Progression Introduction

Arithmetic Progression
Quantities are said to be in AP when they increase or decrease by a common difference.
  • An AP can be represented as a, (a + d), (a + 2d), (a + 3d), ...
  • Where, a = First term and d is the common difference of the given series.

nth term of an AP

  • tn = a + (n - 1)d
  • Where, tn = nth term, a = First term, d = Common difference and n = Number of terms

Sum of the given number of a series in AP

  • Sum of Series = $\cfrac{\text{n}}{2}\ [2\text{a}+(\text{n}-1)\text{d}]$
  • Sum of Series = $\cfrac{\text{n}}{2}$ [First term + Last term]
  • Where, a = First term, d is the common difference of the given series and n = Number of terms

Selecting terms in AP

  • 3 terms in AP are a - d, a, a + d
  • 4 terms in AP are a - 3d, a - d, a + d, a + 3d and so on.
If a, b, c are in AP, then 2b = a + c
Geometric Progression
Quantities are said to be in GP when they increase or decrease by a constant factor. The constant factor is known as common ratio.
  • GP can be represented as a, ar, ar2, ...
  • Where, a = First term and r is the common ratio of the given series.

nth term of a GP

  • tn = arn-1
  • Where, tn = nth term, a = First term, r = Common ratio and n = Number of terms

Sum of the given number of a series in GP

Sum of Series = $\cfrac{\text{ar}^{\text{n}}-1}{\text{r}-1}\text{ [ if r > 1]}$

Sum of Series = $\cfrac{1-\text{ar}^{\text{n}}}{1-\text{r}}\text{ [ if r < 1]}$

Where, a = First term, r = Common ratio and n = Number of terms

Selecting terms in GP

  • 3 terms in GP are a, ar, ar2
  • 4 terms in GP are $\cfrac{\text{a}}{\text{r}^3},$ $\cfrac{\text{a}}{\text{r}},$ $\text{ar},$ $\text{ar}^3$ and so on.
If a, b, c are in GP, then b2 = ac

The sum of an infinite GP a, ar, ar2, ... is

$\text{S}_\infty =\cfrac{\text{a}}{1-\text{r}}$ $\text{ [ if -1 < r < 1]}$

Where, a = First term and r = Common ratio

Harmonic Progression
If a, b, c are in Arithmetic Progression then 1/a, 1/b, 1/c are in harmonic progression.

nth term of HP

  • $ t_{\text{n}}=\cfrac{1}{\text{a}+ (\text{n} -1)\text{d}}$
  • Where, tn = nth term, a = First term, d = Common difference and n = Number of terms

Selecting terms in HP

  • 3 terms in HP are $\cfrac{1}{\text{a}-\text{d}}\text{ ,}$ $ \cfrac{1}{\text{a}} \text{ ,}$ $\cfrac{1}{\text{a}+\text{d}}$
  • 4 terms in HP are $\cfrac{1}{\text{a}-3\text{d}} \text{ ,}$ $\cfrac{1}{\text{a}-\text{d}} \text{ ,}$ $\cfrac{1}{\text{a}+\text{d}} \text{ ,}$ $\cfrac{1}{\text{a}+3\text{d}}$ and so on.
If a, b, c are in HP, then $b= \cfrac{2\text{ac}}{\text{a}+\text{c}}$
Relationship between Arithmetic, Harmonic and Geometric Means
Let there are two numbers a and b where a, b > 0
  • AM = $\cfrac{\text{a}+\text{b}}{2}$
  • GM = $\sqrt{\text{ab}}$
  • HM = $\cfrac{2\text{ab}}{\text{a}+\text{b}}$
NOTE :

Let there are two numbers a and b where a, b > 0

  • AM x HM = GM2
  • AM > GM > HM