 to the 1st
term?
Give your answer by filling in the blanks below.
7th term: a7 = 150 + ___ (5) or a7 = a1 + ____d
You’re doing great! So, let’s continue.
Now, what have you noticed about our number sentences for the previous terms?
Let us examine them closely.

a2 = a1 + d
a3 = a1 + 2d where a1 is the first term,
a4 = a1 + 3d and d is the common
difference
a5 = a1 + 4d
a6 = a1 + 5d

What have you noticed about the number of times you multiplied d? Compare this
with the order of the terms.
For example, a6 = a1 + 5d.

12
 This is the sixth term, right? But you are multiplying d five times. And 5 is one less
than 6 or 6 – 1 = 5.
Let’s try another term: a7 = a1 + 6d
So, we can write: a7 = a1 + (7– 1) d
For the rest of the terms, we can also write them as:

a8 = a1 + (8 – 1) d
a9 = a1 + (9 – 1) d
a10 = a1 + (10 – 1) d

Now, suppose we want to find the nth term (n designates any number in the term), our
nth term would be:
an = a1 + (n – 1) d
This now becomes our guide or rule in finding any term in an arithmetic sequence for
as long as you have already determined d, or the common difference.

This is also known as the formula for finding the nth term in an arithmetic sequence.

an = a1 + (n – 1) d (this is equation 1)

Let us try using the formula.

Exercise
Find the following nth terms in an arithmetic sequence with 25 as the first term and 3
as the common difference (d). Numbers 1 and 2 have been done for you.
1. 3rd term or a3 = 31

a 3 = 25 + (3 − 1) 3
= 25 + 2 × 3
= 25 + 6
a 3 = 31

2. fifth term or a5 = 37

a5 = 25 + (5 – 1) 3
= 25 + 4 × 3
= 25 + 12

a5 = 37

3. a7 = _____
4. a9 = _____
5. a11 = _____

13
 Compare your answers with those found in the Answer Key on page 37.

EXAMPLE 1 Consider the sequence 2, 6, 10, 14, . . . . What is the 12th term in the given
sequence?

Follow the steps below to solve this problem.

STEP 1 Find the common difference.

6 – 2 = ____

10 – 6 = ____

14 – 10 = ____

The common difference is: d = 4.

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.

The 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence is 2. This means that a1 = 2.

STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.

You are asked for the 12th term in the given arithmetic sequence. Thus, the
symbol for the unknown term is a12.

STEP 4 Write the equation or the number sentence for the unknown term in the
sequence.

The equation for a12 is:

a12 = a1 + (12 – 1) d

a12 = a1 + 11d

STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve for the answer.

From Step 1, d = 4 and from Step 2, a1 = 2. Thus we have

a12 = a1 + 11d

a12 = 2 + 11 (4) = 46

This means that the 12th term of the arithmetic sequence 2, 6, 10, 14, . . . . . .
is 46.

14
 Now, supposing the common difference is a negative number. What do we do? We
follow the same steps. But we should recall how to add and multiply signed numbers.
Consider the following examples.

EXAMPLE 2 What is the 15 th term of the sequence 5, 3, 1, –1, –3, –5, . . .?

Following the steps, we will have:

STEP 1 Find the common difference.

3 – 5 = ____

1 – 3 = ____

–3 – (–1) = ____

The common difference d = –2.

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.

The 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence is 5. This means that a1 = 5.

STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.

You are asked for the 15th term in the given arithmetic sequence. Thus, we
solve for a15.

STEP 4 Write the equation for the unknown term in the sequence.

The equation for a15 is:

a15 = a1 + (15 – 1) d = a15 = a1 + 14d

STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve for the result.

From Step 1, d = –2 and from Step 2, a 1 = 5. Thus we have:

a15 = a1 + 14d

a15 = 5 + 14 (–2) = –23.

The 15th term of the sequence 5, 3, 1, –1, –3, –5, . . . is –23.

Now, try doing the next example by yourself. Just follow the steps.

EXAMPLE 3 What is the 17th term of the sequence 2, –1, –4, –7, . . . ?

15
 STEP 1 Find the common difference.

–1 – (2) = _____
–4 – (–1) = _____
_____ – _____ = _____

The common difference d = _____

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.

The 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence is _____. This means that
a1 = _____.

STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.

