In Exercises 1–14, write the first six terms of each arithmetic sequence. a1 = 300, d= -90

Key Concepts

Arithmetic Sequence

An arithmetic sequence is a sequence of numbers in which the difference between consecutive terms is constant. This difference is known as the common difference (d). In this case, the first term (a1) is given, and the common difference allows us to generate subsequent terms by adding or subtracting this value.

First Term and Common Difference

The first term of an arithmetic sequence is the initial value from which the sequence begins, denoted as a1. The common difference (d) is the fixed amount that is added to or subtracted from each term to obtain the next term. For the given sequence, a1 = 300 and d = -90, indicating that each term will decrease by 90.

Finding Terms of the Sequence

To find the terms of an arithmetic sequence, start with the first term and repeatedly apply the common difference. For example, to find the second term, subtract the common difference from the first term, and continue this process to find the subsequent terms. This method allows for the systematic generation of the sequence's terms.