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(a) In an A.P, the difference between the 8th and 4th terms is 20 and the 8th term is ...

(a) In an A.P, the difference between the 8th and 4th terms is 20 and the 8th term is \(1\frac{1}{2}\) times the 4th term. What is the:
(i) common difference ; (ii) first term of the sequence?
(b) The value of a machine depreciates each year by 5% of its value at the beginning of that year. If its value when new on 1st January 1980 was N10,250.00, what was its value in January 1989 when it was 9 years old? Give your answer correct to three significant figures.
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    Correct Answer: Option n
    Explanation:
    (a) \(T_{n} = a + (n - 1) d\) (terms of an A.P)
    Given: \(T_{8} - T_{4} = 20\)
    \(T_{8} = 1\frac{1}{2} \times T_{4}\)
    \(\therefore a + 7d - (a + 3d) = 20\)
    \(4d = 20 \implies d = 5\)
    (ii) Put d = 5 in the equation
    \(a + 7d = 1\frac{1}{2} \times (a + 3d)\)
    \(a + 7d = 1.5a + 4.5d\)
    \(7d - 4.5d = 1.5a - a \implies 2.5d = 0.5a\)
    \(a = \frac{2.5 \times 5}{0.5} = 25\)
    (b) \(A = P(1 - \frac{r}{100})^{n}\)
    where P = N10,250.00
    r = 5%
    n = 9
    \(\therefore A = (10,250) (1 - \frac{5}{100})^{9}\)
    = \(10,250 \times (0.95)^{9} = 10,250 \times 0.6302\)
    = \(N6,460.056 \approxeq N6,460\) (to 3 sig. figs)

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