You are asked for the 17th term in the given arithmetic sequence. Thus, we
solve for _____.

STEP 4 Write the equation for the unknown term in the sequence.

The equation for a17 is:

a17 = ______________.

STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve for the result.

From Step 1, d = ____ and from Step 2, a1 = ____. Thus we have

a17 = a1 + ____d

a17 = __________ = ____

The 17th term of the arithmetic sequence 2, –1, –4, –7, . . . is _____ .

Compare your answers with those given in the Answer Key on page 38.

Now, suppose you are tired of using the steps in solving for the nth term, what other
method can you use?
Remember the formula:

an = a1 + (n – 1)d (let us call this formula equation 1)

This is the formula you will use in finding any term in the sequence provided you
know a1 and d.
Solve the following problem using the formula.

16
PROBLEM 1 What is the 20th term of the sequence 10, 13, 16, 19, . . . ?

Let’s solve this problem together.

SOLUTION First, we need to know the following:

first term = _____ : the first term is 10

d = _____ : d = 13 – 10 = 3
16 – 13 = 3
19 – 16 = 3

Second, we should know what is being asked for in the problem.

The unknown in the problem is the 20th term in the sequence. This is
represented as a20.
Knowing the first term or a1 = 10 and d = 3, we can now substitute these
values in the equation as follows:
an = a1 + (n – 1)d
Substituting these values in the formula, we have:
a20 = a1 + 19d
a20 = 10 + 19 (3) = 67
Thus, the 20th term of the arithmetic sequence 10, 13, 16, 19, . . . is 67.
Do you understand the solutions to the examples presented? If you do, you may
continue reading this module. If you do not, read the discussion and try answering the
problems again. I’m sure that after the second reading, the topic will become clearer to
you.
Let us try some more problems.

PROBLEM 2 Simon takes a job with a starting salary of P30.00 per hour. He was
promised an increase of P5.00 per hour every three months for 5 years.
What will be his wage per hour at the end of 5 years?

Let us analyze the problem.

The following are the given facts in the problem:

starting wage = P30.00 per hour;

increase of P5.00 per hour every 3 months for 5 years. This means that after
3 months, his wage will be P35.00 per hour. After 6 months, his wage will
be P40.00 per hour and so on.
Now, since there are 12 months in 1 year, 5 years = 60 months.

17
 But the increase is done every 3 months. Thus, 60/3 = 20. This means that
in 5 years, his wage will increase by P5.00 per hour 20 times.
Therefore, we have the sequence 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, . . . .

STEP 1 Find the common difference.

35 – 30 = ____

____ – ____ = ____

____ – ____ = ____

The common difference is: d = _____

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.

The 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence is ____. This means that a1 =
____.

STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.

You are asked for the 20th term in the given arithmetic sequence. Thus, we
solve for ____.

STEP 4 Write the equation for the unknown term in the sequence.

The equation for a20 is:

a20 = ______________

STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve.

From Step 1, d = ____ and from Step 2, a1 = ____. Thus we have:

a20 = a1 + ____d

a20 = __________ = ____

Simon’s wage per hour at the end of 5 years will be _____.

Compare your answers with those found in the Answer Key on page 38. If your
answers are wrong, read the parts which are not clear to you again. If you got them
right, congratulations. You did a very good job. Try solving the next problem.

18
PROBLEM 3 Analiza saved P5.00 on 1 September, P5.25 on 2 September, P5.50 on 3
September and so on until 30 September. How much would she have saved
by the end of the month?

Again, let’s analyze the given problem.

What are the values given in the problem? You’re right. We have 5, 5.25,
5.5, 5.75, . . . . What do these numbers form? The numbers form an
arithmetic sequence.

Instead of following the 5 steps, let’s just use the formula.

You are asked for the amount that Analiza would be able to save by 30
September. This is equivalent to the 30th term of the arithmetic sequence 5,
5.25, 5.5, 5.75, . . . with a1 = 5 and d = 5.25 – 5 = .25

Using the formula, we have:

an = a1 + (n–1) d

a30 = 5 + 29 (.25) = 12.25

This means that Analiza will be able to save P12.25 by 30 September.

