To Find: First term and number of terms.

Given: a₂= , a₃₁ = , and an =

Formula Used: a_n = a + (n - 1)d

(Where a=a₁ is first term, a₂ is second term, a_n is nth term and d is common difference of given AP)

By using above formula, we have

a₂ = = a + d and a₃₁ = = a + (31 - 1)d

on solving both equation, we get

a = 8 and d = –0.25

Now an = = 8 + (n - 1)( –0.25)

On solving the above equation, we get

n= 59

So the First term is equal to 8 and the number of terms is equal to 59.