Question

"Find the sum of the first 50 term in this sequence 4, 7, 10, 13, ...". How do i do this without writing them all out, and how do i develop a formula?

Answer 1

First term ,a=4 , common difference =4-7=-3, n =50
sum of first 50terms= (50/2)[2×4+(50-1)(-3)]
=25×[8+49]×-3
=25×57×-3
=25× -171
= -42925
derivation of the formula for the sum of n terms
Progression, S
S=a1+a2+a3+a4+...+an

S=a1+(a1+d)+(a1+2d)+(a1+3d)+...+[a1+(n−1)d]   →   Equation (1)

S=an+an−1+an−2+an−3+...+a1

S=an+(an−d)+(an−2d)+(an−3d)+...+[an−(n−1)d]   →   Equation (2)

Add Equations (1) and (2)
2S=(a1+an)+(a1+an)+(a1+an)+(a1+an)+...+(a1+an)

2S=n(a1+an)
S=n/2(a1+an)

Substitute an = a1 + (n - 1)d to the above equation, we have
S=n/2{a1+[a1+(n−1)d]}
S=n/2[2a1+(n−1)d]