Basic Number Progression: Arithmetic, Geometric, and Fibonacci

By
Fernando P. Tataro

A number progression is a list of numbers that are linked by a rule. If you work
out the rule, you can work out the next numbers in the sequence (bbc.co.uk). The
basic number progressions that will be discussed in this manuscript are: Arithmetic,
Geometric, and Fibonacci.
Lesson 1: Arithmetic Progression (AP)
An arithmetic progression is composed of elements whose consecutive terms
have a common difference. For example, if we have
2 6 10 14 …
Take note that 6 - 2 = 4, 10 - 6 = 4, 14 -10 = 4, and so on. In this example, the
common difference is 4 while the first term is 2. To get the second term 6, we simply
add the common difference 4 to the first term 2 (i.e., 2 + 4 = 6). In general, we can
simply add the common difference to the preceding term.

Formula for any nth term in an Arithmetic Progression:

Now let us develop a formula of any nth term in an arithmetic progression. Let
d = common difference, a1 be the 1st term, a2 the 2nd term, a3 3rd term, a4 4th
term, and an nth term.
From the general rule to get the next term, thus we have
a2 = a1+d
a3 = a2+d = (a1+d) + d = a1+2d
a4 = a3 + d = (a1+2d) + d = a1+3d
And the formula for the n th term can be deduced by observing that the
coefficient of ‘d’ is always 1 less than the subscript of ‘a’. If n is the subscript of ‘a’,
then n – 1 is the coefficient of ‘d’. Thus, we have

F1: an = a1 + (n-1)d

Formula for the sum of n terms of an Arithmetic Progression

Before developing the formula for the sum, let’s first consider the example we
have used previously.
 2 6 10 14 …
If we add the first 3 terms, we have
2 + 6 + 10 = 18.
Here we simply add the terms considered. But suppose the arithmetic
progression is composed of several terms, say hundred terms, it is tedious to add all
the terms this way. Instead, we can simply take the average of the 1 st and the last
term and multiply it by the number of terms considered. For our example above, we
have
[(2+10)/2](3) = [(12/2)](3) = 6(3) = 18.
Let Sn be the sum of n terms in an arithmetic progression. Applying the
principle above, we have
Sum = (average of the 1st and nth term) x (no. of terms)
Hence, we have

F2: Sn = [(a1+an)/2](n)
Or, if the1st term a1, common difference d, and the number of terms n are given, F2
can be expressed as
Sn = {[a1+a1+(n-1)d]/2}(n)
Simplifying, we get

F3: Sn = [2a1+(n-1)d]n/2

Now, let us verify the formulas we have developed above.

For F1: an = a1 + (n-1)d

Considering again the example used above, suppose we want to get the 3 rd term
with n=3 given the 1 st term a1 = 2, and the common difference d = 4. Substituting
values in the formula for F1, we get
a3 = 2 +(3-1)(4) = 2 +2(4) = 2 + 8 = 10.
To get the 4th term with n = 4, we get
a4 = 2 + (4-1)(4) = 2 + 3(4) = 2 + 12 = 14.
For F3: Sn = [2a1+(n-1)d]n/2
Considering the sum of the 3 terms, with n = 3, a 1 = 2, and d = 4, we get
 S3 = [2(2)+(3-1)(4)](3)/2
S3 = [4+2(4)](3)/2
S3 = [4+8](3)/2
S3 = 12(3)/2 = 36/2
S3 = 18
Lesson 2: Geometric Progression

Geometric Progression is composed of elements with a common multiplier or

ratio. Consider the following example, below

5 15 45 135 405

From the given sequence, we notice that the common multiplier or ratio is 3.
Suppose we still want to get next element in the progression, we have 405(3) =
1215. We can find as many elements as we want to.
Formula for any nth term in a Geometric Progression
Now let us develop the formula for any n th term in a geometric progression.
Let g1 be the 1st term, g2 2nd term, g3 3rd term, g4 4th term, gn nth term, and r the
common ratio. The next term in the sequence can be obtained by multiplying the
preceding term by the common ratio r. Hence, we have

g2 = g1(r) = g1r
g3 = g2r = (g1r)r = g1r2
g4 = g3r = (g1r2)r = g1r3

From the above analysis, we can observe that the exponent of the common
ratio r is always 1 less than the subscript of g. Hence, the formula for any nth term in
a geometric sequence is
F4: gn = g1r(n-1)
Let check the validity of the formula. Consider the example we used above. Suppose
we want to get the 3rd term, with n = 3, 1st term g1 = 5, and r = 3, we get
g3 = 5(3)3-1
= 5(3) 2
= 5(9)
 g3= 45
For the 4th term with n = 4, we get
g4 = 5(3)4-1
= 5(3) 3
= 5(27)
g4 = 135

For the 5th term with n = 5, we get

g5 = 5(3)5-1
= 5(3)4
= 5(81)
g5 = 405
With sufficient number of verification examples, we can say that formula is correct.

