Common Difference - GCSE Maths Definition

In the context of GCSE Maths, the term 'common difference' refers to the consistent amount that separates consecutive terms in an arithmetic sequence. An arithmetic sequence is a series of numbers in which each term after the first is generated by adding a fixed number, known as the common difference, to the previous term. For example, in the sequence 3, 7, 11, 15, the common difference is 4, since each term increases by 4 from the previous one. Understanding the common difference is crucial for identifying patterns in sequences and for solving various types of arithmetic progression problems.