Let’s Remember

♦ To solve for the nth term in an arithmentic sequence, we use the formula:
an = a1 + (n–1)d where an = nth term

a1 = 1st term
n = number of terms
d = common difference
♦ We follow the following steps in using the equation above:
STEP 1 Find the common difference.
STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.
STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.
STEP 4 Write the equation for the unknown term in the sequence.
STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve for the result.

19
 Let’s See What You Have Learned

A. Use the 5 steps in applying the formula for finding the nth term in an arithmetic
sequence to solve the following.
1. Find the 28th term in an arithmetic sequence if the 1st term is 20 and the
common difference is –5.

2. What is the 17th term in the arithmetic sequence 7, 7.3, 7.6, 7.9, . . . ?

B. Use the formula an = a1 + (n–1)d in finding the nth term in the following
arithmetic sequences.
1. A stack of bricks has 61 bricks in the bottom layer, 58 bricks in the 2nd
layer, 55 bricks in the 3rd layer, and 10 bricks in the last layer. How many
bricks are there in the 11th layer?

2. The seats in a theater are arranged so that there are 70 seats in the 1st row, 72
seats in the 2nd row and so on for 30 rows altogether. How many seats are
there in the last row?

3. Once a month, a man puts some money in a cookie jar. During the 1st month
he has P10.50 and each month he adds P0.50 more into the jar. How much
money was placed in the jar during the last month of the 4th year?

Compare your answers with those found in the Answer Key on pages 39 and 40. If you
got 4 or 5 correct answers, you’re doing great. Continue reading this module. If you got
only 4 or below, read Lesson 2 again, then try solving the exercises given again.

20
 LESSON 3

The Sum of the First n Terms

In this lesson, you will learn how to find the sum of the first n terms in an arithmetic
sequence. You will also learn how to apply that process in your daily life.

Let’s Study and Analyze

Jaine-Anne noticed that when she changed the brand of soft drinks she was selling,
her number of customers increased every day.

21
 Shown in the table is a list of the number of bottles of soft drinks Jaine-Anne sold
from Monday to Saturday.

Day Number of Bottles

1 20

2 70

3 120

4 170

5 220

6 270

PROBLEM How many bottles of soft drinks will Jaine-Anne sell in 10 days?

Let’s solve the problem together.

From the series of numbers, find out the following:

1. Is the series an arithmentic sequence?

2. Do the numbers in the series have a common difference? If yes, what is

the common difference or d?

3. What is the first term or a1?

Before answering Question 1, first determine if there is a common

difference.

Let us compute for the common difference by finding the difference

between two consecutive numbers.

70 – 20 = 50

120 – 70 = 50

170 – 120 = 50

So, there is a common difference or d, which is 50. Therefore, the numbers

follow an arithmetic sequence.

Now, the first term is 20. This is a1.

We can now solve for the number of soft drinks that Jaine-Anne can sell in
10 days.

22
 Let us add:

20 + 70 = 90

90 is the sum of the 1st two terms.

20 + 70 + 120 = 210

210 is the sum of the 1st three terms.

20 + 70 + 120 + 170 = 380

380 is the sum of the 1st four terms.

20 + 70 + 120 + 170 + 220 = 600

600 is the sum of the 1st five terms.

20 + 70 + 120 + 170 + 220+ 270 = 870

870 is the sum of the 1st six terms.

Each of these sums is called an arithmetic series. An arithmetic series is

the sum of the 1st n terms of an arithmetic sequence. In the example above,
90, 210, 380, 600, 870 and so on is an example of an arithmetic series.

Do you want to discover a formula for finding the sum of the 1st n terms of
an arithmetic sequence? That’s good! So, let’s continue.

EXAMPLE 1 Consider the sequence in the example above.

20, 70, 120, 170, 220, 270, . . .

Earlier, we added the terms in the arithmetic sequence and we came up with
the following sums:

90, 210, 380, 600, 870

Let us write S to replace the sum. Again, let’s use a subscript, say 2.

S2 means the sum of the 1st two terms in an arithmetic sequence.

How do you write the sum of the 1st three terms? S3 is the sum of the 1st
three terms in an arithmetic sequence.

How do you write the sum of the 1st four terms? ______

How do you write the sum of the 1st five terms? ______
How do you write the the sum of the 1st six terms? ______

23
 How do you write the sum of the 1st ten terms? ______
How do you write then the sum of the 1st n terms? ______
If your answers are S4, S5, S6, S10 and Sn, then you did a very good job.

