Basic Mathematics

Lecture 10
Arithmetic and Geometric Progressions
Lecturer: Kahenya, N.P

Introduction to lecture 10
This lecture discusses sequences and series, and in particular arithmetic and geometric
progressions. These are popular series.
Intended learning outcomes
At the end of this lecture you will be able to;
(i) Differentiate between GP and AP.
(ii) Carry out operations involving AP and GP.
References
These lecture notes should be complemented with relevant topics in (Antony & Robert, 2006;
Kahenya, 2017; Sullivan & Miranda, 2019).
Arithmetic progression
Arithmetic Progression AP is a sequence which proceeds with constant difference (common
difference), d. For example: 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, … is an AP with common difference d = 5, and the
first term a = T1 = 4

In general, an A.P with n terms is of the form;

a, [a + d], [a + 2d], [a + 3d], ⋯ , [a + (n − 1)d]

Where [a + (n − 1)d] is the nth term = Tn

Example 1

Given the AP; 3, 10, 17, 24, 31… find the 30th term in the sequence.

Solution: By definition, Tn = a + (n − 1)d. Note our;

a = 3; n = 30; d = Tn − Tn−1 = T2 − T1 = 10 − 3 = 7 (or T5 − T4 = 31 − 24 = 7)

Hence; T30 = 3 + (30 − 1)7 = 3 + 29 × 7 = 206

1
Example 2

Nimo was repaying a loan in instalments. The instalments for the first five months were as
follows; 11500, 11200, 10900, 10600, 10300, …Find her 15th instalment.

Solution: Note our first term, a = 11500, Number of terms, n = 15, and our common difference d
= 11200 – 11500 = -300

Hence; Tn = a + (n − 1)d => T15 = 11500 + (15 − 1)(−300) = 11500 − 4200 = 7300

Sum of the first 𝐧 terms of an A.P

To get the sum of n terms of an AP, Sn consider the series;

Sn = a + (a + d) + (a + 2d) + (a + 3d) + ⋯ + (l − d) + l ⋯ (i)where l = Tn

We can also rewrite this series as;

Sn = l + (l − d) + (l − 2d) + ⋯ + (a + 3d) + (a + 2d) + (a + d) + a ⋯ (ii)

Add equations (ii) and (i) to get;

Sn = a + (a + d) + (a + 2d) + ⋯ + (l − 2d) + (l − d) + l
Sn = l + (l − d) + (l − 2d) + ⋯ + (a + 2d) + (a + d) + a
2Sn = (a + l) + (a + l) + (a + l) + ⋯ + (a + l) + (a + l) + (a + l)

This shows that; 2Sn = n(a + l)

𝐧
𝐒𝐧 = (𝐚 + 𝐥) ⋯ (∗)
𝟐

NB: This formula is useful especially when you know the last term l of the given AP.

Otherwise, since l = Tn = a + (n − 1)d we can replace l in equation (*) to get;

n
Sn = [a + (a + (n − 1)d]
2

𝐧
𝐒𝐧 = [𝟐𝐚 + (𝐧 − 𝟏)𝐝] ⋯ (∗∗)
𝟐

2
Example 3

Given the series; 12 + 18 + 24 + 30 + 36 determine the 100th term and the sum of the first 100 terms.

Solution: Our a = 12, n = 100, common difference d = 18 – 12 = 6

Hence; T100 = a + (n − 1)d = 12 + (100 − 1)6 = 12 + 99 × 6 = 606

n 100
S100 = (a + l) = (12 + 606) = 50(618) = 30900
2 2
n 100
Alternatively; S100 = [a + (n − 1)d] = [12 + (100 − 1)6] = 50(12 + 99 × 6) = 30900
2 2

Geometric Progression

Geometric sequence is a sequence of the form; a, ar, ar 2 , ar 3 , ⋯ , ar n−1 where a is the first term, r
is the common ratio and the nth term;

Tn = ar n−1

Note that the common ratio

ar ar n−1 ar n
r= = n−2 = n−1
a ar ar

Example 1

9 27 81
(i) 3, 9, 27, 81, … is a geometric sequence where a = 3 and r = 3 = 9
= 27 = 3
1 1 1 1
(ii) 1, 2 , 4 , 8 , ⋯ is a geometric sequence where a = 1 and r = 2

Example 2

2 2 2
Given the sequence; 2, , , ,⋯ Find the common ratio r, the 10th term, and the 100th term.
3 9 27

2
T 1
Solution: The comon ratio r = T2 = 3
2
=3.
1

1 9 2
Hence, the 10th term = T10 = ar 9 = 2 × (3) = 39

1 99 2
Next, the 100th term, T100 = 2 × (3) = 399

3
 Sum of first n terms of a GP

Consider the sum of the first n terms of a geometric series;

Sn = a + ar + ar 2 + ⋯ + ar n−1 ⋯ (i)

Next, we multiply both sides of (i) by the common ratio r to get;

rSn = ar + ar 2 + ar 3 + ⋯ + ar n ⋯ (ii)

We have two options;

(a) We subtract equation (ii) from equation (i) or

Sn = a + ar + ar 2 + ⋯ + ar n−1
rSn = ar + ar 2 + ar 3 + ⋯ + ar n
Sn − rSn = (a − ar) + (ar − ar 2 ) + (ar 2 − ar 3 ) + ⋯ + (ar n−1 − ar n )

Sn − rSn = a − ar + ar − ar 2 + ar 2 − ar 3 + ⋯ + ar n−1 − ar n

Simplifying the resultant, we have;

Sn (1 − r) = a − ar n

𝐚(𝟏 − 𝐫 𝐧 )
𝐒𝐧 = ; 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 |𝐫| < 𝟏
𝟏−𝐫

This formula is appropriate when the common ratio is less than one.

