document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=979750>Question 979750</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How many terms of the arithmetic sequence 88,85,82,... appears before the number -17 appears? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #601016 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ikleyn><B>ikleyn(52879)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ikleyn><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=ikleyn><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=601016\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "First term of the given arithmetic progression is &nbsp;<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5B1%5D ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5B1%5D\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = 88&nbsp; and the &nbsp;<U>common difference</U>&nbsp; is &nbsp;-3. &nbsp;We need to determine the index of the term which is equal to &nbsp;-17. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thus we have an equation \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5Bn%5D ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5Bn%5D\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5B1%5D ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5B1%5D\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > - <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28n-1%29%2Ad ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28n-1%29%2Ad\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = -17, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;or\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "88 - 3*(n-1) = -17.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "to determine the unknown index &nbsp;<B>n</B>. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve this equation step by step: \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "88 + 17 = 3*(n-1),\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "105 = 3*(n-1),\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "n-1 = <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=105%2F3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"105%2F3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "n-1 = 35,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "n = 36.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<B>Answer</B>. &nbsp;The number &nbsp;-17&nbsp; is &nbsp;36-th term of the given arithmetic progression. \r<BR>\n" );
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