An AP 5, 12, 19, ... has 50 terms. Find its last term. Hence, find the sum of its last 15 terms.
Here, First term = a = 5
Common difference = d = 12 - 5 = 7
No. of terms = 50
∴ last term will be 50th term.
Using the formula for finding nth term of an A.P.,
l = a50 = a + (50 - 1) × d
∴ l = 5 + (50 - 1) × 7
⇒ l = 5 + 343 = 348
Now, sum of last 15 terms = sum of first 50 terms - sum of first 35 terms
i.e. sum of last 15 terms = S50 - S35
Now, Sum of first n terms of an AP is
Sn = [2a + (n - 1)d]
∴ Sum of first 50 terms is given by:
S50 = [2(5) + (50 - 1)(7)]
= 25 × [10 + 343]
= 25 × 353
= 8825
Now, Sum of first 35 terms is given by:
S35 = [2(5) + (35 - 1)(7)]
= (35/2) × [10 + 238]
= (35/2) × 248
= 35 × 124
= 4340
Now, S50 - S35 = 8825 - 4340
= 4485
∴ last term = 348, sum of last 15 terms = 4485