Example 3

5 5 5
Find the sum of the first 7 terms of the series 5 + 2 + 4 + 8 + ⋯

1
Solution: The common ratio r = 2 (which is less than 1).

Hence, we have;

1
a(1 − r n ) 5(1 − 0. 57 ) 5 (1 − 27 ) 1 635
S7 = = = = 10 (1 − 7 ) = = 9.921875
1−r 1 − 0.5 1 2 64
2

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Option (b): (We subtract equation (i) from equation (ii))
rSn = ar + ar 2 + ar 3 + ⋯ + ar n
Sn = a + ar + ar 2 + ⋯ + ar n−1
rSn − Sn = (ar − a) + (ar 2 − ar) + (ar 3 − ar 2 ) + ⋯ + (ar n − ar n−1 )

Simplifying the resultant, we have;

Sn (r − 1) = ar n − a

𝐚(𝐫 𝐧 − 𝟏)
𝐒𝐧 = ; 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 |𝐫| > 𝟏
𝐫−𝟏

Example 4: Find the sum of the first 10 terms of the series 5 + 15+ 45+ 135+…

15
Solution: Note that our a = 5, n = 10, and common ratio r = 5
=3

a(r n − 1) 5(310 − 1)
S10 = = = 2.5(310 − 1) = 147620
r−1 3−1

Example 5: A man decide to save a shilling on day 1. On day 2 saved 2 shillings, on day 3 he
saved 4 shillings, on day 4 he saved 8 shillings, and so forth. How much will he save on the 20th
day? What will be his total savings by end of day 20?

Solution: The savings give us the series; 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + ⋯ with first term a = 1, and the
common ratio r = 2. Then we have;

How much will he save on the 20th day i.e. 𝑇20 ?

T20 = ar19 = 1 × 219 = 524,288 shillings

What will be his total savings by end of day 20 i.e. 𝑆20?

a(r n − 1) 1(220 − 1)
S20 = = = 220 − 1 = 1,048,575 shillings
r−1 2−1

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 Sum to infinity of a GP that is converging

This is the case where the progression is up to infinity and the progression is also decreasing.
The common ratio r is normally 0 < r < 1. Hence, we can use the formula;

a(1 − r n )
Sn =
1−r

The problem is that this is for finite series. Hence, we find the limit as n approaches infinity i.e.

a(1 − r n ) a
S∞ = lim Sn = lim ( )= , since r n → 0 as n → ∞
n→∞ n→∞ 1−r 1−r

Thus;

𝐚
𝐒∞ =
𝟏−𝐫

Note that if |r| ≥ 1, then sum to infinity is infinity i.e. 𝑆∞ = ∞

Example 5

1 1 1
Consider the geometric progression; 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + ⋯ the series proceeds to infinity.

1
Solution: In our case a = 1 and common ratio r = 2 then,

a 1
S∞ = = =2
1−r 1−1
2

Example 6

Consider the recurring decimal; 0.777 ⋯ Convert it into a fraction.

Solution: The recurring decimal can also be written as;

0.777 ⋯ = 0.7 + 0.07 + 0.007 + 0.0007 + ⋯

Note that this is a series and in particular a GP that progresses to infinity. Our first term 𝑎 = 0.7
0.07
and the common ratio; r = 0.7
= 0.1

a 0.7 0.7 7
Hence we have; S∞ = = = =
1−r 1−0.1 0.9 9

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Exercise

1. The first term of an A.P is 9 and the sum of the first 20 terms is 2270. Find the nth term,
and the 10th term
2. Find the sum of the first 50 terms of the A.P; 110+ 117+124+131+…
3. The first and the nth terms of an A.P are 11 and 606, and the sum of the n terms is 11106.
Find the number of terms, n and the common difference, d.
4. The 2nd term of an A.P is 28 and the 11th term - 53. Find the 1st term, the common difference,
and the sum of the first 29 terms.
5. Karis’ first month commission is KES 14500 and increase by KES 230 a month. How much
will earn in the 9th month? How much would he have earned in 15th months?
6. Determine the next five terms in the following sequences
a) 7, 14, 28,56
1 1 1
b) , , ,
7 35 175

7. Calculate the sum to infinity of the following GPs

b) 2 + 6 + 18 + ⋯

c) 0.12121212 ⋯

d) 0.9 + 0.09 + 0.009 + ⋯

8. Three consecutive terms of a geometric series are the 2nd, 6th, and 14th terms of arithmetic
series. Find the common ratio of the geometric series.

Bibliography
Antony, C., & Robert, D. (2006). Foundation Maths. Prentice Hall.

Kahenya, P. (2017). Foundation Maths. LAP Lambert Academic Publishers.

Sullivan, M., & Miranda, K. (2019). Calculus: Early Transcendentals (second). W.H. Freeman and
Company.