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jmc

algebra senior

Problem

I have two arithmetic sequences. The first term of the first sequence is . The second term of the first sequence is the first term of the first sequence plus the first term of the second sequence. Similarly, the third term of the first sequence is the second term of the first sequence plus the second term of the second sequence. If the fifth term of the second sequence is , what is the fifth term of the first sequence?
Solution
Let be the common difference in the first sequence. The first term in the first sequence is 0, so the terms in the first sequence are 0, , , and so on.

We are told that the second term in the first sequence (namely ) is the sum of the first term in the first sequence (which is 0) and the first term of the second sequence, so the first term of the second sequence must be .

We are also told that the third term in the first sequence (namely ) is the sum of the second term in the first sequence (which is ) and the second term of the second sequence, so the second term of the second sequence must also be .

The first two terms of the second sequence are both , so all the terms must be . We are told that the fifth term of the second sequence is 3, so .

Finally, the fifth term of the first sequence is .
Final answer
12