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Arithmetic Sequences As Linear Functions

1) The document defines arithmetic sequences as lists of numbers where each term is found by adding the same number to the previous term. This common difference between terms distinguishes arithmetic sequences from other sequences. 2) Examples are provided to demonstrate how to identify if a list of numbers forms an arithmetic sequence based on having a constant common difference between terms. Equations are also introduced to represent the nth term in an arithmetic sequence based on the first term and common difference. 3) The document shows how to use the equation for the nth term to find specific terms in a given arithmetic sequence, as well as determine which term corresponds to a given value. Graphing sequences is also demonstrated.

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303 views

Arithmetic Sequences As Linear Functions

1) The document defines arithmetic sequences as lists of numbers where each term is found by adding the same number to the previous term. This common difference between terms distinguishes arithmetic sequences from other sequences. 2) Examples are provided to demonstrate how to identify if a list of numbers forms an arithmetic sequence based on having a constant common difference between terms. Equations are also introduced to represent the nth term in an arithmetic sequence based on the first term and common difference. 3) The document shows how to use the equation for the nth term to find specific terms in a given arithmetic sequence, as well as determine which term corresponds to a given value. Graphing sequences is also demonstrated.

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Arithmetic Sequences as

Linear Functions
Arithmetic Sequences
A SEQUENCE is an ordered list of numbers.

Each number in a SEQUENCE is called a TERM.

In an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE, each TERM is found by adding the


SAME number to the previous TERM.

For example:

𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, 𝟓, 𝟔, …

The difference between each term is called the COMMON


DIFFERENCE, 𝒅.

In an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE, the COMMON DIFFERENCE will be


the SAME for ALL terms in the sequence.
Example 1 – Identifying Arithmetic Sequences
Determine if −𝟒, −𝟐, 𝟎, 𝟐, … is an ARITHMETIC
SEQUENCE:

It is fairly easy to see that the difference between


each term is constant – we add 2 each time – so
therefore, this is an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE.
You Try 1
Determine if −𝟐𝟔, −𝟐𝟐, −𝟏𝟖, −𝟏𝟒, … is an
ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE:

If you were correct, you should have found that the


common difference is CONSTANT – we add 4 to each
term – therefore, this is an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE.
Example 2
𝟏 𝟓 𝟑 𝟏𝟑
Determine if , , , , … is an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE:
𝟐 𝟖 𝟒 𝟏𝟔

We need to see if the COMMON DIFFERENCE is constant… so we


have:
𝟏 𝟏 𝟓
+ =
𝟐 𝟖 𝟖

𝟓 𝟏 𝟔 𝟑
+ = =
𝟖 𝟖 𝟖 𝟒

𝟑 𝟏 𝟕 𝟏𝟑
+ = ≠
𝟒 𝟖 𝟖 𝟏𝟔

Therefore, the COMMON DIFFERENCE does NOT remain constant,


so, we know that this is NOT an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE.
You Try 2
Determine if 𝟏, 𝟒, 𝟗, 𝟐𝟓, … is an ARITHMETIC
SEQUENCE:

If you were correct, you should have found that this


is NOT an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE.
Example 2 – Finding the Next Term
Find the next three terms of the arithmetic sequence 𝟏𝟓, 𝟗, 𝟑, −𝟑, …:

First, we need to find the common difference…


𝟗 − 𝟏𝟓 = −𝟔

𝟑 − 𝟗 = −𝟔

−𝟑 − 𝟑 = −𝟔

So the COMMON DIFFERENCE is −𝟔…


Now we can use this information to find the next three terms…

−𝟑 + −𝟔 = −𝟗

−𝟗 + −𝟔 = −𝟏𝟓

−𝟏𝟓 + −𝟔 = −𝟐𝟏

So the next three terms in the ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE are −𝟗, −𝟏𝟓, −𝟐𝟏
You Try 2
Find the next three terms of the arithmetic sequence
𝟗. 𝟓, 𝟏𝟏. 𝟎, 𝟏𝟐. 𝟓, 𝟏𝟒. 𝟎, …:

If you were correct, you should have found that the


next three terms in the series are 𝟏𝟓. 𝟓, 𝟏𝟕, and
𝟏𝟖. 𝟓
More on Arithmetic Sequences
EVERY term in an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE can be expressed in
terms of the FIRST TERM, 𝒂𝟏 , and the COMMON DIFFERENCE, 𝒅.

