Find the common difference d for the following arithmetic sequence. 12, 7, 2, - 3, ...
A) 5
B) - 5
C) 3
D) - 3
E) - 6

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The common difference (d) is the constant amount added or subtracted to each term to get to the next term. Thus, we can find the common difference by subtracting any term from the previous term. 
7 - 12 = -5
2 - 7 = -5
-3 - 2 = -5
Since all the differences are -5, the common difference is -5. Therefore, the answer is choice B.

Find the Common Difference D for the Following Arithmetic Sequence