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

The difference between consecutive terms, d, and is called the common difference, for n greater than or equal to two.

From Textbooks • Sep. 23, 2020

Then we add the common difference to that result to get the next term, and so on.

From Textbooks • Sep. 23, 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 fifteenth term of a sequence where the tenth term is −11 and the common difference is −3.

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