document.write( "Question 142024: The sum of the first 12 terms of an AP (Arithmetic Progression) is 222, the sum of the first 5 terms is 40. Write out the first four terms of the series. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #103485 by nabla(475)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The sum of the first n terms of an arithmetic progression is \"na%2B%28n%28n-1%29r%29%2F2\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Using this formula with n=12 and n=5,\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"222=12a%2B%2812%2812-1%29r%29%2F2\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"40=5a%2B%285%285-1%29r%29%2F2\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "simplifying a bit:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"222=12a%2B66r\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"40=5a%2B10r\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "and simplifying a bit more:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"37=2a%2B11r\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"8=a%2B2r\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "We now solve this system of equations.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "
Solved by pluggable solver: SOLVE linear system by SUBSTITUTION
Solve:
\n" ); document.write( " \"+system%28+%0D%0A++++2%5Ca+%2B+11%5Cr+=+37%2C%0D%0A++++1%5Ca+%2B+2%5Cr+=+8+%29%0D%0A++\"We'll use substitution. After moving 11*r to the right, we get:
\n" ); document.write( " \"2%2Aa+=+37+-+11%2Ar\", or \"a+=+37%2F2+-+11%2Ar%2F2\". Substitute that
\n" ); document.write( " into another equation:
\n" ); document.write( " \"1%2A%2837%2F2+-+11%2Ar%2F2%29+%2B+2%5Cr+=+8\" and simplify: So, we know that r=3. Since \"a+=+37%2F2+-+11%2Ar%2F2\", a=2.
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( " Answer: \"system%28+a=2%2C+r=3+%29\".
\n" ); document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "a=2, r=3.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The first 4 terms of the series would be, then:
\n" ); document.write( "2,(2+3),(2+2(3)),(2+3(3)) which is
\n" ); document.write( "2,5,8,11\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In order to check, which is always a good idea, we can only iterate:
\n" ); document.write( "2+5+8+11+14=40 (first part is correct)
\n" ); document.write( "2+5+8+11+14+17+20+23+26+29+32+35=222 (second part is correct).
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );