Sum of First 20 Terms of Arithmetic Progression with Even Terms Removed

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the sum of the first 20 terms of an arithmetic progression (AP) after removing terms in even positions. Participants explore the implications of this removal on the sequence and the resulting sum.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Exploratory
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant states the first term of the AP is 3 and the common difference is 4, and provides formulas for the sum and terms of an AP.
  • Another participant hints at examining the differences between specific terms to understand the sequence better.
  • Further calculations are presented for the third and fifth terms, showing a common difference of 8 between them.
  • Participants discuss the number of odd-numbered terms in the sequence, concluding there are 10 odd terms from the first 20 terms.
  • There is a reiteration of the first term and common difference, with a suggestion that the sum should be calculated for the odd-numbered terms only.
  • One participant confirms the calculations for the sum of the first 20 terms, arriving at a total of 1580, and expresses gratitude for the confirmation of correctness.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

While there is some agreement on the calculations and the understanding of the arithmetic progression, the discussion includes multiple viewpoints on how to approach the problem, particularly regarding the implications of removing even-positioned terms. No consensus is reached on the final interpretation of the sum calculation.

Contextual Notes

Participants rely on specific assumptions about the arithmetic sequence and the definitions of terms and sums, which may not be universally agreed upon. The calculations presented are based on these assumptions and may vary based on interpretations.

mathlearn
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First term of the progression is 3 & the common difference is 4

Find the sum of the first 20 terms of the progression that is obtained by removing the terms in the even positions of the given progressions, such as the second term,fourh term, sixth term.

Formula preferences

For the sum of an arithmetic progression I prefer,

$S_n=\frac{n}{2}\left\{2a+(n-1)d\right\}$

For the term of an arithmetic progression,

$T_n=a+(n-1)d$

Many Thanks :)
 
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Hint: What is the difference between the first and third terms? What is the difference between the third and fifth terms?
 
greg1313 said:
Hint: What is the difference between the first and third terms? What is the difference between the third and fifth terms?

The third term

$T_3=3+(3-1)4=8+3=11$

The difference between the first and the third term is $3 {\underbrace{\phantom{2d) + (3e}}_{\text{+8}}} 11$

The fifth term

$T_5=3+(5-1)4=16+3=19$

The difference between the first and the third term is $11 {\underbrace{\phantom{2d) + (3e}}_{\text{+8}}} 19$

So there is a common difference of 8 between the terms

$S_{20}=\frac{20}{2}\left\{2*3+(20-1)8\right\}$
$S_{20}=10\left\{6+19*8\right\}$
$S_{20}=10\left\{6+152\right\}$
$S_{20}=10\left\{158\right\}$
$S_{20}=1580$

Correct ?

Many Thanks ;)
 
How many terms are there in the sequence of odd-numbered terms?
 
From the first 20 term the number of odd numbers would be 10. (Thinking)
 
So you've got an arithmetic sequence with ten terms. What is the first term? What is the common difference?
 
greg1313 said:
So you've got an arithmetic sequence with ten terms. What is the first term? What is the common difference?

The first term is 3 & the common difference as calculated above is +8.

Find the sum of the first 20 terms of the progression that is obtained by removing the terms in the even positions of the given progressions, such as the second term,fourh term, sixth term.

And I guess you are supposed to find the sum of first 20 terms of the above arithmetic progression in which all the 20 terms are odd numbers (Thinking)
 
mathlearn said:
The third term

$T_3=3+(3-1)4=8+3=11$

The difference between the first and the third term is $3 {\underbrace{\phantom{2d) + (3e}}_{\text{+8}}} 11$

The fifth term

$T_5=3+(5-1)4=16+3=19$

The difference between the first and the third term is $11 {\underbrace{\phantom{2d) + (3e}}_{\text{+8}}} 19$

So there is a common difference of 8 between the terms

$S_{20}=\frac{20}{2}\left\{2*3+(20-1)8\right\}$
$S_{20}=10\left\{6+19*8\right\}$
$S_{20}=10\left\{6+152\right\}$
$S_{20}=10\left\{158\right\}$
$S_{20}=1580$

Correct ?

Many Thanks ;)

That's correct! Good work!

(I initially misread the problem ... :o)
 

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