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term and the common difference in the given sequence.

In the activity that you did, the 1st term and the common difference are
given: a1 = 20 and d = 70 – 20 = 50.

STEP 3 Find the formula for finding the unknown sum.

Now, note that in the activity that you did:

S2 = 90; S3 = 210; S4 = 380

What is the sum of a1 = 20 and a2 = 70?

20 + 70 = 90

What is the quotient if you divide that sum by 2?

(20 + 70) ÷ 2 = 90 ÷ 2 = 45

How is your last answer related to S2? We say that:

S2 = 90 = 45 (2)

What is the sum of a1 = 20 and a3 = 120?

20 + 120 = 140

What is the quotient if you divide that sum by 2?

(20 + 120) ÷ 2 =______

How is your last answer related to S3? We say that,

S3 = 210 = 70 (3)

What is the sum of a1 = 20 and a4 = 170?

20 + 170 = ______

What is the quotient if you divide that sum by 2?

(20 + 170) ÷ 2 = ______

How is your last answer related to S4? We say that:

S4 = 380 = 95 (4)

24
Let us again go back to our computations for Sn.

a1 + a 2
S2 = (2)
2
a +a
S3 = 1 3 (3)
2
a +a
S4 = 1 4 (4)
2

What then is the formula for S5, S6 and S7?

Are your answers the same as those written below? If yes, you’ve done a
good job!

a1 + a 5
S5 = (5)
2
a +a
S6 = 1 6 (6)
2
a +a
S7 = 1 7 (7 )
2

So, now I’m sure you can write the formula for Sn.

__ + a n
Sn = (n )
2
Here’s the formula:

a1 + a n
Sn = (n )
2
or

Sn =
n
(a 1 + a n ) (let us call this Equation 2)
2

Use this formula or equation if you have the following information given:
1. the value of the first term or a1
2. the value of the nth term or an

25
 Can you think of any other formula for Sn?
Suppose an is not given. Let us see how we can do this.
In Lesson 2, you learned that an = a1 + (n – 1)d. Using this in Equation 2,
we have:

Sn =
n
(a 1 + a n )
2
Sn = [a 1 + a 1 + (n − 1)d ]
n
2

Thus, by adding the two a1 we will have:

Sn =
n
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ] (let us call this Equation 3)
2

Equations 2 and 3 are used to compute for the sum of the 1st n terms in an
arithmetic sequence.
When do we use Equation 2?
Equation 2 is used when the 1st term, a1 and the nth term, an are given.
When do we use Equation 3?
Equation 3 is used when the 1st term a1 and the common difference, d are
given.
If you cannot follow anymore, read the previous discussion again. If things
are clear to you, that’s good! Continue reading this module.
In Example 1, the 1st term and the common difference are given so we can
use Equation 3. Thus, we have:

S10 =
10
[2a 1 + (10 − 1)d ]
2

STEP 4 Substitute the given values in the formula and solve for the unknown.

From Step 2, we have a1 = 20 and d = 50. From Step 3 we then have:

S10 =
10
[2a 1 + (10 − 1)d ]
2

26
 Substituting the values in the equation:

S10 =
10
[2(20) + (10 − 1)50]
2
= 5[40 + 9(50)]
S10 = 2,450

This means that Jaine-Anne can sell up to 2,450 bottles of softdrinks in 10

days.
Let’s look at another example.

EXAMPLE 2 What is the sum of the 1st 32 terms in the arithmetic sequence if the
common difference is 3 and the 1st term is 7?

To solve this, follow the steps below:

STEP 1 Determine what the unknown is and write its arithmetic notation.

In the given problem you are asked to determine the 1st 32 terms in the
arithmetic sequence. Thus, you are to solve for S32.

STEP 2 Find out what the given facts in the problem are.

The problem has the following given facts:

The 1st term or a1 = 7.
The common difference or d = 3.

STEP 3 Determine which formula to use, given the first term, a1 and the common
difference, d.

Remember, there are two equations or formulas for finding the sum of the
first n terms.

The first formula: Sn =

n
(a 1 + a n ) or Equation 2 is used when we have the
2
following information given:
a. the value of the 1st term or a1
b. the value of the nth term or an

The second formula, Sn =

n
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ] or Equation 3 is used when we
2
have the following information given:

27
 a. the value of the 1st term or a1
b. the value of the common difference or d
The example that we are working on has the following information given:
a. the first term or a1 = 7
b. the common difference or d = 3
From the information given in the example, we choose the second formula
or Equation 3 in solving the problem.

