common difference

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. the difference between any two consecutive terms in an arithmetic progression.

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Etymology

Origin of common difference

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Find the eleventh term of a sequence where the third term is 19 and the common difference is five.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

Find the first term and common difference of an arithmetic sequence whose ninth term is −1 and the sixteenth term is −15.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

Let’s write the first few terms of a sequence where the first term is a1 and the common difference is d.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

Find the thirtieth term of a sequence where the first term is −14 and the common difference is five.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

The common difference between the men and the women is the women had fresh lipstick—their one attempt at sanitary glamour.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos