Problema Solution

What is the sum of a 12–term arithmetic sequence where the last term is 13 and the common difference is –10?

Answer provided by our tutors

First we will find all of the terms using the general equation a_n=a_1+(n-1)*d)


12th term

13


1st term

13=a_1+(12-1)(-10)

a_1=123


2nd term

a_2=123+(2-1)(-10)

a_2=113


and so on to get:


3rd term: 103

4th term: 93

5th term: 83

6th term: 73

7th term: 63

8th term: 53

9th term: 43

10th term: 33

11th term: 23


Now we can add them all up to get the sum:

123+113+103+93+83+73+63+53+43+33+23+13=816