Q. Type the missing numbers in this sequence:−71, −74, _____, −80, _____, −86
Identify Pattern: Is the given sequence geometric or arithmetic?Here, we need to determine if the sequence follows a pattern of addition/subtraction (arithmetic) or multiplication/division (geometric).By looking at the sequence, we can see that the numbers seem to be decreasing by a constant amount, which suggests an arithmetic sequence.
Find Common Difference: Find the common difference in the arithmetic sequence.To find the common difference, we need to look at the difference between the terms that are given. We can use the terms −80 and −86 to find the common difference.−86−(−80)=−86+80=−6Common Difference: −6
Find First Missing Number: Find the first missing number in the sequence.To find the missing number before −80, we need to subtract the common difference from −80.−80−(−6)=−80+6=−74However, this is incorrect because −74 is already in the sequence and we are looking for the term before it. We need to add the common difference to the second term −74 instead.−74+(−6)=−74−6=−80This is also incorrect because −80 is the term after the missing number. We need to subtract the common difference from the second term −74 to find the first missing number.−74−(−6)=−74+6=−68