ARITHMETIC

Series
Lecture no. 7
 Lesson Proper
Illustrative Example 1:
Find the sum of the first
20 terms of the arithmetic
sequence 15, 19, 23, 27, …
Solution 1:
We first find a20 by
substituting a1 = 15, d = 4
and n = 20 in the formula
an = a1 + (n−1) d
a20 = 15 + (20 − 1) 4
a20 = 15 + (19) 4
a20 = 15 + 76
a = 91
 Solving for S20, we
substitute n = 20, a1 = 15
and an = 91 in the formula
𝒏
𝑆𝑛= (𝑎1+𝑎𝑛)
𝟐
 20
𝑆20= (15 + 91)
2
20
𝑆20= (106)
2
𝑆20= 10 (106)
𝑺𝟐𝟎= 𝟏𝟎𝟔𝟎
 Therefore, the sum of
the first 20 terms of the
arithmetic sequence 15,
19, 23, 27, … is 1060.
Solution 2:
Substitute a1 = 15, d = 4
and n = 20 in the formula
𝒏
𝑆𝑛= [2𝑎1+(𝑛−1)𝑑]
𝟐
 20
𝑆20= [2(15) + (20 − 1) 4]
2
20
𝑆20= [2(15) + (19) 4]
2
20
𝑆20= [2(15) + 76]
2
20
𝑆20= (30 + 76)
2
20
𝑆20= (106)
2
𝑆20= 10(106)
𝑺𝟐𝟎= 𝟏𝟎𝟔𝟎
 Using an alternative
solution, the sum of the
first 20 terms of the
arithmetic sequence 15,
19, 23, 27, … is still 1060.
Illustrative Example 2:
How many terms is
needed for –3, 2, 7, … to
have a sum of 116?
Solution:
Use the formula for the sum of
arithmetic sequence
𝒏
𝑆𝑛= [2𝑎1 + (𝑛 – 1) 𝑑]
𝟐
Substitute Sn = 116, a1 = –3 and d
= 5.
 𝑛
116= [2(−3) + (𝑛−1)5]
2
𝑛
116= [2(−3) + 5𝑛 − 5]
2
𝑛
116= [−6 + 5𝑛 − 5]
2
𝑛
116= [5𝑛 − 11]
2
𝑛
2[116= (5𝑛−11)]
2
232= 𝑛(5𝑛−11)
2
232= 5𝑛 − 11𝑛
5𝑛2 − 11𝑛 – 232 = 0
 Using quadratic formula, we have,
a = 5; b = –11; c = –232
−𝑏 ± 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑛=
2𝑎
−(−11) ± (−11)2 −4 5 (−232)
=
2(5)
11 ± 121 + 4640
𝑛=
10
11 ± 4761
𝑛=
10
11 ± 69
𝑛=
10
 Since we are looking for
the number of terms n, the
only accepted solution is
the positive solution. That
is 𝒏=𝟖
 Therefore, eight (8)
terms of the sequence
–3, 2, 7, … is needed to
have a sum of 116.
Illustrative Example 3:
Find the sum of the first 40
terms of the arithmetic
sequence whose first and
third terms are 15 and 21,
respectively.
Given:
a1 = 15, a3 = 21
and n = 3
𝑎𝑛= 𝑎1 + (𝑛−1)𝑑
21= 15 + (3−1)𝑑
21= 15 + 2𝑑
6 = 2𝑑
𝑑=3
 Solving for S40, substitute a1 = 15, n = 40 and d = 3 to the
formula
𝑛
𝑆𝑛 = [2𝑎1 + (𝑛−1) 𝑑 ]
2
40
𝑆40 = [2(15) + (40 − 1) 3 ]
2
𝑆40 = 20 [30 + 117]
𝑺𝟒𝟎= 𝟐𝟗𝟒𝟎
 Therefore, the
sum of the first 40
terms is 2940.
Generalization
The sum of terms in an arithmetic
sequence can be solve using the formula
𝒏
𝑺𝒏= (𝒂𝟏+𝒂𝒏), given the 1st and last
𝟐
term of the sequence or
𝒏
𝑺𝒏= [𝟐𝒂𝟏+(𝒏−𝟏)𝒅], given the first term
𝟐
and the common difference.
 Life isn’t just a
sequence of
waiting for
things to be done!
 TO GOD BE
THE GLORY!