STEP4 Using Formula 2 or Equation 3 and substituting the given values, we have:

S 32 =
32
[2a1 + (32 − 1)d ]
2
= [2(7 ) + (32 − 1)3]
32
2
= 16[14 + 3(31)]
S 32 = 1,712

Thus, the sum of the 1st 32 terms in the arithmetic sequence is 1,712.

Let’s look at another example.

EXAMPLE 3 Find the sum of the 1st 21 terms in an arithmetic sequence if the 1st term is 7
and the last term is –53.

Let’s analyze the problem.

STEP 1 Determine what the given facts are.

The 1st and last terms of the sequence are given.

a1 = 7 and a21 = –53

STEP 2 Determine what is being asked for in the problem and write this in
arithmetic notation.

In the given problem, you are asked for the 1st 21 terms in the arithmetic
sequence. Thus, you are to solve for _____.

STEP 3 Decide which formula to use for finding the unknown sum given the 1st and
last terms.

28
 We are given the 1st and last terms in the sequence so, we use Equation 2.

Sn =
n
(a 1 + a n )
2

S21 =
21
(a1 + a 21 )
2

STEP 4 Substitute the given values in the formula and solve for the unknown.

In the problem, we are given a1 = 7 and a21 = –53. From Step 3, we have:

S21 =
21
(a 1 + a 21 )
2
By substituting the values in the formula, we get,

S21 =
21
[7 + (− 53)]
2
= 10.5(− 46 )
S21 = −483

Thus, the sum of the 1st 21 terms in the arithmetic sequence is –483.

EXAMPLE 4 A wife earned P10,000.00 during her 1st year of working and receives
P300.00 more every year. She saves all her earnings because she budgets
her husband’s salary wisely. How much money will she have at the end of
12 years?

Here is my analysis.
The wife saves P10,000 during the 1st year, P10,300 during the 2nd year,
P10,600 during the 3rd year and so on until the 12th year. 10,000, 10,300,
10,600, . . . form an arithmetic sequence.

STEP 1 Determine what the given facts are.

The 1st term and the common difference of the sequence are
given.
a1 = 10,000 and d = 10,300 – 10,000 = 300

STEP 2 Determine what is being asked for in the problem and write this in
arithmetic notation.

29
 In the given problem, you are being asked for the sum of the 1st 12 terms in
the arithmetic sequence. Thus, you are to solve for S12.

STEP 3 Decide which formula to use for finding the unknown sum given the 1st term
and the common difference.

We are given the 1st term and the common difference, so we will use
Equation 3.

Sn =
n
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ]
2

S12 =
12
[2a 1 + (12 − 1)d ]
2

STEP 4 Substitute the given values in the formula and solve for the unknown.

In the problem, we are given a1 = 10,000 and d = 300.

From Step 3, we will have:

S12 =
12
[2a1 + (12 − 1)d ]
2
= [2(P10,000 ) + (12 − 1)P300]
12
2
= 6[P20,000 + (11)P300]
S12 = P139,800

This means that the wife will have P139,800.00 at the end of 12 years.
Try solving the following by yourself.
EXERCISE Jose is saving for a pair of shoes. He sets aside P35.00 on the 1st week and
increases his savings constantly every week. On the 8th week, he has saved
P105.00 and discovers that he already has the exact amount for the pair of
shoes. How much is the pair of shoes?

Analyze the problem.

The values given in the problem can be related to an arithmetic sequence
because the savings are increased constantly. This means that there is a
common difference.

STEP 1 Determine the given facts.

The 1st and the last terms of the sequence are given.
a1 = ______ and a8 = ______

30
 STEP 2 Determine what is being asked for in the problem and write this in
arithmetic notation.

In the given problem, you are being asked for the sum of the 1st eight terms
in the arithmetic sequence. Thus, you are to solve for _____.

STEP 3 Decide which formula should be used in finding the unknown sum given the
1st and last terms.

We are given the 1st and last terms in the sequence so, we use Equation
____.
____________________

STEP 4 Substitute the given values in the formula and solve for the unknown.

In the problem, we are given a1 = _____ and a8 = _____.

