document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=880739>Question 880739</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> the sum of the first two terms of an arithmetic sequence is 16, and the sum of the second and third term is 28, determine the first three terms </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #531649 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><B>josgarithmetic(39617)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=531649\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> General term, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2B%28n-1%29d ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2B%28n-1%29d\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.  First term is a.  Common difference is d.  n is the index of any term.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "First Two Terms Sum:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2B%281-1%29d%2Ba%2B%282-1%29d=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2B%281-1%29d%2Ba%2B%282-1%29d=16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2Ba%2Bd=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2Ba%2Bd=16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight_green%282a%2Bd=16%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight_green%282a%2Bd=16%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Second and Third Terms Sum:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2B%282-1%29d%2Ba%2B%283-1%29d=28 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2B%282-1%29d%2Ba%2B%283-1%29d=28\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2Bd%2Ba%2B2d=28 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2Bd%2Ba%2B2d=28\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight_green%282a%2B3d=28%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight_green%282a%2B3d=28%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Starting with Elimination Method would be best because both equations have a 2a term.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282a%2B3d%29-%282a%2Bd%29=28-16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282a%2B3d%29-%282a%2Bd%29=28-16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2d=12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2d=12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=d=6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"d=6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "-<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The simplified term one and two sum equation can be chosen for finding a.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2a%2Bd=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2a%2Bd=16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2a=16-d ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2a=16-d\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=%2816-d%29%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=%2816-d%29%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Substitute for d:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=%2816-6%29%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=%2816-6%29%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a=5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a=5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "-<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The general term is now more specifically, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight%285%2B%28n-1%29%2A6%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight%285%2B%28n-1%29%2A6%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "First three terms:   5, 11, 16. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );