Arithmetic Progression: Finding the First Term and Common Difference

In summary, you are trying to find the first term of an arithmetic progression, and you need to solve for a.
  • #1
Crystalong876
1
0
The sum of the first 100 terms of an arithmetic progression is 15050; the first, third and eleventh terms of this progression are three consecutive terms of a geometric progression. Find the first term, a and the non-zero common difference, d, of the arithmetic progression.
 
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  • #2
Hello and welcome to MHB, Crystalong876! :D

There are several issues of which I need to make you aware:

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So, given these rules and policies at MHB (the complete list can be found http://mathhelpboards.com/rules/), I have moved your first thread here, given it a useful title and then deleted the 3 duplicate threads. Whew! (Sweating)

With that done, can you post what you have tried so far so our helpers know where you are stuck and can best guide you?
 
  • #3
Crystalong876 said:
The sum of the first 100 terms of an arithmetic progression is 15050; the first, third and eleventh terms of this progression are three consecutive terms of a geometric progression. Find the first term, a and the non-zero common difference, d, of the arithmetic progression.
Are you able to solve this equation for a:

am = a + 2d

a = ?

If not, you'll need classroom help to solve your problem...
 

What is an arithmetic progression?

An arithmetic progression is a sequence of numbers in which the difference between consecutive terms is constant. This constant difference is called the common difference.

How do you find the first term of an arithmetic progression?

The first term of an arithmetic progression can be found by using the formula a1 = an - (n-1)d, where a1 is the first term, an is the nth term, and d is the common difference.

What is the formula for finding the common difference of an arithmetic progression?

The formula for finding the common difference of an arithmetic progression is d = (an - a1)/(n-1), where d is the common difference, an is the nth term, and a1 is the first term.

Can the common difference of an arithmetic progression be negative?

Yes, the common difference of an arithmetic progression can be negative. This indicates that the sequence is decreasing.

What is the difference between an arithmetic progression and a geometric progression?

An arithmetic progression has a constant difference between consecutive terms, while a geometric progression has a constant ratio between consecutive terms. In other words, in an arithmetic progression, each term is obtained by adding a fixed number to the previous term, while in a geometric progression, each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a fixed number.

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