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Ch. 8 - Sequences, Induction, and Probability
Blitzer - College Algebra 8th Edition
Blitzer8th EditionCollege AlgebraISBN: 9780136970514Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 9, Problem 5

Write the first six terms of each arithmetic sequence. a1 = 300, d= -90

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Identify the first term \(a_1\) and the common difference \(d\) of the arithmetic sequence. Here, \(a_1 = 300\) and \(d = -90\).
Recall the formula for the \(n\)-th term of an arithmetic sequence: \(a_n = a_1 + (n - 1) \times d\).
Calculate the second term \(a_2\) by substituting \(n=2\) into the formula: \(a_2 = 300 + (2 - 1) \times (-90)\).
Calculate the third term \(a_3\) by substituting \(n=3\): \(a_3 = 300 + (3 - 1) \times (-90)\).
Continue this process to find the fourth, fifth, and sixth terms by substituting \(n=4, 5, 6\) respectively into the formula.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Arithmetic Sequence

An arithmetic sequence is a list of numbers where each term after the first is found by adding a constant difference to the previous term. This difference is called the common difference, and the sequence progresses linearly.
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Common Difference (d)

The common difference is the fixed amount added to each term to get the next term in an arithmetic sequence. It can be positive, negative, or zero, affecting whether the sequence increases, decreases, or remains constant.
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Finding Terms of an Arithmetic Sequence

To find any term in an arithmetic sequence, use the formula a_n = a_1 + (n - 1)d, where a_1 is the first term, d is the common difference, and n is the term number. This formula helps generate terms without listing all previous ones.
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