From Step 3, we will have:
____ = __________________
By substituting the given values in the formula, we get:
____ = __________________ = _____

Thus, the pair of shoes cost _____.

Compare your answers with those given in the Answer Key on pages 40.

Let’s Remember

♦ The formula S n =
n
(a1 + an ) (Equation 2)
2

or S n =
n
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ] (Equation 3)
2
where: n = number of terms
a1 = 1st term
an = nth term
d = common difference
are the two equations used to find the sum of the 1st n terms in an arithmetic
sequence.

31
 ♦ We follow the steps below in using the given equations.
STEP 1 Determine what the given facts in the problem are. If the 1st and last terms
are given, use Equation 2.
If the 1st term and the common difference are given, use Equation 3.
STEP 2 Determine what is being asked for in the problem and write this in
arithmetic notation.
STEP 3 Decide which formula to use in finding the unknown sum based on the
given facts or information.
STEP 4 Substitute the given values in the formula and solve for the unknown.

Let’s See What You Have Learned

A. Use the four steps you just learned in finding the sum of the 1st n terms in an
arithmetic sequence to solve the following:
1. Find the sum of the 1st 26 terms in an arithmetic sequence whose 1st term is
15 and common difference is –1/5.

2. What is the sum of the 1st 11 terms in an arithmetic sequence whose 1st term
is –40 and the 11th term is –73?

B. Use the formula (Equation 2 or Equation 3) for finding the sum of the 1st n terms
in an arithmetic sequence to solve the following problems.
1. A stack of bricks has 61 bricks in the bottom layer, 58 bricks in the 2nd
layer, 55 bricks in the 3rd layer and 10 bricks in the last or 18th layer. How
many bricks are there in all?

2. The seats in a theater are arranged so that there are 70 seats in the 1st row, 72
seats in the 2nd row and so on for 30 rows altogether. How many seats in all
are there in the theater?

5. Once a month, a man puts money into a cookie jar. During the 1st month he
has P10.50 and each month he adds an amount P0.50 more. How much
money had he put in the jar at the end of 4 years?

Compare your answers with those given in the Answer Key on pages 40 and 41. If you
got 4 or 5 correct answers, you’re doing great. Continue reading this module. If you get a
score below 4, read Lesson 3 again. Review the parts you did not understand very well.

32
 Let’s Sum Up

Let us summarize what you have learned in this module.

♦ An arithmetic sequence is a set of terms in which any 2 consecutive terms have
a common difference. Each term in the sequence, except the 1st one, is obtained
by adding the common difference to the previous term.

The equation an = a1 + (n – 1)d where an = nth term

a1 = 1st term

n = number of terms

d = common difference

is used to compute for the nth term in an arithmetic sequence.

We follow the following steps in using the equation above:

STEP 1 Find the common difference.

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.

STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.

STEP 4 Write the equation for the unknown term in the sequence.

STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve for the unknown.

♦ To solve for the nth term of an arithmetic sequence, we use the formula:

an = a1 + (n – 1)d where an = nth term

a1 = 1st term

n = number of terms

d = common difference

We follow the following steps in using the given equation:

STEP 1 Find the common difference.

STEP 2 Determine the 1st term in the given arithmetic sequence.

STEP 3 Find the symbol for the unknown term in the sequence.

33
 STEP 4 Write the equation for the unknown term in the sequence.

STEP 5 Substitute the values in the equation and solve for the unknown.

♦ The formula:

Sn =
n
(a 1 + a n ) (Equation 2)
2

or Sn =
n
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ] (Equation 3)
2

where n = number of terms

a1 = 1st term
an = nth term
d = common difference

are the two equations used to find the sum of the 1st n terms of an arithmetic
sequence.
We follow the steps below in using the equations above:
STEP 1 Determine the given facts in the problem. If the 1st and last terms are
given, use Equation 2.

If the 1st term and the common difference are given, use Equation 3.

STEP 2 Determine what is being asked for in the problem and write in
arithmetic notation.

STEP 3 Decide which formula to use in finding the unknown sum based on the
given facts or information.

STEP 4 Substitute the given values in the formula and solve for the unknown.