Formula for the Sum of n terms in a Geometric Progression

Adding the first few elements in a geometric progression may not be that time
consuming and tedious. But if there many terms or elements to be considered, that
wouldn’t be practical. For this reason, let us develop a formula for the sum of n terms
in the sequence. Let Gn be the sum. Adopting the notation we have used previously,
we have
Gn=g1 + g2 + g3 + g4 +… + gn
(1) Gn = g1 + g1r + g1r2 + g1r3+ … + g1rn-1
Multiplying (1) by r, we get
(2) Gnr = g1r + g1r2 + g1r3+ … + g1rn-1 +g1rn
Subtracting (1) from (2), we have
Gnr - Gn = g1rn – g1
Factoring out Gn and g1 from the left and side respectively, we have
Gn(r-1) = g1(rn-1)
Dividing both sides by (r-1), we get
F5: Gn = g1(rn-1)/(r-1)
 Let’s check the validity of formula F5. Consider, example we used above.

5 + 15 + 45 + 135 + 405
Considering the sum of the first 3 terms, with n = 3, g 1 = 5, and r = 3, then plugging in
values in F5, we get
G3 = 5(33-1)/(3-1)
= 5(27-1)/2
= 5(26)/2
= 5(13)
= 65
5 + 15 + 45 = 65 ?
65 = 65 (check)
65 = 65 ( checked)
Considering the sum of the first 4 terms, with n = 4, we get
G4 = 5(34-1)/(3-1)
= 5(81-1)/2
= 5(80)/2
= 5(40)
= 200
5 + 15 + 45 + 135 = 200?
200 = 200 (checked)
Lesson 3: Fibonacci Progression

A Fibonacci Progression is number sequence whose next term can be obtained by

adding the two preceding terms. When the position of the term in the sequence goes
farther, the magnitude of the term goes rapidly larger because the term is assumed
expressed in power form (an, where a is a constant). The first few terms in a Fibonacci
progression are

0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 … F n

And the basic formula for the next term in a Fibonacci Progression is
F6: Fn = Fn-2 + Fn-1
 The basic formula for the next term in the sequence is based on the definition of the
sequence. The other formula expressed exponentially is based on the assumption that the
term in a Fibonacci is in a power form (i.e., Fn = an).
Formula for any nth term in a Fibonacci Progression
Now, let’s develop the formula for any nth term in a Fibonacci Progression. From
F6:
Fn=Fn-2 + Fn-1
and
Fn=an
F6 can be expressed as
(1) an = an-2 + an-1
Multiplying (1) by a2/an
(an = an-2 + an-1)( a2/an), simplifying we have
a2 = 1+a and transposing all terms to the left side, we have
(2) a2 – a – 1 = 0
Solving (2) for a, using the quadratic formula, we get

(1+ √ 5) (1− √ 5)
a= ,
2 2
Let

(3) F n=C 1 ¿ ¿
Where:

F n=nth term∈a Fibonacci Progression

C 1∧C2 =arbitrary constants whose value can be found ¿ two chosen values¿

Fibonacci Progression
When n=0, F n=0

Substituting values in (3), we have

0=C1 ¿ ¿ simplifying, we have

(4) 0=C1 +C 2

and when n=1, F n=1, substituting values in (3), we have

1=C 1 ¿ ¿
 (1+ √5) (1−√ 5)
(5) 1=C 1 +C 2
2 2
Solving (4) and (5) simultaneously, we get
1 −1
C 1= and C 2=
√5 √5
Plugging in values for C 1∧C2 in (3), we have
1
F n= ¿ ¿or in a more compact form, we have
√5
n n
( 1+ √5 ) −( 1− √ 5 )
F7: F n=
√ 5 ( 2 )n
Formula F7 can be conveniently used for any n th values in a Fibonacci Progression especially
when n is large.

Lesson 4: Harmonic Progression (HP)

In Lesson 1, we discussed AP, where we have learned that the next term can be obtained by
adding the common difference d to the preceding term. In HP, a series of terms is known as a HP
series when the reciprocals of elements are in arithmetic progression. E.g.,1/a, 1/(a+d), 1/(a + 2d), and
so on are in HP as a, a + d, a + 2d are in AP. In other words, the inverse of a harmonic sequence
follows the rule of an AP. (Hitbullseye.com).