Arithmetic and Geometric Progression
Arithmetic Progression (AP) and Geometric Progression (GP) are two important types of
sequences studied in mathematics. These progressions have applications in various fields
such as finance, science, and technology, making them essential topics for students to
understand.
Arithmetic Progression (AP)
An Arithmetic Progression (AP) is a sequence of numbers in which the difference between
any two consecutive terms is constant. This difference is called the common difference and
is denoted by "d".
The general form of an AP is:
a, a + d, a + 2d, a + 3d, ...
where:
a = the first term
d = the common difference
The nth term of an AP can be calculated using the formula:
Tn = a + (n - 1) * d
The sum of the first n terms (Sn) of an AP can be calculated as:
Sn = (n / 2) * [2a + (n - 1) * d]
Geometric Progression (GP)
A Geometric Progression (GP) is a sequence of numbers where each term after the first is
found by multiplying the previous one by a fixed, non-zero number called the common ratio,
denoted by "r".
The general form of a GP is:
a, a * r, a * r^2, a * r^3, ...
where:
a = the first term
r = the common ratio
The nth term of a GP can be calculated using the formula:
Tn = a * r^(n - 1)
The sum of the first n terms of a GP is given by the formula (for r ≠ 1):
Sn = a * (1 - r^n) / (1 - r)
If |r| < 1, the sum to infinity for a GP can be calculated as:
S∞ = a / (1 - r)
Conclusion
Arithmetic and Geometric Progressions are fundamental concepts in mathematics. While
Arithmetic Progression deals with the addition of a constant value, Geometric Progression
involves multiplication by a constant ratio. Both have wide applications in real life, such as
in calculating interest rates, predicting population growth, and analyzing data patterns.