34
 What Have You Learned?

Let us check if you understood the topics discussed in this module. Answer the
exercises given below.
A. Determine if the given sequence is an arithmetic sequence or not. Write Yes if it
is and No if it is not.
1. 3, –1, –5, –9, . . .
2. ½, 2, 8, 16, . . .
3. 5¼, 5½, 5¾, 6, . . .
3
4. /2, –3/4, 3/8, –3/16, . . .
5. 6, –18, 54, –162, . . .
B. Use the formula for finding the nth term of the following arithmetic sequences.
1. 10th term in the arithmetic sequence with –9 as the 1st term and 4 as the
common difference.

2. 12th term in a sequence if the first term is 5 and the common difference is 5.

3. 6th term in the sequence 3, 6, 9, . . . .

4. 5th term in the sequence if the 1st term is 64 and the common difference is 4.

C. Use the appropriate formula in finding the sum of the 1st n terms of an arithmetic
sequence given the following:
1. 4, 1, –2, . . .

2. 5, 9, 13, 17, . . .

D. Solve the following problems.

1. Lydia is preparing for a coming marathon. She plans to run for seven days.
She decides to cover 2 km on the first day and constantly increase the
number of kilometers to cover each day by ½ km. How many kilometers
will she have to cover on the last day?

2. In a potato race, the first and last potatoes are 5 m and 15 m away,
respectively, from the starting line and the rest are equally spaced 1 m away
from each other. What is the total distance traveled by a runner who brings
them one at a time to the finishing line?

3. For finishing a certain job, Pepe earns P10.00 on the first day, P20.00 on the
second day, P30.00 on the third and so on. How much will Pepe earn in 5
days?
35
 Compare your answers with those found in the Answer Key on pages 42 to 44. If your
score falls between 14 – 15, congratulations. You did great. You really understood the
topics discussed in this module. However, if you scored below 14, look at the descriptive
ratings given below:

11 – 13 Very satisfactory. Just review the parts of the module you did not
understand very well.

8 – 10 Satisfactory. Review the parts you did not understand and solve
other exercises similar to those.

1–7 Study the whole module again.

36
 Answer Key

A. Let’s See What You Already Know (pages 1-2)

A. 1. Yes
2. No
3. No
4. Yes
5. Yes

B. 1. 21
2. 97
3. 17
4. 75

C. 1. –1,264
2. –21

D. 1. P145.00
2. P10.50

B. Lesson 1

Let’s Review (pages 8-9)

1. S 6. S
2. N 7. S
3. S 8. S
4. N 9. N
5. S 10. S

C. Lesson 2
Exercise (page 13)

3. a7 = a1 + 6 (3)

= 25 + 6 (3)

= 25 + 18

a7 = 43

37
4. a9 = a1 + (9 – 1)d Example 3 (pages 15–16)

= 25 + (8) 3 Step 1: – 1 – (2) = – 3

= 25 + 24 – 4 – (–1) = – 3

a9 = 49 7 – (–4) = – 3

5. a11 = a1 + (11 – 1)d d =–3

= 25 + (10) 3 Step 2: a1 = 2

= 25 + 30 Step 3: a17

a11 = 55 Step 4: a17 = a1 + 16d

Step 5: d =–3
a1 = 2
a17 = a1 + 16d
= 2 + 16(–3)
= 2 + (–48)
a17 = –46

Problem 2 (page 17-18)

Step 1: 35 – 30 = 5
40 – 35 = 5
45 – 40 = 5
The common difference is 5.

Step 2: the first term or a1 = 30

Step 3: a20

Step 4: a20 = a1 + (20 – 1)d

Step 5: a20 = a1 + 19d

= 30 + 19(5)

= 30 + 95

= 125

P125.00 per hour will be his salary at the

end of 5 years.

38
Let’s See What You Have Learned (page 20)

A. 1. Step 1: d = –5

Step 2: a1 = 20

Step 3: a28

Step 4: a28 = a1 + 27d

Step 5: a28 = 20 + 27 (–5)

a28 = 115

2. Step 1: d = 0.3

Step 2: a1 = 7

Step 3: a17

Step 4: a17 = a1 + 16d

Step 5: a17 = 7 + 16 (0.3)

a17 = 11.8

B. 1. a1 = 61; d = 58 – 61 = –3; n = 11

a11 = 61 + (11 − 1)(− 3)

= 61 + (− 30)
a11 = 31

2. a1 = 70; n = 30; d = 72 – 70 = 2

a30 = 70 + (30 − 1)(2)

= 70 + (29)(2)
a30 = 128

There are 128 seats in the last row.

