Question:
Find the value of x such that 25 + 22 + 19 + 16 + …. + x = 112.
Solution:
To Find: The value of x, i.e. the last term.
Given: The series and its sum.
The series can be written as x, (x + 3), …, 16, 19, 22, 25
Let there be n terms in the series
$25=x+(n-1) 3$
$3(n-1)=25-x x=25-3(n-1)=28-3 n$
Let S be the sum of the series
$S=\frac{n}{2}[x+25]=112$
$\Rightarrow \mathrm{n}[28-3 \mathrm{n}+25]=224$
$\Rightarrow \mathrm{n}(53-3 \mathrm{n})=224$
$\Rightarrow 3 \mathrm{n}^{2}-53 \mathrm{n}+224=0$
$\Rightarrow(n-7)\left(n-\frac{32}{3}\right)=0$
⇒ n = 7 as n cannot be a fraction.
Therefore, x = 28 - 3n = 28 - 3(7) = 28 - 21 = 7
The value of x is 7.