For example, the sequence 𝟖, 𝟏𝟏, 𝟏𝟒, 𝟏𝟕, … can be thought of as…

In general, the 𝒏𝐭𝐡 term of an ARITHMETIC SEQUENCE, with a first


term of 𝒂𝟏 and common difference of 𝒅, can be found by…
𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂𝟏 + 𝒏 − 𝟏 𝒅
Where 𝒏 is a positive integer.
Example 3 – Finding the 𝑛 𝑡ℎ Term
Write an equation for the 𝒏𝒕𝒉 term of the arithmetic sequence −𝟏𝟐, −𝟖, −𝟒, 𝟎, …
and then find the 9th term of the sequence. Next, graph the first five terms of the
sequence. Finally, determine which term of the sequence is 32:

First, we need to write the equation for the 𝒏𝒕𝒉 term of the arithmetic sequence
− 𝟏𝟐, −𝟖, −𝟒, 𝟎, …

It is clear that the first term in the sequence, 𝒂𝟏 , is −𝟏𝟐… now, we need to first find
the common difference, 𝒅.

It is clear that we are adding 4 to each term, therefore, 𝒅 = 𝟒.

Now we can use this information to write our equation… we have…


𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂𝟏 + 𝒏 − 𝟏 𝒅

Simply “plug-in” what we know and simplify…


𝒂𝒏 = −𝟏𝟐 + 𝒏 − 𝟏 𝟒
= −𝟏𝟐 + 𝟒𝒏 − 𝟒
= 𝟒𝒏 − 𝟏𝟔
Example 3 - Continued
Now we can use our equation to find the value of the 9th
term…

𝒂𝒏 = 𝟒𝒏 − 𝟏𝟔

Simply “plug-in” what we know and simplify…


𝒂𝟗 = 𝟒 𝟗 − 𝟏𝟔
= 𝟑𝟔 − 𝟏𝟔
= 𝟐𝟎

So the 9th term of the sequence is 20.


Example 3 - Continued
Now, we need to graph the first 5 terms of the sequence…
We will think of “𝒙” as being our term #, and “𝒚” as being our term value…
Term # Term Value
𝒙 𝒚
1 -12
2 -8
3 -4
4 0
5 4
Example 3 - Continued
Finally, we need to find out which term in the sequence has a
value of 𝒂𝒏 = 𝟑𝟐…
Again, we will use our formula…
𝒂𝒏 = 𝟒𝒏 − 𝟏𝟔

Now, “plug-in” what we know and simplify…


𝟑𝟐 = 𝟒𝒏 − 𝟏𝟔

𝟒𝟖 = 𝟒𝒏

𝒏 = 𝟏𝟐

Therefore, the 12th term in the sequence has a value of 32.


You Try 3
Consider the arithmetic sequence 𝟑, −𝟏𝟎, −𝟐𝟑, −𝟑𝟔, …
write an equation for the 𝒏𝒕𝒉 term of the sequence and
then find the 15th term. Then determine which term in
the sequence has a value of −𝟏𝟏𝟒.

If you were correct, you should have found that the


equation is…
𝒂𝒏 = −𝟏𝟑𝒏 + 𝟏𝟔
The 15th term in the sequence has a value of −𝟏𝟕𝟗.
And the 10th term in the sequence has a value of −𝟏𝟏𝟒.
Homework #24
• P.191, #’s 8-23 all.

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