5. a1 = 10.5; d = 0.5; n = 4 (12) = 48 because there

are 12 months
in a year

39
 a 48 = 10.5 + (48 − 1)(0.5)
= 10.5 + (47 )(0.5)
= 10.5 + 23.5
a 48 = 34

He put P34.00 on the last month of the 4th year.

D. Lesson 3
Exercise (pages 30 – 31)

Step 1: a1 = P35.00; a8 = P105.00

Step 2: S8
Step 3: Equation 2

Sn =
n
[a 1 + a n ]
2

Step 4: S8 =
8
[a1 + an ]
2
= 4[P35 + P105]

= 4[P140]

= P560
P560.00 is the cost of a pair of shoes
Let’s See What You Have Learned (page 32)

1
A. 1. a1 = 15; d = –
5

26   1 
S26 =  2(15) + (26 − 1) − 
2   5 

  1 
= 1330 + 25 − 5 
  

  − 25  
= 1330 +  5 
  
= 13(30 - 5)
= 13(25)
S26 = 325

40
 2. a1 = –40; a11 = –73

S11 =
11
[a1 + a11 ]
2

= 5.5 [(− 40) + (− 73)]

= 5.5 [− 113]

= 621.5
B. 1. a1 = 61; a2 = 58; a3 = 55; a18 = 10

S18 =
18
[a1 + a18 ]
2
= [61 + 10]
18
2
= 9[71]
S18 = 639 bricks in all

2. a1 = 70; d = 2; a2 = 72

S 30 =
30
[2a1 + (30 − 1)d ]
2
= [2(70 ) + (29 )2]
30
2
= 15[140 + 58]
S 30 = 2,970 seats in all

5. a1 = 10.50; d = 0.50; n = 48 months in 4 years

S48 =
48
[2(10.50 ) + (48 − 1)(0.50)]
2

= 24 [2(10.50) + (47 )(0.50)]

= 24[21 + 23.50]

S48 = P1,068

41
E. What Have You Learned? (pages 35–36)
A. 1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
4. No
5. No

B. 1. Given: a1 = –9; d = 4

a10 = a1 + 9(4 )
= −9 + 36
a10 = 27

2. Given: a1 = 5; d = 5

a12 = a1 + 11d
= 5 + 11(5)
= 5 + 55
a12 = 60

3. Given: a1 = 3; d = 3
a6 = a1 + 5d
= 3 + 5(3)
= 3 + 15
a6 = 18

4. Given: a1 = 64; d = 4
a5 = a1 + 4d
= 64 + 4(4 )
= 64 + 16
a5 = 80

42
C. 1. Given: a1 = 4; d = –3; n = 3

S3 =
3
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ]
2
= [2(4 ) + (2 )(− 3)]
3
2
= [8 + (− 6 )]
3
2
= (2 )
3
2
6
=
2
S3 = 3

2. Given: a1 = 5; d = 4; n = 4

S4 =
4
[2(5) + (4 − 1)4]
2
= 2[10 + 3(4 )]
= 2[10 + 12]
= 2(22 )
S 4 = 44

D. 1. Given: a1 = 2 km; d = 0.5 km; n = 7 days

a7 = a1 + (n − 1)d
= 2 + (6 )(0.5)
= 2+3
a7 = 5 kms

2. Given: a1 = 5 m; an = 15 m; d = 1; n = 11

n = 11 because starting from 5 meters which is the first term in the series,
there will be 10 more meters from 5 meters to 15 meters. So, the number of
terms in the series is 11.

S11 =
11
[2(5) + (10)1]
2
= [10 + 10]
11
2
= 5.5(20 )
S11 = 110 meters in all

43
 3. Given: a1 = P10.00; a2 = P20.00; a3 = P30.00; S5 = ?;
d = P 10.00

S5 =
n
[2a1 + (n − 1)d ]
2
= [2(10 ) + (5 − 1)10]
5
2
= 2.5(20 + 40 )
= 2.5(60 )
S 5 = P150

References

Sia, Lucy O., et al. 21st Century Mathematics, Second Year. Phoenix Publishing
House, Inc. Reprinted 2000.
Capitulo, F. M. Algebra. A Simplified Approach. National Bookstore, 1989.

44