Example (1)

An arithmetic progression is given as -12,-9,-6, …. Find

the sum from the 10th term to the 20th term.
Solution
a = -12
d = -9 – (-12) = 3

T10 + T11 + …. + T20 = S20 - S9

Sn = [2a + (n-1) d]
S20 = [2(-12) + 19(3)]
=10[-24+57]
= 330
S9 = [2(-12) + 8(3)]
= [-24 + 24]
=0
S20 – S9 = 330 – 0
= 330
The sum from the 10th term to the 20th term is 330.
Example (2)
The sum of the first six terms of an arithmetic progression
is 87 and the sum of the first thirty-two terms is 2 235.
Find
(a) The first term and the common difference,
(b) The sum of the first 45 terms.
a) S6 = 87
[2a + 5d] = 87
2a + 5d = 29 ----- (1)
S30 = 2 235
[2a + 29d] = 2 235
2a + 29d = 149 ----- (2)
(2) – (1), 24d =120
d=
d=5
Substitute d = 5 into equation (1).
 2a + 5(5) = 29
2a = 4
a=2
The first term is 2 and the common difference is 5
b) S45 = [2(2) + 44(5)]
= [4 + 220]
= (224)
= 5 040
The sum of the first 45 terms is 5040.

Example (3)
In an arithmetic progression, the third term is 10 and the
twelfth term is 37. Find
(i) The first term and the common difference.
(ii) The sum of the first 25 terms.
Solution
T3 = 10
a + 2d = 10 ----- (1)
T12 = 37
a + 11d = 37 ----- (2)
(2) – (1), 9d = 27
d=
d=3

Substitute d = 3 into equation (1).

a + 2(3) = 10
a + 6 = 10
a = 10 – 6
=4

(i) The first term = 4

The common difference = 3
(ii) S25 = [2(4) + 24(3)]
= [8 + 72]
= [80]
= 1 000
Example (4)
An arithmetic progression has 12 terms. The sum of the
12 terms is 324 whereas the sum of the odd terms is 150.
Find
a) The first term and the common difference,
b) The 9th term.
Solution
S12 = 324
[2a +11d] = 324
2a + 11d = 54 ----- (1)

T1 + T3 + T5 + T7 + T9 + T11 = 150
a + a + 2d + a + 4d + a + 6d + a + 8d + a +
10d = 150
6a + 30d = 150
a + 5d = 25 ----- (2)
(2) × 2, 2a + 10d = 50 ----- (3)
(1) – (3), d=4
Substitute d = 4 into equation (2).
a + 5(4) = 25
a = 25 – 20
 a=5

a) The first term is 5 and the common difference is 4.

b) T9 = 5 + 8(4)
= 37
The 9th term is 37.
Exercise (1)
For the arithmetic progression 2, 7, 12, …., find the sum
from the 11th term to the 18th term .
Solution
a=2
d = 7- 2 = 5
T11 + T12 + …. + T18 = S18 - S10

Sn = [2a + (n-1) d]
S18 = [2(2) + 17(5)]
= 9 [ 4 + 85 ]
= 801

S10 = [2(2) + 9(5)]

 = 5 [4 + 45]
= 245

S18 - S10 = 801 – 245

= 556
The sum from the 11th term to the 18th term is 556.

Exercise (2)
The sum of the first 20 terms of an arithmetic progression
is 520. If the first term is 7, find the common difference.
Solution
a=7
Sn = [2a + (n-1) d]
s20 = 520
[2(7) + (20 – 1) d] = 520
 10(14 + 19d) = 520
14 + 19d = 52
19d = 38
d=
=2
The common difference is 2.