arithmetic series help!

sammmmm

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Dec 10, 2010
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The second term of an arithmetic series is 10 and the sum of the first 18 terms is 1125. Find the common difference.

Please help! Thank you
 
n[2a + d(n - 1)] / 2 = 1125 where d = 10 - a
You're given n = 18 ; solve for a

Did you at least try to find the formula?
 
o i thought i was wanting to find d in the first place because i needed to find the common difference. What does the "a" represent?

Thanks
 
Hello, sammmmm!

Do you know anything about arithmetic series?

\(\displaystyle \text{The }n^{th}\text{ term is: }\:a_n \:=\:a_1 + nd\)

\(\displaystyle \text{The sum of the first }n\text{ terms is: }\:S_n \:=\:\tfrac{n}{2}[2a_1 + (n-1)d]\)

. . \(\displaystyle \text{where: }\:\begin{Bmatrix} a_1 &=& \text{first term} \\ d &=& \text{common difference} \\ n &=& \text{number of terms} \end{Bmatrix}\)


The second term of an arithmetic series is 10, and the sum of the first 18 terms is 1125.
Find the common difference.

\(\displaystyle \text{Second term is 10: }\:a_2 = 10 \quad\Rightarrow\quad a_1 + d \:=\:10 \;\;[1]\)

\(\displaystyle \text{Sum of first 18 terms is 1125: }\:S_{18} = 1125 \quad\Rightarrow\quad \tfrac{18}{2}(2a_1 + 17d) \:=1125 \quad\Rightarrow\quad 2a_1 + 17d \:=\:125 \;\;[2]\)


\(\displaystyle \text{We have a system of equations.}\)

. . \(\displaystyle \begin{array}{cccccc}\text{Multiply [1] by -2:} & \text{-}2a_1 - 2d &=& \text{-}20 \\ \text{Add [2]:} & 2a_1 + 17d &=& 125 \end{array}\)


\(\displaystyle \text{Therefore: }\:15d \:=\:105 \quad\Rightarrow\quad \boxed{d \:=\:7}\)

 
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