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Algebra 7 Online
OpenStudy (anonymous):

how do i find the nth term of an arithmetic sequence?

OpenStudy (rizags):

\[\huge a_n=a_1+(n-1)d\]

OpenStudy (welshfella):

a1 is the first term in the sequence and d is the common difference an example of the sequence is 2 , 5 , 8 , 11, 14 here a1 = 2 and d = common differnce between each term = 5 - 2 = 3

OpenStudy (anonymous):

what is n?

OpenStudy (welshfella):

so the nth term of this sequence i s an = 2 + (n - 1)3

OpenStudy (welshfella):

n is the sequence number of the term dist, second, third etc

OpenStudy (anonymous):

what if the sequence number is not given? does that mean that the answer is an equation?

OpenStudy (welshfella):

so 10th term of the sequence 2,5,8,11,14 is a10 = 2 + (10-1)3 = 2 + 9*3 = 2 + 27 = 29

OpenStudy (welshfella):

yes then the answer is a formula containg n.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

okay i understand. thank you so much.

OpenStudy (welshfella):

yw

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